Planning For Containers

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31769, 28 August 1968, Page 28

Planning For Containers

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, August 27.

The Auckland Harbour Board today took a forward step in its plans to have the port ready to receive container ships by the end of 1970.

It approved detailed plans for the S4m Fergusson container wharf; authorised the preparation of tender documents for the wharf and gave authority to invite tenders for construction of reclamation and retaining banks: authorised the construction of stage one of the reclamation; announced that it would seek the necessary legislation to

obtain empowering authority for an 8800,000 transporter crane essential to the project; and gave urgency to concluding a satisfactory agreement for the relocation of the headquarters of Air Travel, an Auckland firm. Shipping organisations concerned with the study of containers will be advised of the 1 board’s intentions and copies

of the proposals for the scheme are to be made available for further study.

The cost of extra loan charges which will arise as the work continues is to be provided for in the board’s over-all financial planning. The board’s chief engineer, Mr R. A. J. Smith, gave the following timetable for the programme, which will involve an expenditure of about sl.sm yearly:

October, 1968: authority to call tenders: November, 1968: close tenders; March, 1969: accept tenders; April, 1969: start on work by contractors; December, 1970; finish.