Author Topic: Tribute website to shipping at the Port of Onehunga, New Zealand  (Read 21622 times)

Offline scousekiwi

  • Not too shy to talk
  • *
  • Posts: 37
    • View Profile
Hi all,

I recently set up a tribute website to shipping at the Port of Onehunga, which is due to close to freight operations in roughly two months' time. :-(

There's a wee bit of tweaking and a few additions to be made to it at present, but the bulk of the site is complete.

Enjoy! :-)

http://www.ultimatenzsoccer.com/Onehunga/


Cheers,

JR

Offline scousekiwi

  • Not too shy to talk
  • *
  • Posts: 37
    • View Profile
Re: Tribute website to shipping at the Port of Onehunga, New Zealand
« Reply #1 on: May 03, 2016, 01:33:58 PM »
Hi folks,

Just to update you on when shipping will be shutting up shop at Onehunga.

The final sailing is due to take place in around six weeks' time, circa June 15.


Cheers,

JR


Offline scousekiwi

  • Not too shy to talk
  • *
  • Posts: 37
    • View Profile
Re: Tribute website to shipping at the Port of Onehunga, New Zealand
« Reply #3 on: June 06, 2016, 12:00:16 PM »
Final Call For Shipping At Onehunga
by Jeremy Ruane
 
There was barely a soul around when "Milburn Carrier II" cast off her lines for the final time at Onehunga on Queen's Birthday Monday morning, and quietly commenced her last journey down the Manukau Harbour.
 
The biggest ship to ever visit the Port in its history completed her 942nd and last call at Onehunga on the weekend, arriving on Sunday morning to discharge the penultimate load of cement into Holcim's silos.
 
Her departure was the first of three which will take place over the next eight to ten days, after which shipping at the Port of Onehunga will be consigned to the past.
 
As "MC2" reached Laingholm, she passed "Anatoki", both vessels marking the last time ships will pass in the Manukau with ceremonial blasts of their horns.
 
The tiny bulk freighter continued on to berth at 11.30am with a cargo of gravel from Greymouth, which she will be discharging over the next forty hours before leaving Onehunga for the 21st and final time at 10am on Wednesday.

It is somewhat fitting that the final ship to call at Onehunga will be the most frequent visitor in the entire history of shipping at the Port.

Her final arrival and departure times are not yet confirmed, but based on her present movements, you can expect to see "Westport" making her 1101st and last visit to Onehunga around about 5pm on Monday, June 13, departing for the very last time at approximately 3pm the next day.
 
When she sets sail, "Westport" will bring down the curtain on roughly 180 years of shipping activity on the Manukau Harbour, about which more information can be found at www.ultimatenzsoccer.com/Onehunga

Offline scousekiwi

  • Not too shy to talk
  • *
  • Posts: 37
    • View Profile
Re: Tribute website to shipping at the Port of Onehunga, New Zealand
« Reply #4 on: June 13, 2016, 05:10:00 AM »
Hi all,

Final movements are scheduled this coming weekend.

Milburn Carrier II - arr 0815 Friday, dep 0730 Saturday. Call # 943
Westport - arr 0900 Saturday, dep 0645 Sunday. Call # 1101

Rather poetic that as the sun rises, the sun will be setting on shipping and freight operations at the Port of Onehunga.

The Port will continue to serve as an important base for the fishing industry, while LPG carriers will continue to make the occasional visit to the LPG Marine Terminal, located in the waters south of the airport.

But Westport's departure on Sunday morning will bring down the curtain on roughly 180 years of shipping activity on the Manukau Harbour. :-(

The most recent port closures in New Zealand were at Oamaru, in 1974, and Raglan, in 1981.


Cheers,

JR

Offline scousekiwi

  • Not too shy to talk
  • *
  • Posts: 37
    • View Profile
Re: Tribute website to shipping at the Port of Onehunga, New Zealand
« Reply #5 on: June 14, 2016, 11:06:22 AM »
Hi all,

Received the below media release from Holcim today ...


Cheers,

JR



Holcim New Zealand shipping changes

Holcim New Zealand has operated bulk cement ships around the New Zealand coast for many years. The ships transport locally manufactured cement in bulk, from Westport to other port depots around the country. The cement is then distributed by cement tanker directly to customers. 

In August 2013 Holcim New Zealand announced it would be building two new cement terminals in Timaru and Auckland and sourcing cement from overseas, to ensure cement supply to customers after the 58 year old Holcim Westport cement plant closed. The Westport cement plant which is at the end of its economic life is closing on 30 June 2016. The new Timaru terminal has been operational since January 2016 and the Auckland terminal is currently being commissioned.

