Port company’s ‘facts’ can’t be trusted

Ports of Auckland is telling porkies again says Stop Stealing Our Harbour.

The port company simply cannot be trusted to tell Aucklanders the truth about its Bledisloe Wharf extensions says spokesperson Michael Goldwater.

“The port company has maintained all along it needs to extend Bledisloe Wharf to accommodate bigger ships. But all it needs to do is demolish Marsden Wharf and even the Queen Mary II will fit there.

“The accompanying image* tells the story,” Mr Goldwater says “The Queen Mary II is 345m long. It will easily fit in to the existing Bledisloe Wharf when the northern end of Marsden is demolished. Even the new super size cruiseships could be accommodated”

Mr Goldwater says the port company’s own website says Marsden Wharf is beyond its use-by date.

“It says: ‘The structure is old and at the end of its useful life. Because of its condition of the structure it is now unsuitable even for that task and will be removed’.

“And: ‘Ultimately, the expanded shipping basin will be used for ships berthing at Bledisloe wharf. It will mean the port is able to utilise a berth that is currently inaccessible and reduces the need to extend further north.’

“If the Queen Mary II can fit there, surely the big container ships can too?” Mr Goldwater says. “It would seem the port company is deliberately disguising figures to suit its own argument and rush through construction of the Bledisloe extensions.”

*The image is a to-scale graphic created in-house by Auckland-based Copeland Associates Architects.

ENDS

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