Logistics & Transport NZ

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Logistics & Transport

CILT congratulates Dame Jo Brosnahan

Extended issue on floods and their impact

Clearing the way for future resilience in the roading network

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CILT warmly congratulates Dame Jo Brosnahan for her recent Honour

BY MURRAY KING

IN THE RECENT King’s Birthday and Coronation Honours List, Jo was made a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit. CILT welcomes this recognition of her extensive contribution to transport and the wider community in New Zealand, and warmly congratulates her on the honour.

Jo is a Chartered Fellow of CILT, and has been a member of CILT and its predecessor the Chartered Institute of Transport for many years. She was our first woman member. She was President (of CIT) between 2001 and 2003, Vice President before that, and Past President after. She later became an International Vice President of CILT, where she was particularly involved with the development of younger leaders and women.

In addition, Jo’s leadership initiative, Leaders for the Future, was presented collaboratively with CILT, enabling leadership training for a number of emerging leaders in the transport industry. She was also the founder of Leadership New Zealand, which has over 18 years produced around 700 alumni from across the diversity of NZ leaders, including business, iwi, community and social services nationally, contributing to a connected culture of leadership in New Zealand.

As a Harkness Fellow, sponsored by the Commonwealth Fund of New York, Jo spent a year in the US in 1995/1996, undertaking a mid-career fellowship in leadership. She has subsequently been an international guest speaker and lecturer on leadership; including working with South African public sector leaders in association with the Commonwealth Secretariat and the University of Capetown; addressing an OECD seminar in Paris on leadership in the public sector; addressing the Global Leadership Forum in Istanbul in 2005; and addressing the CILT conference in Malta in 2010.

Jo’s involvement with transport goes right back to her first job out of university, with New Zealand Railways, working for her mentor Euan McQueen, also a prominent CIT member. Even then, her focus was on how to improve the country and its institutions. She recalls our long conversations at the time about how to bring about change in the railway system. The theme of change has infused all the roles she has had since. From Railways, she went on to be the Commercial Manager of the Northland Harbour Board, where she was involved with the selection and development of the cargo terminal at Marsden Point. Many years later, one of her current roles is Chair of Maritime New Zealand, the national regulatory and compliance organisation responsible for the safety, security and environmental protection of coastal and inland waterways.

In the meantime, Jo was in the thick of transport issues, amongst others, as Chair of the Northland Regional Development Council, as a Northland Regional Councillor, and later as CEO of Northland Regional Council, and then CEO of the Auckland Regional Council. In that position, she played a major role in planning and beginning implementation of the new public transport and rail and roading systems that are such a significant part of Auckland’s future. In 2006, she was appointed on to the four-person Ministerial Advisory Group on road costs, with the subsequent report and recommendations paving the way for reformation of the way that New Zealand’s transport systems are governed and managed.

But of course, Jo has used her talents in sectors beyond transport. She is in telecommunications, as chair of Northpower Fibre. She has experience in property, as a past board member of Housing New Zealand, and the Hobsonville Land Company,

agriculture and research as past chair of Landcare Research, engineering and design as current chair of Harrison Grierson, climate, as a past board member of NIWA, and resource management as chair of an irrigation feasibility company.

She has not neglected more social enterprises either, as founder and until recently chair of the Taitokerau Education Trust (promoting digital learning in low decile schools), as an Advisory Board member for the Centre for Brain Research, a past board member of Netball North Harbour, and formerly a trustee for the EEO Trust, which promotes equal employment opportunities in business.

CILTNZ is proud to have Jo as a member, and deeply values her contribution to the transport industry and wider pubic service. We offer our sincere congratulations on the recognition of her contribution with her Royal Honour.

Dame Jo Brosnahan

Extended issue on floods and their impact

MURRAY KING, EDITORIAL CONVENOR, CILT NZ

This issue is an extended one, 32 pages, to give us space to cover the recent storms and their impact.

IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY there were three events, a major storm on Auckland Anniversary Day; Cyclone Hale in midJanuary, and Cyclone Gabrielle a month later. The worst in terms of damage was Cyclone Gabrielle. This caused flooding on a large scale, with slips and flooding across Taira - whiti and Hawke's Bay, loss of life, and major property damage. The map attached shows the significant extent of the flooding in Hawke's Bay, courtesy of Dragonfly Data Analytics.

Storms like these damage infrastructure, resulting in closures for road and rail in particular. In Northland road and rail were affected between Auckland and Whanga - rei. While the roads have been repaired, the North Auckland rail line is still closed by a large overslip at Tahekeroa. In Auckland many local roads were flooded, and coastal communities cut off. There was also damage to the Western metro line, which is open but with repair works under way.

However the brunt of the storms was taken by east coast regions. State Highways 2, 5, 35, 50 and 51 were closed, with extensive bridge damage. Supplies to and from the region were extensively disrupted. As Booth’s Logistics’ Executive Director Stewart Taylor notes, road transport is not that useful if there are no roads. The same can be said for rail too. Before all the roads reopened, some very long detours had to be taken.

