Brand new terminals and waterfront structures are needed to accommodate two much larger, carbon friendly ferries due to arrive in New Zealand by the middle of the decade.
Design and engineering specialists from WSP and Jacobs have already set to work on KiwiRail's Interisland Resilience Connection project (iReX). A joint venture has been formed to design the new terminals, as well as wharves for the new ferries, linkspans and elevated walkways, seawalls and scour protection, ground improvements, new rail systems and vehicle marshalling, drainage, landscaping and stormwater.
Sustainability will be integrated into the design process, with the detailed design also accounting for the effects of climate change and sea level rise.
Project partners CentrePort and Port Marlborough will be involved throughout as the WSP Jacobs joint venture refines the detailed design and shapes up plans and specifications over the next 11 months.
WSP Major Projects Director Darrell Oosterbeek says the WSP Jacobs joint venture is incredibly excited to take on the design for what is a critical piece of national infrastructure.
"The new terminal infrastructure will transform New Zealand's interisland connectivity. The iReX project will create an iconic new travel experience and enable WSP Jacobs to showcase effectively engineered, long-lasting design solutions that will support the next generation of energy-efficient passenger and freight ferries."
Jacobs Vice President & Executive Director of Operations, New Zealand and Southeast Australia Eva Wood says the upgrade of this vital connection will leave a lasting legacy for Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington and Waitohi Picton.
“This opportunity draws upon our experience to deliver sustainable, low-carbon and customer-focused designs, and ability to bring together local and international rail and maritime expertise to deliver outstanding transportation outcomes to the region."
The contract win is testament to WSP and Jacobs' broad expertise in the maritime sector. It follows earlier WSP work in developing the concept design for Waitohi, Picton that supported the earlier business case approvals for KiwiRail.
WSP has developed many landside facilities for ferry systems, including a linkspan at Port of Cairnryan in the UK, ferry berth modifications in Belfast, a linkspan and slipway replacement in Oban, Scotland, and a new car import ferry terminal in Grimsby, UK.
Jacobs’ global ports legacy spans back more than a century, with related projects including shipping berth upgrades in Melbourne and Tasmania, wharf infrastructure for an export facility in Far North Queensland, and a ferry terminal relocation project in Washington State.
Working alongside KiwiRail, a 120-strong WSP Jacobs team will execute the iReX detailed design contract out of co-located offices in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch – also drawing on international expertise from offshore offices.
For more information on the project, visit www.irex.co.nz
