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Auckland Waterfront News.
I have just uploaded a few photos taken this afternoon on the docks here in Auckland.
Our containership was a bit late arriving and so as there was a ship discharging Soya Meal at the next wharf, I thought that I would nick over there and grab some sly photos. It is a quarantine area and I'm not supposed to be there, but, a guy's got to do what a guys got to do!! The ship, the Clipper Izuma was discharging 8000 tonnes of soya meal from Brazil, destined for the Tegel chicken processing plant at Takanini, south of Auckland. About 20 bulk truck and trailer units were assigned to this and most appeared to be from out of town. I have to admit to being quite surprised at the variety of trucks. I shall upload more tomoro as it is quite late here now,and I'm knackered, I need some sleep. Too much photography!. Tomoro we receive the first of 8 shiploads of wind turbine blades and masts when the vessel "Happy River" berths. The trucks are already on the berth waiting. I understand that the actual movement off the wharf, will be made about 1am each morning, so not sure yet just what I will be able to show you. But, rest assured I'll do my best. I was a little surprised to see the trucks, a T cab Scania, very rare, and a very old Oshkosh, which I am sure dates back to the 70's with Dales Freightways. I'm not complaining tho. I did talk with quite a few of the drivers today, and let them know of this site, so hopefully we may get some more viewers. I did have a chuckle tho when talking to an Alderson's driver. When I asked him what they ran, he replied Kenworths, Scanias and DAFs. I then asked him how he found them, and his reply was, "oh the DAF's are the definately the "poverty pack" ". Rgds/Mike (hilifta) |
Position of “Happy River” can be found here
http://www.sailwx.info/shiptrack/shi...html?call=PCAW The “Happy River” main engine is a Wärtsilä 9L46B unit, with an output of 8,775kW (11,760bhp) at 550rpm. This is connected to a Renck Tacke HSU 1200 gearbox. It uses a Lips 5m-diameter four-bladed CP propeller and shaft. |
Greetings Mike, Thanks for the update on trucks and ships movements. Hope we will see a few ship photos on "Ships Nostalgia" also. (Ex Merchant Navy also).
Regards Pat. __________________ Former T Cab Driver:D |
Thanks for your efforts, Highlifta (Mike).
Thanks also for your information, WesternSMT - much appreciated by me I assure you - I love technical information! |
Hi all,
I spent some time this afternoon watching some of the blades coming off. Firstly though, one comment, because these things are so long it is impossible to get good side shots, I just can't get back far enough! Also, even though I work there, I have to be a little careful, and discrete, so getting the perfect picture is sometimes very hard. But as there are eighty blades coming between now and next February, I should eventually get some better shots. The trucks uploaded yesterday, the Tcab, and the Oshkosh will haul the 80 tonne turbine nacelles, and the 2 Scanias uploaded tonight will haul the blades. The plan is once the ship is fully discharged they will take 2 blades and 2 turbines each night. It will all be planned to leave the docks at 1am each night in convoy, to arrive at their destination before daybreak. They are heading for the new windfarm on the South Heads of the Manakau Harbour. I had a "tap" of the blades, they really look quite beautiful with their aerodynamic shape and twist. It is hard to believe that they only weigh 10 tonnes. Rgds/Mike |
I believe that the blades will be made from carbon fibre (the same material that they use to build Formula One cars) and may well be hollow. I'll see if I can find any further information about this.
Meanwhile I wonder if there is any publicity in you local media about the supplier. There are long-established firms in Denmark (and maybe also Holland) but I'm surprised that there isn't a supplier nearer to NZ. Those companies that have set up in the UK have struggled to survive I believe. Maybe it's true that your part of the World is (several?) decades behind the UK? :eek: Edited to add:- http://www.windflow.co.nz/ |
According to Ships AIS the Happy River was logged off Lizard Point (Lands End) Cornwall on 11th August.
The Happy River is registered in the Netherlands:- http://www.shipais.com/showship.php?mmsi=244559000 |
Afternoon gents, thanks for the info. I saw a documentary a few months ago on the making of these blades etc, and it was in a chinese factory. Not sure if they were only making them for their own market, but it was a very impressive complex. Sorry I have no more details.
Regards Pat. __________________ Former T Cab Driver:D |
Checking back on the coordinates given on Western SMT's link the Happy River started from Antwerp on 10th August (having been there since 26th July) . . .
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Hi again guys. Just did a bit of cyber trawling, and found a company called "Quingdao Wind King" Wind Power Generator Co, Ltd. Checkout Made-in-China.com.
Another company called Suzlon Energy Ltd, India's biggest maker of Wind Turbine Generators has a plant in China. Along with General Electric Co. and other European rivals are introducing newer technology and opening factories in China. Cheers Pat. ___________________ Former T Cab Driver:D |
It's inevitable that China will become a major supplier of all sorts of technology, especially whilst labour costs are lower than elsewhere (the same applies to India).
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One of the previous windfarms that were built here, the blades came from Vietnam. They came through the port of Napier for a windfarm up in the Ruahine ranges.
Mike |
Quote:
http://windenergy.org.nz/nz-wind-far...d-farms/te-uku http://www.meridianenergy.co.nz/OurP...roject+Te+Uku/ http://www.meridianenergy.co.nz/OurP...une-July+2010/ Quote:
Quote:
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Wow, thanks for all that info, you know more than I do. I had no idea that a wind farm was being built a way down there.
That's quite a trip from Auckland. I am interested in the number, as we have been told there are 80 blades coming, that doesn't divide into 28 turbines. I had a look at the unloading tonight. Some of the masts are out of the vessel, and they are huge. Two have been loaded on to the multi axle trailers. But the most interesting thing is that the ships appears to have bought a huge crane as well. There are lots of latice booms on the wharf which are obviously part of a crane, and they are also huge. No sign yet of the crane body, but I'll keep you all posted. No photos today, sorry, I was too busy when the sun was out and only got down there when it was dark. Rgds/Mike |
What was puzzling to me at first was that the Happy River is a Heavy Lift vessel with two cranes built in.
http://giantmarine.fr/images/referen...e/heavy_05.jpg Your initial photographs showed a mobile truck-mounted crane being used - my question was why? (when the ship has its own lifting facilities). Now it seems that the mobile was just for the blades and the Happy River will probably use its own cranes to unship the towers . . . Whilst the mobile crane was rated at 100 tonnes, this is at a restricted (small) radius. A much stronger crane is needed to be able to lift 100 tonnes at maybe 30 metres or more. (I'm sure that hilifta - and others on here - will know this of course.) |
Todays update.
The large crane finally put in an appearance from the depths of the ship. It is a monster, a Terrex-Demag TC2800. Docs show it as built in Denmark and it does have some Danish notices on it. KCWind.com on the side. I shall upload some photos shortly. The ship sailed this afternoon and the wharf is chock a bloc, it is an amazing sight. What I originally thought were turbines are in fact the nacelles that the blades attach to, and what I thought were the masts are the turbines. They are truly large. There is no sign at all of any masts. I can only assume that they have been built here. I'll try and download some photos now from my camera and hopefully upload some before I fall asleep. Mike |
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