Only in mid-June has the last of the 11 temporary Bailey bridge connections been

made on the worst affected parts of SH35 and SH2. The railway line from Woodville to Wairoa was closed by Gabrielle, and has only been reopened as far as Hastings. A bridge at Awatoto being washed away means that Napier won’t be reconnected until the end of the year. Meanwhile, road bridging solutions are in place for traffic to Napier Port. No date has yet been given for reopening on the line north of Napier. In this issue we have extensive coverage on road and rail impacts. But the storms, especially Gabrielle, did more than damage infrastructure. They disconnected communities, even cutting telecommunications, resulting in satellitebased solutions being used. We have an article on plans to make their use permanent across the country. The storms ruined crops, even tree crops and vines, so that the production of the region will be down for a year at least. This flows on to activities like packhouses, trucking, logistics operators, and the port itself. Even the post was disrupted. We explore each of these impacts in articles in this edition.

The storms also disrupted people’s lives as priorities shifted from work to home. We offer our sympathies and best wishes to those who have had serious losses, and those whose employment may be made precarious by impacts on the local economy and production. And yet we have heard a number of stories of people, including transport and logistics people, going the extra mile and working long hours to restore services. And

The map of the flooding impacts on the adjacent page has kindly been supplied by Dragonfly Data Science.

Dragonfly Data Science is a Wellington based data science organisation. They specialise in data science, statistical analysis, and machine learning, supported by robust software engineering, clear communication, and a sprinkle of creative flair. Since 2006, they’ve been collaborating with governments and organisations across the globe, turning their data into beautiful, meaningful apps and reports that are driving positive and lasting changes to the environment and our communities. Their work ranges from measuring the effects of forest fires in California, tracking mutations of COVID-19 to modelling endangered bird populations and as seen here using satellite imagery to model the impact of weather events.

transport firms also stepped in with gear, including generators, to help people cope. The Port of Napier even made a part of the port available for a temporary army camp! Emergency management teams swung into action in Hawke's Bay. At the same time the Red Cross mobilised its forces around the country to cope with all the logistical issues around disaster relief, including IT and telecommunications. The council is now faced with a mammoth silt removal task, and together with the Hawke's Bay Regional Council has put together a task force to deal with it. Up to 5 million cubic metres of silt have been deposited on roads, railways, orchards, farms and houses.

Although Air New Zealand’s services were disrupted by the cyclone, they were quickly restored to Napier and Gisborne, as the airports remained accessible (after confirmation by a special flight to Gisborne). And with an aircraft overnighting in Napier, a daily return service to Gisborne was run for a month to restore some communication between the two cities, which was not possible by road.

And as you will have noticed, we have some other good news too. A long standing member of CILT and its predecessor CIT has been made a Dame Companion of the Order of New Zealand, and we celebrate that in a tribute.

Cyclone Gabrielle: Preparing for the next disastrous event

and disruption to most parts of New Zealand, resulting in the closure of many of the country’s main highways and significantly impacting the local economy. In the weeks and months that followed, many businesses suffered from delays and supply chain disruptions, with the rebuilding work still underway, even now.

Cyclone Gabrielle caused widespread damage

Reflecting on the impact of Cyclone Gabrielle clearly highlights the desperate need for ongoing investment in resilience and the development of infrastructure that can withstand extreme weather events. Studies show us that climate change-related events are becoming more frequent, and episodes such as this cyclone, and many before that, are more common. But the cyclone’s wrath in February this year was not limited to the roading network alone; it also wreaked havoc on regional infrastructure and caused extensive damage to bridges, water treatment plants and other vital infrastructure assets throughout most parts of the mid and upper North Island.

Strong winds accompanied by heavy rain led to widespread power outages, with electrical infrastructure bearing the brunt of the

storm. Fallen trees and debris damaged power lines, leaving thousands of households without electricity for extended periods. This not only disrupted daily life, but also hampered the ability to provide essential services such as clean water, sanitation, and in some cases, healthcare in affected regions. The costs of repairing and rebuilding damaged infrastructure have been marked as substantial, putting additional strain on already stretched local budgets.

Cyclone Gabrielle’s impact on housing was equally devastating. Its strong winds, combined with heavy rainfall, led to widespread flooding and landslides, resulting in significant damage to homes and buildings. Coastal areas were particularly vulnerable, as storm surges and high tides exacerbated the flooding and caused additional erosion.

BY SAM MORTON

Many residents were forced to evacuate their homes due to the rising floodwaters, while others had to deal with damaged properties, structural instability, and loss of belongings. The displacement of families and destruction of housing stock led to immediate housing crises in several regions. Emergency shelters were set up to accommodate those affected, but the long-term implications and recovery process for homeowners and renters proved to be significant challenges that required coordinated efforts from government and relief organisations.

