With Waterfront Auckland’s refurbishment of Shed 10 on Queens Wharf nearing completion, Ports of Auckland has announced that it is beginning to install a new covered gangway that will service cruise ships that call at Shed 10.

The multi-million dollar gangway will automatically move up and down as the ship moves with the tide and will allow the rapid transfer of passengers between the ship and Shed 10.

“Over the next month, the gangway will be delivered to Queens Wharf in a number of large segments. It will then be erected onsite and commissioned over the next two months,” said Ports of Auckland General Manager of Infrastructure and Property Alistair Kirk.

Ports of Auckland contracted Service Engineers Limited, a North Shore based company, to build the new covered gangway.

“It is fantastic that we have been able to have the gangway made locally,” Kirk added.

Shed 10 will serve as the primary cruise terminal for Auckland and a unique events venue. Auckland plays a key role in the New Zealand tourism industry as the primary exchange point for cruise ships – where passengers embark or disembark their vessel, and where ships are re-provisioned. This exchange role is crucial as it is where the vast majority of economic value is captured.