Navy tanker joins the fuel flotilla
Endeavour can provide the equivalent of 150 road tankers of fuel
The Defence Force will start transporting fuel around the country today to help ease the shortage following a pipeline rupture. The HMNZS Endeavour will sail for Marsden Point Oil Refinery and take on up to 4.8 million litres of diesel fuel this morning, and take its cargo to ports around New Zealand.
Major General Tim Gall, the Commander Joint Forces New Zealand said: “Endeavour can provide the equivalent of 150 road tankers of fuel. Deploying the ship will free up commercial tankers to reconfigure and focus on moving aviation fuel.
“This will help ease distribution issues in other regional centres.”
The Army is also being drafted in to help — with 12 army drivers taking the wheels of civilian tankers to transport aviation fuel to Auckland, Palmerston North and Napier around the clock from today until September 30.
Six would drive the tankers from Marsden Point to Auckland, while another six would be moving fuel from Wellington to Palmerston North and Napier, Gall said.
Earlier, Energy Minister Judith Collins told a media conference that the For a video on this story go to nzherald.co.nz
group of political and industry representatives met in Auckland yesterday morning. She said truck drivers would be able to get overweight permits more easily and routes would be designated to allow tankers to transport fuel as quickly as possible.
Collins said the significance of the event wasn’t understood until late Saturday and the response to the crisis by the airlines and fuel industry has been “tremendous”.
She said she was in constant con- tact with the chief executive of Refining NZ and the timeframe of midday Sunday-Tuesday for a fix looked firm.
Peter Mersi, chief executive of the Ministry of Transport, said a range of parties needed to coordinate the two options of trucks transporting fuel from Marsden Pt to the airport and shipping fuel from Marsden Pt.
Mersi said there are no concerns for the supply of ground fuel, the fuel sold in service stations, in Auckland.
Defence Force drivers were being trained in the loading and unloading of fuel tankers so the trucks could run around the clock, Mersi said.
Refining NZ had stopped one end of the pipe, Mersi said. When the other end of the pipe was stopped they could cut the damaged section of pipe and replace it.
Refining NZ is running to schedule and the window for the repair remains Tuesday.
Mersi said a contingency plan was being prepared in case the pipe was not repaired by next week.
Justin Tighe-Umbers, executive director of the Board of Airline Representatives, said airlines were meeting the 30 per cent fuel allocation goal and disruptions to flights were reducing. There would be fewer cancellations over coming days, he said, though delays and disruptions due to fuel stops in Australia could be expected.
He said for people who continued to face delays and disruptions to their travel plans this would be cold comfort, and he asked for patience and understanding.
Andrew McNaught, speaking on behalf of fuel industry customers of Refining NZ, said the refinery was continuing to produce fuel and two dedicated ships are continuing to load the fuel to distribute it at ports around the country.
Fourteen trucks were running between Marsden Pt and Auckland. Usually there were two making the trip.
McNaught said the 30 per cent allocation of aviation fuel would be reviewed on a daily basis.
McNaught said converting chemical tanks at Wynyard Wharf to be able to store aviation fuel was being considered.
Adrian Littlewood, chief executive of Auckland Airport, said things were calm in both the domestic and international terminals.
Passengers were dealing with the situation “with grace”.
“The airlines have done a fantastic job of rehousing those passengers onto other flights.”
Littlewood said soon the focus would turn to bouncing back from the crisis in time for the school holidays.
Auckland Council has asked all staff to review their air travel, to support the 30 per cent allocation of aviation fuel for the airlines.