In the aftermath of the cyclone, the Government, local authorities and emergency response teams swiftly mobilised to assess the damage and initiate recovery efforts, with priority given to

SH5 from Napier to Taupo - was finally re-opened on 27 March after contractors worked around the clock to repair 32 cyclone damaged sites along the state highway.

PHOTO: Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency

reopening key transport routes, restoring power supply and providing immediate support to affected communities. Cleanup operations commenced, and infrastructure repairs were expedited to ensure a return to normality as soon as possible.

When approached for comment, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Manager Communications Anthony Frith says the organisation was restricted in what they could say, paving the way for a government review into the “Cyclone Gabrielle Response”.

Speaking to the work carried out to date, Mr Frith point to the mammoth effort and support networks that had come to the fore following the event, and the constant recovery efforts presently ongoing.

“While we aren’t currently in a position to reflect in detail on the Cyclone Gabrielle response itself, it’s important we first let the review process run its course, we would like to acknowledge the incredible mahi that went into supporting communities through this event, which is one of the most significant emergency responses Aotearoa has seen,” Mr Frith says.

“Dozens of government agencies, emergency services, NGOs, countless volunteers, community groups and iwi all stood up to deliver a helping hand when people needed it the most and continue to support communities as they move towards recovery.”

NEMA isn’t alone in being reviewed for its response to the cyclone; planning is underway for an independent operational review of

the Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management (HBCDEM) Group’s response.

At the peak of the disaster, communities, local emergency operation centres and emergency services experienced the extremes of isolation with the loss of critical roading, power and communications infrastructure. Through this isolation in the hardest days of the cyclone’s impacts, a shared regional understanding of what happened across communities is yet to emerge.

Hawke’s Bay Regional Councillor Hinewai Ormsby and Chair of the HBCDEM Group Joint Committee (that governs HBCDEM on behalf of the region’s five councils) says

the review is important “to ensure our communities are prepared for any event in the future”.

Wairoa District Council Mayor Craig Little says the purpose of the review is to assess the performance of HBCDEM’s emergency response across the entire Hawke’s Bay region, covering the lead-up to the Cyclone and through to the demobilisation of the Group Emergency Coordination Centre, which will occur at the end of April.

Flooding in Wairoa after the river burst its banks due to heavy rain. PHOTOS: Wairoa District Council's Emergency Controller

“This review will look at the systems and processes, roles, and responsibilities of the HBCDEM Group members and partners. We need to ensure a common understanding across the whole region of what occurred, identify the lessons from this event and understand what is needed to improve resilience for all our Hawke’s Bay cities, towns and communities,” Mayor Little says.

The scope of the review was confirmed in April, covering cover the performance of all Regional Council-owned and operated flood protection, control and drainage schemes during Cyclone Gabrielle, addressing:

• the origin and purpose of each scheme, including intended levels of service, the severity of the Cyclone Gabrielle event relative to scheme purpose and thirdly, the scheme maintenance and operation before, during and in the immediate aftermath of the cyclone; and

• recommend improvements to scheme levels of service and maintenance or operational requirements for future events, having regard to climate change.

Specialist environmental planner and facilitator Phil Mitchell was appointed chair of the review panel, and the review is expected to take six months to complete at an approximate cost of $700,000.

The terms of reference will focus only on the Regional Council flood protection assets and associated systems, including communications. It will not focus on Civil Defence, which is the subject of a separate review underway, or on other systems that are the statutory responsibility of other entities.

The impact of Cyclone Gabrielle serves as a stark reminder of the increasing vulnerability of New Zealand to extreme weather events due to climate change and shows the country must take steps to enhance its resilience and preparedness for future storms. This includes improving infrastructure design, strengthening building codes and implementing effective early warning systems to minimise the impact of similar events.

Infrastructure is destined to be a long-term fix in the region, such as this bridge over the Hikuwai River in Taira - whiti

PHOTO: Chorus

The Esk River rail bridge withstood much of the debris thrown its way by Cyclone Gabrielle but will still be unusable for some time. PHOTO: KiwiRail

Clearing the way for future resilience in the roading network

BY SAM MORTON

WHEN A NATIONAL STATE OF EMERGENCY was declared on Tuesday 14 February due to Cyclone Gabrielle, more than 30 sections of state highway were completely closed to traffic, impacting a significant proportion of the roading network serving Northland, Auckland, Coromandel, Manawatu, the Central Plateau, Gisborne and Hawkes Bay. Several months on, it’s clear just exactly how much Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency (Waka Kotahi) and local councils are facing as they look to restore the damage and upgrade infrastructure.

In recent months, a myriad of treacherous weather has caused no end of problems in the upper North Island, with the damage from Cyclone Gabrielle, the Auckland

Anniversary floods and prior to that, ex-Cyclone Hale decimating key access routes and transport networks.

In the days and weeks that followed Cyclone Gabrielle, Waka Kotahi's immediate priority centred on reopening emergency access and lifelines to isolated communities, with multiple roading crews, contractors and bridge engineers working hard to get roads back open within a matter of hours.

