Business North September 2020

26 | Volume 19 | Issue 3 businessnorth Going underground - project ramps up Karen Phelps “One of the reasons we are having such a good outcome is because we have clearly defined and jointly shared the risk on this project rather than expecting the contractor to take it all on.” • to page 28 DEVELOPMENT » Watercare Central Interceptor Genweld NZ Limited proud to support our tunnelling friends Ghella Abergeldie JV – Central Interceptor project SITE WELDING & STEEL FABRICATION SPECIALISTS Genweld work with some of the top construction and engineering companies in the country to achieve demanding objectives on steel fabrication and infrastructure projects. From our 30m Engineering workshop, we fabricate structural steel projects and deploy our mobile team of experienced site welders to locations throughout New Zealand. W atercare’s $1.2 billion Central Interceptor project is entering a new exciting phase, with excavation works underway and as- sembly of the new Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) for the factory acceptance test in Germany completed. Digging at the main shaft to launch the TBM be- gun at the Mangere site in July, while in Mt Roskill excavation of a shaft to allow a micro TBM to start a link sewer has also begun. Both are now officially mine sites. The TBM will be shipped to Auckland at the end of the year. It has recently been given an official name: “Hiwa-i-te-Rangi. This is one of the Matariki stars to which Maori would send their dreams or aspirations for the new year ahead. The Central Interceptor is the largest wastew- ter infrastructure project in New Zealand history, running below ground from Grey Lynn, under the Manukau Harbour to the Mangere Wastewater Treatment Plant. It will have several link sewers and shafts along the route for collecting and transferring wastewater into the tunnel and aims to reduce 80 per cent of wet weather overflows into Auckland waterways. The team behind the project is made up of Watercare staff and a joint-venture between Italian company Ghella and Australian company Abergeldie. Ghella Abergeldie Joint Venture (GAJV) project director Francesco Saibene says the project is on track, despite the challenges of Covid-19. “We have plans in place to work under the new health and safety standards. We have had to be flexible and adaptive as the situation has changed.” Watercare Central Interceptor executive pro- gramme director Shayne Cunis says they have taken a deliberately collaborative approach to the project: “One of the reasons we are having such a good outcome is because we have clearly defined and jointly shared the risk on this project rather than expecting the contractor to take it all on. “Having those conversations early has set a good foundation and the project is under budget at this stage as we are working together for the best outcome to deliver the project safely, sustainably and to the highest possible standard for the people of Auckland.