[ad_1]
AIMAN AMERUL MUNER/Stuff
Timaru’s port on Wednesday afternoon closed to large ships. It will reopen on Friday morning.
Three days after a significant increase in wave activity forced its closure to large ships, Timaru’s port will reopen in time to welcome a cruise ship to the district.
The Seabourn Odyssey, carrying about 450 passengers, will arrive in Timaru on Friday, and as of 3.30pm on Thursday, the port will reopen for “large vessel movements’’ at 7pm with the arrival of the ship, PrimePort Timaru chief executive Phil Melhopt said.
“Seabourn Odyssey will be alongside [the] Number 1 berth as planned,’’ he said.
The decision to close the port came into effect at 6pm on Monday, as Cyclone Gabrielle continued to wreak havoc up and down the country.
READ MORE:
* Timaru’s port closed to large ships, ‘significant increase in wave activity’ following Cyclone Gabrielle
* Cruise ship visits: ‘Without doubt a significant economic impact’ for Timaru District
* First wave of cruise ship arrivals due in Taranaki this week
A national state of emergency was declared at 8.43am on Tuesday – only the third time a New Zealand government has declared such a situation, with the cyclone causing a “long fetch’’ creating large swells on South Canterbury’s coastline.
Massive waves have battered the coastline for the past few days, and Melhopt said “as expected there has been slight damage to the breakwaters’’.
However, the full extent was still to be assessed, he said.
AIMAN AMERUL MUNER/Stuff
The Noordam cruise ship seen from Caroline Bay during its stop at Timaru’s port on January 22, 2023.
The port’s channel had been surveyed and while there had been some minor infill, “channel depth is still well within our safe operating limit’’.
Melhopt said the long period waves (surge) were continuing to subside as forecast.
On Wednesday, Melhopt said the port was in a “much better position than 2017’’ – in February that year the Seabourn Encore lost its moorings in high winds while at Timaru’s port, and it collided with the Milburn Carrier II, causing damage to the hull.
Friday’s cruise ship visit, from 8am, will coincide with a special Timaru Artisan Farmers’ Market Cruise Ship Market, on George St, from 9am.
Another cruise ship, the Noordam, will visit Timaru on Sunday, and is the largest vessel to stop at the port this season – carrying up to 1972 passengers.
Another Cruise Ship Market will be held on George St on that day.
[ad_2]