Commenting on the extensive work that lies ahead, Waka Kotahi Hawkes Bay/Taira - whiti Regional Manager of Maintenance and Operations Jaclyn Hankin says that while many roads have now reopened, there were still several major routes yet to be reinstated.

“Initially, access was severely restricted on state highways and local roads (non-state highways managed by councils) across Hawkes Bay and Taira - whiti, with roads affected to varying degrees throughout the region,” Mrs Hankin says.

“In Taira - whiti, there were approximately 45 damaged sites on SH2 north of Wairoa and approximately 90 sites on SH35, while in Hawkes Bay, the number was 32 sites on SH5 and 98 between Bayview and Wairoa on SH2.”

The Waitangi Bridge SH51 between Napier and Clive from the air shows the bridge wasn’t damaged but next to it, the railway connection was wiped out. PHOTOS: Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency

The first physical signs of the Bailey bridge that will replace the cyclone damaged Hikuwai no. 1 Bridge on SH35 north of Gisborne are springing up, following the start of piling work in May.

The collapsed Hikuwai no.1 bridge.

Since the cyclone, work has been carried out to reopen SH35 north of Gisborne, SH5 Napier- Taupo - and SH2 between Wairoa and Napier – all proving to be important access roads in and out of the area.

Elsewhere, it was a similar situation for neighbouring regions such as Auckland, Northland and the Coromandel, with the scope of the recovery and rebuild becoming more apparent each day.

More than 200 slip events were recorded on the Coromandel and East Waikato highways in January and February alone, with more than 50 of them considered significant slips. Approximately 50 sites are still being monitored around the Coromandel - some that already have designs in place for permanent repairs, while others are being prioritised for drainage repairs, overslip and underslip stabilisation, or major vegetation clean-up.

Waka Kotahi System Manager Cara Lauder says the biggest impacts were felt on the coastal highways out to Raglan and Kawhia, and in particular Coromandel, with the close of SH25A, causing major disruption to the lives of many.

“While SH25A is closed, [Waka Kotahi] is acutely aware of the sacrifices locals, businesses and communities are having to make. The inaccessibility, extra travel time, increased travel costs, access to healthcare, impacts to freight, businesses, tourism and general day-to-day life are front of mind for everyone working on these projects,” Mrs Lauder said.

“A bridge will be built to reconnect this route at a cost of $30 to 40 million, and is expected to take between 12-14 months to build, with work expected to start in June 2023.”

Other repair projects in the region have included SH23 (between Whatawhata and Raglan), with a geosynthetic reinforced retaining wall built and SH31 (Kawhia Road) - with total project costs pushing almost $5 million.

Echoing the sentiments of her colleagues, Waka Kotahi Auckland/North Regional Manager of Maintenance and Operations Jacqui Hori-Hoult says roading crews had been onsite clearing slips, debris and fallen trees and reopening the roads as soon as practical.

“SH1 Brynderwyn Hills suffered significant damage with severe underslips and overslips, and after a number of temporary closures between February and April to repair these slips and install drainage to help to futureproof stormwater resilience, the road was reopened in both directions on 1 May,” Mrs Hori-Hoult says.

“Other roads that were impacted included SH1 at Dome Valley, SH12 and SH16.”

Currently, Waka Kotahi is in the throes of completing plans for future infrastructure resilience, working with key stakeholders on a strategic approach to determine the next steps. This strategic approach will identify options for recovery works in the short-, medium- and long-term, and the ranges of funding required for each of the required programmes – all subject to securing required funding.

An overview of the damage caused by the cyclone on SH5, near Te Haroto.

The new Waikare Gorge Bailey bridge on SH2 between Napier and Wairoa, next to the damaged bridge.

An overview of the damage caused by the cyclone on SH5, near Esk Valley.

It’s a 12-week project that will further support the immediate emergency works, helping to form a strategic view of the current and future desired state of transport networks. The outcomes from the strategic approach will then feed into the collaborative delivery model set up for the recovery, which will see Waka Kotahi, KiwiRail, Downer, Fulton Hogan and Higgins build a team to plan exactly how the full scope of work will be delivered with local contractors in the years to follow.

And help, it seems, is on the way. In the Government’s budget last month, $20 million was committed for each of the next seven years, totalling $140 million, to fund a pipeline of low-cost, low-risk resilience works on local roads.

In addition, a further $279 million has been allocated for the next seven years for resilience works on state highways, with the spend certainly helping to mitigate risks associated with climate change, minimising damage and reducing future closure times.

“The damage caused by these weather events was significant and the rebuild and recovery will take time. We know we will continue to experience weather events of this nature and the continued resilience of our state highway network is essential to ensuring safe, reliable connections for our communities,” Mrs Hankin says.

“Building future resilience into the transport network, as well as taking action to adapt to the environment will be critical to delivering

long-term permanent solutions. Essentially, the state highway network needs to be better able to withstand future weather events, in terms of both the initial impact and returning to expected levels of service quickly.”

