Space ship at Auckland port
Not all ships calling the Port of Auckland stow their precious cargo in containers or in the depths of their hulls.
Recent caller, the Yuan Wang II, instead transports three large satellite dishes and other equipment on its top deck in
clear view for all and with a straight line to the heavens. The equipment is used to track satellites and upon arriving
in Auckland last week (2 October) the ship and its crew had just completed a very important assignment - tracking
China's third manned space mission.
The country's first-ever spacewalk, by mission commander Zhai Zhigang, was the highlight of the successful mission
China's space programme relies on ships like the Yuan Wang II to track and communicate with its spaceships.
The Yuan Wang II called Auckland following completion of the mission to replenish supplies and allow the crew a much
deserved rest. The Chinese deep sea research vessel Da Yang Yi Hao was also alongside at Queens Wharf simultaneous to
the Yuan Wang II. The Yuan Wang II will depart tomorrow (10 October) afternoon. -ends-
The Ports of Auckland is New Zealand's largest container port by volume, handling around 840,000 TEU (20ft-equivalent
units), more than 1,700 ship calls and 3.6 million tonnes of break-bulk (non-containerised) cargo per annum. It is New
Zealand's major import port, a key partner to export industries and the only New Zealand port ranked among the top 120
container ports in the world (Container Management, July 2008). The Ports of Auckland is 100%-owned by Auckland Regional
Holdings.
ENDS