Meridian Celebrates Launch Of Mararoa At Manapouri

Media Release For immediate release 28 May 2009

Meridian Celebrates Launch Of Mararoa At Pearl Harbour, Manapouri

The Mararoa, Meridian’s new staff transport vessel for the Manapouri power station, is being launched today (Thursday 28 May) at a blessing ceremony at Pearl Harbour, Manapouri.

“We are delighted to see the Mararoa go into operation, as it represents the best in New Zealand boat design and manufacture,” says Tim Lusk, Meridian’s CEO.

“It also aligns with Meridian’s goal of using resources in an efficient and viable manner.”

The Mararoa, which cost around $2.7 million to build, replaces the Endeavour and the Resolution, which were built in Invercargill in 1961 and have been plying the waters of Lake Manapouri for nearly 50 years.

The 19-metre catamaran was constructed by Q-West Boat Builders, in Wanganui In mid-April the Mararoa sailed from Wanganui to Bluff, with overnight refuelling stops in Lyttelton and Port Chalmers.

“In addition to the expertise provided by Q-West, Real Journeys, which will operate the Mararoa, has provided technical advice to ensure the vessel can cope with the wide range of conditions on Lake Manapouri.”

The twin-hulled Mararoa is significantly more efficient than the boats it replaces, both in terms of travel time and fuel use.

The Mararoa will make the journey between Manapouri and West Arm in around 45 minutes at a speed of 25 knots, compared to the 60 minutes or so for the old boats.

“It will also use less fuel than the old boats and have a smaller wake, thus reducing the impact on the local environment.”

The hull of the Maraora is not painted, to reduce the need for maintenance, and is coated with a special environmentally sensitive anti-fouling system.

“In addition, the Mararoa will be safer and more comfortable for staff and contractors making the daily journey across Lake Manapouri,” says Tim Lusk.

The Mararoa was built leveraging the syndicated procurement provision of the NZ Police Marine Vessel agreement with Q-West.

“This not only significantly reduced the procurement costs for the vessel, it also provided New Zealand businesses with the opportunity to successfully participate in the delivery of a major project for Meridian.”

Manapouri power station transport vessels – backgrounder

Six Fiordland-class vessels were built in 1961, by Gough Bros in Invercargill, for use as construction crew transport across Lake Manapouri, for the building of the Manapouri power station.

In 1966 Real Journeys (or as it was then the Manapouri-Doubtful Sound Tourism Company Limited) was contracted to operate and maintain two of these vessels, the Endeavour and the Resolution, and was required to ‘provide unlimited number of services seven days per week…between the hours from 6.30am to 5.30pm’. The construction project operated on a three-shift per day basis, requiring at least six boat trips.

This initial contract was between Utah Construction and Mining Co, the contractor charged with building the Manapouri power station, and the Manapouri-Doubtful Sound Tourism Company Limited (owned and operated by Les and Olive Hutchings). This contract, which helped establish Real Journeys as a significant and successful company, was for the construction period of the power station.

Fiordland-class vessels such as the Endeavour and the Resolution are 52 feet long (16 metres) and designed to carry 80 passengers. They take about an hour to make the 32km trip from Pearl Harbour, Manapouri, to West Arm.

Real Journeys was contracted by Meridian in 2006 to again operate the Endeavour and the Resolution and will also operate the Mararoa.

Real Journeys also provided technical advice on the design and construction of the Mararoa,, which was built by Q-West Boat Builders in Wanganui

While Lake Manapouri is typically relatively sheltered and the water is rarely rough, fog is common between April and July, and the Mararoa has been fitted with radar and GPS systems to ensure safe passage.

The Mararoa will continue to run two return sailings a day, one in the early morning and one in the late afternoon. Only one replacement vessel is needed for the two older boats, as only one of them was operated at any given time, with the second called into service if the first required maintenance.

Real Journeys will provide a backup vessel, as part of its contract with Meridian, for when the Mararoa needs to be serviced.

END

© Scoop Media