Moving ahead, there are still some major announcements yet to be made, as Waka Kotahi continues to work with the resources they have to bring some level of business as usual back to the lives of everyday road users.

With no wayward pun intended, there is a long, long road ahead and the magnitude and impact of a 300–2000-year storm event is certainly being felt far and wide throughout the country.

March sluicing shows some of the work which went on along SH2 between Napier and Wairoa to clear debris and loose rockfall.

Unprecedented devastation, now for the rebuild

BY JAMES PAUL

CYCLONE GABRIELLE CLAIMED the lives of 11 people, described as the worst weather event of this century. It devastated Hawke’s Bay, causing unprecedented damage to lives and livelihoods. There was also a loss of life to the north, in Taira - whiti, while two volunteer firefighters also died in a Muriwai landslide.

But while life has returned to normal for many in Hawke’s Bay, many thousands of others across the region still face a long and difficult journey to return to some semblance of normality.

Millions of cubic metres of silt that washed down Hawke’s Bay’s rivers from the hills during Cyclone Gabrielle devastated homes and properties. This meant these communities were still isolated, three weeks after the event: Tu - tira, Waikoau, Rissington, Patoka, Puketitiri, Dartmoor, Te Ha - roto, Te Po - hue, and Puto - rino.

Another 23 small pockets of rural homes were unreachable by normal roads and were being supplied via helicopter and Unimog.

Hastings District Council and Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence worked with multiple agencies, including health, Ministry for Primary Industries, WINZ and iwi liaison, to ensure the needs of these communities were met, including sending specialists from these organisations into the isolated areas.

A Silt Recovery Taskforce was recently established in April to address the millions of cubic metres of silt, put together by Hawke’s Bay Regional Council and Hastings District Council. Developing a comprehensive action plan focused on zones with dedicated contractors, Taskforce Lead Darren de Klerk said the task is huge.

“We estimate over five million cubic metres of silt has been deposited on orchards, farms, roads and residential properties across the Hastings district – it will likely take many months, if not years depending on how much silt needs to be removed. We cannot underestimate the scale of the job ahead of us.

“We have developed a system with six zones across the region, and each zone has dedicated contractors to collect silt from orchards, farms, roads and residential properties. The contractors will also be responsible for picking up any remaining

flood-damaged household items within their zones, based on requests lodged with Hastings District Council.”

Council is not assisting residents with clearing silt from within properties, the taskforce is collecting silt once ready for collection, but working in with landowners and insurers to streamline the process to minimise unnecessary double handling.

Six silt collection sites have been established to manage the material collected.

“We’re working hard to find sites to put the silt we’re collecting, figuring out if these are temporary or permanent, ensuring we’re following environmental rules and consent conditions, and working in with the Severe Weather Emergency Legislation Bill.

Cyclone Gabrielle did more than damage infrastructure. It also disconnected communities. PHOTOS: Hastings District Council

Millions of cubic metres of silt washed down Hawke’s Bay’s rivers from the hills during Cyclone Gabrielle.

The taskforce is working on a range of options, and working closely with other councils, industry, and landowners to work towards solutions for the region,” Mr de Klerk said.

“We know lots of people in the community are interested and also concerned about what happens with all the silt. Our team is committed to finding the best solutions we can for our rohe, and we will keep the community updated through our website and social media.”

Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said the taskforce had been established in recognition of the need to deal with this enormously hard issue as effectively and efficiently as possible.

“We must help those who are affected to start recovering their properties and restoring their livelihoods regardless of council boundaries.

“To help protect our infrastructure and minimise creating flood hazards, we’re asking residents to gather up the silt and put it within and as close to the boundary of their property as possible, in an area as close as possible to where collectors can get access. This is to keep silt out of drains and reduce the risk of flooding.”

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council Chair Hinewai Ormsby said the taskforce was an important part of the region’s response to the cyclone.

“We’ve seen that working together is the most efficient way to respond to this

devastating cyclone. We’re working with Hastings District Council to support the region’s recovery, and this taskforce is committed to work through the issues around silt in our rohe.”

Since its establishment, the taskforce has shifted around 350,000m3 of silt since February, with 199 jobs completed. Ms Ormsby said the taskforce had, to the end of May 2023, spent $9.7 million working through its comprehensive action plan focused on zones with dedicated contractors.

And work continues to progress on rebuilding the bridges, culverts and low-level crossings that were destroyed in the floods. Twentytwo river crossings were impacted across the district, and reconnecting those communities affected has been a priority for Hastings District Council.

Post-Cyclone, a bailey bridge has been installed to replace the Rissington Bridge, a temporary bridge has been instated at Dartmoor, the Ellis-Wallace low-level crossing has been installed in Esk Valley, the Arapaonanui low-level crossing has opened and temporary access has been established for Matapiro Bridge.

A bailey bridge is planned for Ellis-Wallace, and Moeangiangi and Mangatutu low-level crossings, and unless there are unexpected disruptions, these are estimated to open at the end of May. The bailey bridge at Whanawhana was intended to open on May 15.

