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Post by Fogg on May 25, 2024 10:54:04 GMT 12
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Post by em on May 25, 2024 11:19:35 GMT 12
They’d be best to maybe contract it out to one of the oil rig outfits in Taranaki ? If ocean going tugs were profitable there would be at least one in NZ . The cost of keeping one up to spec and on standby 99% of its life would be huge . Cushy job for the crew though .
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Post by harrytom on May 25, 2024 11:43:36 GMT 12
Looking at a purchase to tow out old picton ferries in?? Cheaper in the long run to carry with the purchase of new ferries.But its not my money.Hang on,yes it is!
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Post by Fogg on May 25, 2024 17:03:31 GMT 12
But if you’re obsessed with protecting your ecosystem - as NZ claims to be - then the business case for having an ocean-going tug on standby is not a financial one at all. You should ignore the numbers and just do it because your principles tell you to.
A bit like owning a boat. 😊
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Post by GO30 on May 25, 2024 17:50:13 GMT 12
There are tugs capable in NZ. The niggle is for big tugs there is nothing for them to do in Welly. The thought the taxpayer has to buy/support a mega buck Tug purely due to the country allowing a Govt Dept oozing with delusion, arrogance, political wankery and has proven their expertise in running ferries is lacking, I find as just totally bizarre. But then a NZ Govt shovelling bad money after more bad money certainly isn't. The best way to go with the Toll ferries is give them to Blue Bridge with a good one off cash accompaniment to help sort the toll shambles. If BB can run a profitable business against a heavily subsidised Govt Dept that still can't make a buck, then its a no brainer.
Toll reckons it needs 3.5 billion bucks to build 2 ships that will be 40year old thinking before they even get wet. May as well spend the money making dug out canoes, at least it can be wasted in NZ rather than offshore.
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Post by Fogg on May 25, 2024 19:18:19 GMT 12
I’m not suggesting a tug just for Wgtn ferries. TBH that should be a local Wgtn council issue to sort their local infrastructure.
I’m talking about protecting the national coastline including the risks of all the other ships that ply our coasts.
Logistically probably best to locate it at Tauranga so it could strike N or S depending on need.
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Post by fish on May 25, 2024 20:34:11 GMT 12
Speak of the Devil: Bluebridge ferry loses power while entering Wellington Harbour A Bluebridge ferry passenger says people were plunged into darkness when a ship briefly lost power coming into Wellington Harbour on Saturday afternoon. Wellington Harbourmaster Grant Nalder said the ferry had a problem on board which caused it to lose power about 4.45pm. "They passed that on, assistance was called, there was a tug heading out towards them. They actually resolved it themselves, got power on, carried on up towards the berth and used the tug as a precaution getting into the berth," he said. "They [Bluebridge] are now looking into it themselves to assess what happened and why it happened." A passenger on board told RNZ the ferry gave a "great shudder" and stopped, and all the lights went off. They said passengers were told the ferry had lost control of the engine, and it was resolved after about 10 minutes. Bluebridge has been approached for comment. www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/517826/bluebridge-ferry-loses-power-while-entering-wellington-harbour |
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Post by Fogg on May 26, 2024 15:49:26 GMT 12
Forget the ferries if we can’t operate them safely and shut them all down now.
Put a global tender out for someone else to build a bridge from N to S island. Would probably be won by the US, Chinese or Dutch / Belgium’s I’m guessing.
Commercialise it on a 100yr toll road basis (or whatever model makes the numbers work) etc etc.
And a condition is that the winning bidder must provide an interim ferry service until the new bridge is ready.
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Post by harrytom on May 26, 2024 16:04:07 GMT 12
Forget the ferries if we can’t operate them safely and shut them all down now. Put a global tender out for someone else to build a bridge from N to S island. Would probably be won by the US, Chinese or Dutch / Belgium’s I’m guessing. Commercialise it on a 100yr toll road basis (or whatever model makes the numbers work) etc etc. And a condition is that the winning bidder must provide an interim ferry service until the new bridge is ready. Tunnel be best option |
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Post by ComfortZone on May 26, 2024 19:27:39 GMT 12
Forget the ferries if we can’t operate them safely and shut them all down now. Put a global tender out for someone else to build a bridge from N to S island. Would probably be won by the US, Chinese or Dutch / Belgium’s I’m guessing. Commercialise it on a 100yr toll road basis (or whatever model makes the numbers work) etc etc. And a condition is that the winning bidder must provide an interim ferry service until the new bridge is ready. It's kind of deep there and I am not sure trying to build a bridge/tunnel in an area that is so seismically active is such a great idea. Also the approaches would be over rather challenging terrain so all up cost would be horrendous. |
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Post by Cantab on May 26, 2024 19:28:49 GMT 12
You do realise how deep the Strait is, we have the best option. It was getting rid of the incompetents running the show for the last 6 years.
Remember, the NZ Govt, and its Ministries, used to be able to design and develop things like the Manapouri Power Scheme and Tiwai point, these days they struggle with pedestrian crossings at 500K each, then get the colour wrong.
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Post by Fogg on May 26, 2024 19:39:47 GMT 12
Well up in Europe they are contemplating building a damn between Denmark and Scotland to manage tidal surge.
The same guys built the Dubai World scheme.
I reckon they could find a way to connect N&S islands.
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Post by Cantab on May 26, 2024 19:58:49 GMT 12
Ferry works pretty good, just not when run by the railways (Ministry).
We would have to sell a shit load of oil and coal to pay for some of the other options, which I'm OK with.
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Post by fish on May 26, 2024 21:12:14 GMT 12
If they can't build a small wharf on a fault line within budget (Wellington terminal), or at all, what chance is there of building a bridge over some of the most challenging water in the world and multiple active faultlines?
Sure it might be technically possible, but is it fiscally possible? Not to mention that 3 letter word that scuppers most any infrastructure project of national importance, the RMA.
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Post by ComfortZone on May 26, 2024 22:39:44 GMT 12
Well up in Europe they are contemplating building a damn between Denmark and Scotland to manage tidal surge. The same guys built the Dubai World scheme. I reckon they could find a way to connect N&S islands. The Dubai project is nothing like the Cook Strait, it is in sheltered shallow waters which made reclamation quite straight forward. It is also quite small, 9 x 6km, not much bigger than some port developments around the world. Has been a financial disaster with very low takeup. www.unilad.com/news/world-news/dubai-abandoned-islands-cost-billions-mega-rich-037039-20240516Nothing comes up from a search for a barrier project between Denmark and Scotland, not sure why it would even be considered. Fun fact, take a line for the shortest distance between Denmark and Scotland and you will find the max depth is less than half that of Cook Strait and nothing like the tidal flow. |
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