Holcim operates two vessels of which one

Offline scousekiwi

  • Not too shy to talk
  • *
  • Posts: 37
    • View Profile
Re: Tribute website to shipping at the Port of Onehunga, New Zealand
« Reply #6 on: June 20, 2016, 03:01:41 PM »
Hi all,

www.ultimatenzsoccer.com/Onehunga now includes all the footage and pics from the final day of shipping activity at the Port of Onehunga.

Anyone wishing to make contributions to the site, please feel free to do so.


Cheers,

JR

Offline Stephen Chester

  • Top Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 2,713
    • View Profile
Re: Tribute website to shipping at the Port of Onehunga, New Zealand
« Reply #7 on: June 25, 2016, 08:50:12 PM »
It doesn't look like Onehunga wants to close any time soon. The Westport sailed again for Westport and is due back with cement on 29 June. The Milburn Carrier II is due from Westport again on 8 July.  ;D

Offline scousekiwi

  • Not too shy to talk
  • *
  • Posts: 37
    • View Profile
Re: Tribute website to shipping at the Port of Onehunga, New Zealand
« Reply #8 on: June 25, 2016, 10:50:53 PM »
Hi Stephen,

Think of it as the gift which keeps on giving! :-)

Westport's "unretirement" only came to my attention late on Friday night.

She's gone back down to her home port for the very last load of cement produced at the Cape Foulwind works, and to play a part in Holcim's farewell ceremonies, given this marks the end of Holcim's production activities at Westport. The original plan was for MCII to take this load on.

Westport will be back up here at sunrise on Friday, according to my contact at Holcim. And this time, she will be definitely be retiring. When / if she sails from Onehunga again, it will be for new owners.

MCII will be laden with cement from Timaru to fill the silos when she arrives. This will serve as emergency stock should there be a delay with the bulk carriers coming from Japan with stocks for the new silo at Bledisloe.

It may be necessary for MCII to make a couple more such visits in the months to come. It's very much a play-it-by-ear situation at the moment.


Cheers,

JR

Offline Stephen Chester

  • Top Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 2,713
    • View Profile
Re: Tribute website to shipping at the Port of Onehunga, New Zealand
« Reply #9 on: June 25, 2016, 11:25:29 PM »
Thanks for that. When Holcim finally finish at Onehunga, has provision been made at Auckland for cement top up from Timaru, with cement carriers, if shipments from Japan are late?

Offline scousekiwi

  • Not too shy to talk
  • *
  • Posts: 37
    • View Profile
Re: Tribute website to shipping at the Port of Onehunga, New Zealand
« Reply #10 on: June 26, 2016, 06:36:48 AM »
I imagine such contingency plans are in place, Stephen. :-)


Offline gwrdave

  • Quite a regular
  • **
  • Posts: 67
  • Lets talk about it
    • View Profile
Re: Tribute website to shipping at the Port of Onehunga, New Zealand
« Reply #11 on: June 30, 2016, 03:18:33 AM »
Hi JR,

We had a conversation not long ago about the CALM which grounded off Cape Egmont, we display a photo of the CALM ashore before re-floating. Compensaton being paid due to lighthose failure. Thought it maybe of some interest to you.

Dave

Offline scousekiwi

  • Not too shy to talk
  • *
  • Posts: 37
    • View Profile
Re: Tribute website to shipping at the Port of Onehunga, New Zealand
« Reply #12 on: June 30, 2016, 03:39:31 AM »
Hi Dave,

You don't get much more high and dry than that, that's for sure! Well and truly becalmed! (Groan! Sorry, couldn't resist!) :-)

There's a very good account of it in Gavin McLean's book "Canterbury Coasters". Fortunate to get away with that one, methinks.


Thanks,

JR

Offline scousekiwi

  • Not too shy to talk
  • *
  • Posts: 37
    • View Profile
Re: Tribute website to shipping at the Port of Onehunga, New Zealand
« Reply #13 on: July 02, 2016, 02:48:32 AM »
Hi all,

The final day of shipping at Onehunga ... or so we thought.

Six days after retiring, "Westport" was back on duty, heading to her home port for the final time to pick up the final load of cement produced at the Westport plant before returning to Onehunga once more, berthing this morning at 0940 - see pic below. :-)

There will be at least a couple more movements. "Westport" will head out to the Big Bay anchorage circa 11 July to make way for "Milburn Carrier II", which will bring north a full load of cement from the Timaru silo to fill the silos at Onehunga.

When she sails, "Westport" will return to the cement berth and remain there as a floating silo, discharging the last of the Westport-produced cement on as 'as required' basis.


Cheers,

JR

Offline Stephen Chester

  • Top Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 2,713
    • View Profile
Re: Tribute website to shipping at the Port of Onehunga, New Zealand
« Reply #14 on: July 10, 2016, 11:24:45 PM »
"MV Westport" left Onehunga again, and is heading back to Westport arriving 1500 11 July. She is due to sail again Saturday 16 July. Don't know where she is headed, but assume she will have a load of cement.

 

SMF spam blocked by CleanTalk