All of these solutions have been designed to create access as soon as possible with the same level of service retained, but some of the bridges may be subject to weight and speed limits and, as with the rural roading network as a whole, remain vulnerable to further weather events.

Meanwhile, the work programme continues on restoring the other access points.

The demolition of the broken sections of Redclyffe Bridge is entering the second/third week and the work is going well, with three/ four weeks remaining. Council is working with the adjacent community through viable options for a temporary solution which could coincide with demolition. The earliest potential date for opening is the end of June.

The design of the Crystal Twin culvert is complete and temporary access has been reinstated for this structure as well as McVicars culvert.

Crownthorpe Bridge is due to be complete at the end of June, and solutions for the remaining structures including Brookfield, Darkeys Spur No1, Puketapu and Kereru Rd Gorge bridges are being investigated.

More than 800 homes and properties suffered flood damage and numerous orchards, vineyards, farms, forestry and other businesses were also impacted.

The deadly flooding in Eskdale, on the northern outskirts of Napier, left behind a long trail of destruction including broken homes, busted roads, overturned vehicles, downed power lines, twisted train tracks (where the rail line used to run through here), and decimated orchards and vineyards. PHOTO: KiwiRail

Cyclone was a true test of Kiwi resilience

When Cyclone Gabrielle hit the North Island earlier this year, the strong winds and widespread flooding caused major disruption to the roading networks and core services throughout the Hawkes Bay, Auckland and Northland regions.

BY SAM MORTON

ONE OF THE MOST IMMEDIATE and noticeable impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle was the severe disruption to New Zealand’s roading network. The cyclone unleashed torrential rainfall that triggered flash floods, landslides, and caused rivers to breach their banks. As a result, roads and highways across the country were rendered impassable or severely damaged. In many regions, key transport routes were completely cut off, isolating communities and hindering access to vital services. This created immense challenges for emergency response teams, as well as for residents attempting to evacuate or seek assistance. The disruption to the roading network also had significant economic consequences, impacting transportation of goods and services, and causing delays in supply chains. The regions hardest hit included Hawkes Bay, Gisborne and the surrounding areas, with courier companies facing tough decisions to suspend all transport services in the initial aftermath of the cyclone.

NZ Post GM Network Manager Alan Court says the immediate impact of the cyclone proved chaotic, forcing the immediate suspension of all services for 48 hours.

“The greatest challenge was the rapidly evolving situation brought about by the uncertain path of the cyclone, and the impact it was likely to have as it passed across, or by each region,” Mr Court says.

“The loss of severely reduced communication with our teams in the East Coast region, and the loss of power that restricted our parcel processing operations immediately after the cyclone also provided a big challenge. However, we were able to quickly deploy and install Starlink routers in Napier, Hastings and Wairoa to provide a backup communications link. We also relocated a standby generator to the Napier depot to provide an alternative power source.”

In fact, such was the impact of the cyclone, parcel deliveries dropped from the average weekly total of 63,000 to just 16,000 - 12,000 of which was the day prior to the impact of the cyclone and the remaining 4,000 deliveries sporadically over the remaining days.

According to NZ Post Network Analytics and Insights Manager Mike Lockyer, mail was held at the Auckland Mail Centre until access was restored, at which point they started processing mail for the region again. In the week following, the cyclone the volume increased to nearly double the normal weekly volume as processing activity resumed (283,000).

“Volume lifted back to normal levels following the week in question, but the on-time performance was compromised as we faced transport and access-related delays,” Mr Lockyer explains.

“As a general rule, depending on the scale, severity, duration and location of a natural disaster, most of the packages and mail we deliver via posties, trucks or couriers would potentially be affected (delayed) if we are unable to operate and deliver safely due to the impacts of the disaster.”

As a standalone courier service, Aramex New Zealand also reported major disruption to the network but was full of praise for the overall team effort of all staff, and associated franchisee owners.

Such was the impact of Cyclone Gabrielle, parcel deliveries dropped from the average weekly total of 63,000 to just 16,000.

PHOTO: NZ Post

“Road closures were a challenge for us, with significant time delays that came at a high cost to the business,” Chief Executive Officer Mark Little says.

“Our Aramex depots in Hawkes Bay and Gisborne were both closed for four days following the cyclone, with cell service down, scanners down and us having to resort to hand-written labels. Our Napier depot relocated to Hastings, but because of the road damage, it took our team three hours to drive between Napier and Hastings ... it’s been a challenging time and a true test of Kiwi resilience.”

Despite these relatively quick turnaround times, given the circumstances, the impact of the cyclone on the roading network continued to be felt for many months. Repairs and rebuilding work have been extensive, and many businesses throughout the regions have been made to adapt to new supply chains or find alternative methods of doing things.

