Lyttelton to receive L.P.G.

Press, 4 February 1982, Page 1

Lyttelton to receive L.P.G.

The Liquigas consortium will be allowed to unload liquefied petroleum gas at the inner harbour oil wharf at Lyttelton, the Lyttelton Harbour Board agreed yesterday. Approval came after a debate on the recommendations put before the board by its special sub-committee which was formed several months ago. The sub-committee met last week and, after hearing a report by the harbourmaster, Captain J. A. Barbour, on safety and firefighting procedures and details of the construction of the coastal tanker to be used, considered a letter from Liquigas regarding the use of the existing oil wharf. The resolution, as passed by a vote of seven to five yesterday, was “that Liquigas be advised that, subject to complying with the provisions of'the Harbours Act and relevant regulations and

i codes, they may use the i existing oil wharf for liquet fied petroleum gas vessels, f “This is provided that the i L.P.G. pipeline across the - wharf and up to the ship’s manifold and use of the berth i be included in the terms of - reference of the commission f of inquiry, which is to be set ; up under the Petroleum Act, 1 1937.” At yesterday’s board meett ing, the chairman, Captain A. ’ R. Champion, urged accept- - ance of the recommendation, - after which Captain Barbour - explained what type of ship - the consortium planned to f use and its equipment and I, manoeuvring capabilities. A board member, Mr J. F. f Davidson, strongly opposed once again the recommendai tion and the siting of such a e .facility in the inner harbour. - He asked what the board t would do if the commission - refused to allow the use of t the existing wharf and said d. that the board had made no

provision for an alternative site. The chief engineer, Mr J. B. Bushell, said that the oil wharf was the only site satisfactory to Liquigas if it was to have L.P.G. on stream as scheduled by September, 1983. He said that it would take at least two years and $750,000 to build a skeletal wharf at such a site as Naval Point.

Mr M. J. Dobson said that work should be started now and also cited the dangers of having L.P.G. tankers in the inner harbour. He also questioned risk profitability figures released by Liquigas and said that the facility “should be made as , remote as we can make it.”

Captain R. Fast said “the present oil wharf is in a dangerous position” and urged the board to first consult pilots, port employees, waterfront unions, and port users. He also ques-

tioned why the board had not made alternative contingency plans earlier. Mrs J. M. Waters moved that Mr Bushell start immediately on plans for ail alternative berth. The motion was lost, those voting in favour of the motion being the three Labour Party members of the board, Mrs Waters, Messrs Davidson and Dobson,. Captain Fast, and Mr P. J. R. Skellerup. Mr J. Brand disagreed with the objectors, saying that petrol was just as dangerous as L.P.G. Regarding movements of other shipping in the harbour when the tanker was due, Captain Champion said that Liquigas had agreed they would delay berthing. The secretary of the Lyttelton Environmental Protection Society, Mrs Sue Piercey, said last evening that, yesterday's meeting of the board had not changed matters.

"The Harbour Board agreed to allow this some time ago, subject to complying with the Harbours’ Act "odes and regulations. They have just widened the statement to say that it must, be in line with the commission of inquiry.”

Mrs Piercey said that one of the board members had commented on the board’s decision not to look into berthing the tanker where they intended to build a dangerous goods wharf, She said this would not necessarily be any safer than the inner harbour because of the swell in the outer harbour.

“We hope the comm.esion of inquiry will be widened to include not just the pipeline but the berthing of the tanker and the actual offloading. We are just as worried about the tanker as any other part of the scheme,’’.Mrs Piercey said.

Crash firemen at Christchurch Airport are unhappy with Ministry of Transport cost-cutting measures, and have given notice of industrial action. Page 2 The Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon) said yesterday that a forestry executive was suffering from “premature hysteria.” —Page 3 In the District Court in Christchurch yesterday, a man was charged with strangling his wife to death. —Page 5