A phoenix from the ashes

The project is a sustainable solution for the disposal of clean earthquake-demolition material and followed Government approval for a ten-hectare reclamation using rubble from buildings hit by the earthquakes. This process gave the city a practical way to deal with some of the estimated 8.5m tonnes of rubble and material from the quake.

“Space has become particularly critical since the earthquakes and our reclamation will provide critical port infrastructure which is urgently required to support our rebuild programme,” says chief executive Peter Davie. “The port has a significant role to play in the economic recovery of Christchurch and the Canterbury region and into the future.”

The reclamation is progressing well and has grown to approximately 3.5 hectares, providing 8,000 sq metres of valuable storage space for imported vehicles. The new land will need time to settle before it can be used for containers. No coal will be handled or stored on the reclamation under the current consents.

The project will take about two years to complete.

Lyttelton is New Zealand’s third-largest port and the biggest in the South Island, handling over 330,000 teu of containerised cargo a year.