“Being a franchise network, we are lucky that we have franchisee owners up and down the country who were able to step in and help the depots impacted by the cyclone. Everyone wanted to muck in and help, and with the overarching support of the Aramex business, we were able to catch up on deliveries within two weeks,” Mr Little says.

“Being business owners ourselves, we understood the importance of the freight that needed to be delivered, so we wanted to get as much to local business as we could, to ensure they could continue to trade.”

Little thanks the Hawkes Bay and surrounding communities for their patience and overall collective effort, extending a special thanks to the true heroes of the story.

“Cyclone Gabrielle had significant impacts on business operations, both in Hawkes Bay and further afield. A big thanks is owed to the linehaul drivers who found ways to get important freight from A to B at a very trying time ... they are the true heroes.”

Throughout the recovery, staff safety was of mainstream importance, with both NZ Post and Aramex taking every precaution available to ensure a healthy workforce.

As the storm conditions worsened, NZ Post stood many of their teams downparticularly workers who were the most vulnerable due to the effects of the strong winds and flooding. These teams included posties operating on foot, bikes, e-Bikes and Paxsters, closely followed by couriers and rural contractors.

“Our heavy transport vehicles were also stood down on routes where main highways

were closed, or expected to close,” Mr Court adds.

“Our processing centres remained open, but all workers were instructed to attend work only if they could travel to work safely, and their personal circumstances allowed. Weather and travel conditions were assessed by site leaders at the end of each shift, and if conditions were considered unsafe, workers were held at the workplace until conditions eased.”

Aramex made the decision to assign extra drivers to counter the fatigue caused by much

longer journeys, while additional pastoral care was also put in place for staff impacted by the cyclone.

Several months on, Cyclone Gabrielle has left a lasting imprint on the country’s roading network, regional infrastructure, and housing. While many lessons have been learnt along the way, it’s heartening to see the rapid response and resilience shown by two of New Zealand’s major courier and postal services - and above all, employee safety remaining a matter of priority every step of the way.

Aramex Chief Executive Officer Mark Little. PHOTOS: Aramex

Aramex New Zealand adapted quickly to the impact of Cyclone Gabrielle, keeping operations going as smoothly as possible in the days, weeks and months that have followed.

Weatherell Transport: Lifeline established thanks to trucks

BY JAMES PAUL

GISBORNE TRANSPORT OPERATOR Steve Weatherell has navigated his fair share of adverse weather events, slips and blocked roads. So, the disastrous impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle weren’t going to stop him and his drivers from supplying the East Coast with essential goods.

Speaking from his truck at Ohope Beach nearly two months after the fatal Cyclone Gabrielle made landfall in February, Weatherell Transport Director Steve Weatherell is as calm now as he was when disaster struck.

When two of his drivers, who were stranded between Matawai and Gisborne, suddenly arrived back in Gisborne after local farmers

with chainsaws cleared a path, Mr Weatherell went to the Emergency Centre established at the Gisborne District Council office to report on the road’s status.

“They were surrounded by slips. They’d come past Matawai but they couldn’t get through Otoko and then couldn’t back to Matawai either,” Mr Weatherell says.

“But thankfully, they ended up in town eventually. So, I spoke with Downer [New Zealand] about their views on the roads being closed, seeing as my guys had gotten through. I eventually spoke with Helen Harris from NZTA [National Journey Manager] who sent one of her people up there who discovered what we had worked out – that the roads were now passable.”

A logistical plan was quickly established to start bringing in trucks with supplies the next morning. Mr Weatherell already had drivers and trucks parked up at Whakata - ne and Opo - tiki enroute when the cyclone landed. A request for help from drivers in Tauranga and Auckland went out as soon as communication was reestablished in Gisborne via the satellite Starlink system.

“So, the next morning [15 February], we brought about 12 or 14 units of food into town. And then the following morning we spread the word out for the fuel tankers and everybody else and basically the town got back to somewhat normal.”

Devils Elbow shows that same section of SH2 (as the picture on the following page) now, following three months of cleanup. Photos: Waka Kotahi Cont. on page 20

The Devil's Elbow on SH2 between Whirinaki and Tūtira, following the destruction of Cyclone Gabrielle, where a Weatherell Transport Kenworth K200 truck was stranded. Luckily, the driver was uninjured but had to walk three hours through debris and flood waters to safety.

These convoys of trucks – accompanied by a lead and trailing Downer vehicle – brought food, water and fuel to cut-off townships along State Highway 2 between Opo - tiki and Te Karaka. Thirteen of them arrived in Gisborne for the first round of supplies on 16 February and 15 left the city that afternoon to restock.

“We did that in big numbers. And we did quite a bit of relief work for various charities. We were putting a whole lot of stuff together, there was an aeroclub in Tauranga that was filling up a semi-truck a day of donated clothes and all sorts of stuff.

“People had literally gone off to Briscoes and bought blankets, pillows and other things and just donated it all – still in its wrapping. We probably moved 30 tonnes of donated goods into town. I think we did three units, one into Wairoa and two into Gisborne. But it got to the stage, by Friday, that we couldn’t bring in any more.

