Northport  News                                  

 Issue 2 2008

Hi All - four months have passed since our first release of the port news so it is time for an update. Let me remind you that if you any ideas for articles, information updates etc please let us know and we will do our best to add to the news if possible.

Working closely with the Authorities

Ports are an interface to the rest of the world for cargo, and also a potential interface with many bio-security issues that ships going in and out of different regions bring. Northport's facility in Whangarei had historically been accredited as a port of first arrival under the "Biosecurity Act 1993" and now the Marsden Point Facility has been signed off as a place of first arrival and licensed to establish a "Biosecurity Control Area" within the port. The port quarantine area is one of only a few in the north.

Working closely with authorities like MAF and Customs in today's heavily regulated environment is a key to ports achieving an efficient position in the modern Supply Chain. Northport has worked with local MAF staff to achieve the approval over the last couple of years and thanks Brian Whimp our local MAF officer for his invaluable assistance in achieving this. Fergus Small (North & Offshore Manager, MAF Biosecurity) recently presented Northport with their approval certificate.

Fergus Small presenting Jon Moore with Certificate of Place of First Arrival

More Construction at Northport

NorthTugz, the local towage company on Whangarei Harbour and sub-contractor to Northport for towage and piloting for vessels visiting the port, decided last year with the closure of port Whangarei to relocate their staff and operations to Marsden Point to be close to all their business. Northport let a contract to Kerr Construction late last year to build a new gear / admin shed similar to the two sheds already used by stevedoring companies NSS and ISO. The completion date is expected to be late July this year.

Recent Photo of framed up NorthTugz building

Updating Technology with a view to better Security

As a result of increased security requirements at ports since 9/11 terrorist attacks, Northport in recent years has migrated its old security system to the newer Cardax FT system that a number of other ports use. This has allowed benefits of more details in the system, photo ID capability on the actual proximity cards which can be cross checked against photo's kept in the database, better reporting capabilities out the system in case of an "event" (quickly print a report of people on the site) and also the ability for a card issued by another port / facility using Cardax to be activated for this site doing away with multiple cards.

We also use another proximity card at Northport for the weigh bridge system, which has been able to be used for entry through barriers. In a move to get all port users onto photo ID access cards and simplify numbers of cards used on site we are currently working with Port of Tauranga, Chubb Security Systems and Gilbarco Veeder-Root (suppliers of weigh bridge system) to investigate the possibility of using the Cardax photo ID cards on the weigh bridge system doing away with the need for the separate weigh bridge cards. Currently the IT people at Chubb and Gilbarco are optimistic this can be achieved and are carrying out tests on compatibility between the systems to identify any changes that may be required. We will keep all trucking companies updated with progress and give plenty of notice before any switch. Photo below shows the current weighbridge / access card and the newer Cardax photo ID cards.

With the completion of the new NorthTugz building the port is also planning to put a turn-stile gate in the fence next to the new building so that all normal port users (Northport staff, Stevedores, Marshalling companies and NorthTugz staff) who access the site by foot will do so through this point. The turn-stile will be activated by a Cardax photo ID card (entry and exit) to give port security a real-time record of port users. As a remote and unmanned gate there will be a security camera mounted there as well to be monitored from the Gatehouse.

And finally to end this update shippers will be happy to know that Northport has committed to putting a bollard on the "locking pier" at the eastern end of the new third berth that will allow ships to be overhung up to 25m. With the new berth at 180m, when we have three vessels at 180-190m it raises issues with berthing, tides etc and the bollard will solve a lot of these issues and improve berthing configurations.  

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