“Somebody else rang us, another transport operator from Gisborne, and asked where to bring his stuff. I asked the council and they said not to bring in anymore because they were almost inundated with stuff and had nowhere to put it all.”

One of Mr Weatherell’s biggest and ongoing problems was, of course, paying his staff. While Starlink enabled the head office in Gisborne to issue those transactions, no one could get cash out for petrol. With no internet, there was no EFTPOS so service stations were only taking cash.

“It was a bit of a logistical challenge but we just set up an account at service stations and gave them card numbers for our guys to use if they were short of fuel to get to work or if they or their family needed to get out.”

With about 150-odd staff stationed around six depots throughout the country – 40 of whom are based in Gisborne – and in excess of 60 trucks, Mr Weatherell’s first priority was to check everyone was home safe and sound as the cyclone brought about 488 millimetres of rain to Gisborne.

As townships along State Highway 35 and much of the roading network became disconnected due to slips, all staff was accounted for but one. Kenworth K200 truck driver John Milne, carrying a load of squash, found himself at ‘Devil's Elbow’ on the NapierWairoa Road on SH2 blocked by a sizeable slip on February 13.

Three hours later, heading north for about two kilometres towards Tutira, he stumbled upon and took refuge with Unison [electricity network company] workers in their ute before eventually making his way to Hastings with the help of a local farming couple, their fourwheeler, and (later) a helicopter.

“He was a very lucky man – and I’m grateful he got home safe and sound,” Mr Weatherell says.

But it highlighted for him a problem a lot of road transport businesses like his face on the East Coast – a lack of communication, even in the right conditions.

“The stupid part about it is, we’ve got two satellite phones that we purchased probably four or five years ago. But they were costing about three or four grand a year to keep going and we weren’t using them much at all.

“We use them mainly for the Waioeka Gorge because there’s no coverage, in case one of our guys had an accident, a breakdown or had mechanics going in there at nighttime.

“Problem was, a lot of them struggled to use them so I got a bit frustrated with them and let the whole thing lapse – two of them are sitting in boxes. Then, of course, we come to a situation like this and they would have been the handiest thing you could possibly get. But of course, we had no way of contacting Auckland to get them reinstated again.”

A picture is worth a thousand words, and the damage is best described by the aerial shots of what Cyclone Gabrielle left behind in its wake. Mr Weatherell says some of the slips on the Otoko Hill near Te Karaka started 300400m above it bringing with roads, dirt, farms and large chunks of forest.

“The sheer volume coming down the valley and landing on the roads – there’s nothing much we can do about it,” he adds.

Just recently, further rain in Gisborne isolated Te Karaka after heavy rain washed out a

section of State Highway 2. The region was saturated and has become increasingly fragile, as geotechnical crews were out inspecting broken roads and slips, including cracks at Otoko Hill, on 26 June.

Minister for Emergency Management Kieran McAnulty flew into Gisborne on June 23 to support the region and was shown around by Mayor Rehette Stoltz the following day. In the seven days after that, 546mm of rain was recorded inland from Ruatoria, with around 240mm in the city.

There were 46 local road closures on top of what was already closed following Cyclone Gabrielle, said the Minister at the time.

“The faults coming through on our road network are increasing with severity with washouts, slumping and slips being reported to Civil Defence. We’ve had more slips around Whataupoko overnight, and concrete bollards have been installed to stabilise some sections.”

It doesn’t make for easy living, especially for Mr Weatherell who is continually disappointed to call customers about their produce not making it to its destination. But, all things considered, he says everyone has been very accepting.

“They’ve been awesome. I’d like to think we’ve got a reasonable sort of relationship with most people out that part of the world. When something like this happens, they look after our guys and we look after them – there are a lot of good people.

“But it’s amazing – you take the internet away and the world just grinds to a halt.”

Unloading WPI pulp at Heinz Watties, Tomoana, Hastings commenced from 5 June. Until the railway was opened to Hastings, it was trucked all the way from the Karioi Pulpmill to Port of Napier.

PHOTO: Mainfreight Group

Napier Port: Keeping our region connected to the world

NAPIER PORT EXTENDS ITS CARE and support to everyone affected by the impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle. We also want to acknowledge and thank all the individuals, organisations and communities who have worked tirelessly over the last few months to support Hawke’s Bay and its people with the initial response and immediate recovery.

The year ahead for Hawke’s Bay looks drastically different to the one we had before us at the start of 2023.

As we entered the new year, we were encouraged by some early signs of global shipping disruptions and pricing starting to ease and optimistic about the ongoing and resilient demand for our region’s food and fibre exports. Throughout 2022, Napier Port worked hard alongside its customers and

partners to deliver the value and solutions the region’s cargo owners need.

Post-Cyclone Gabrielle, our immediate priority was to keep cargo flowing across our wharves. The cyclone highlighted Napier Port’s critical role as a lifeline asset to the wider region. With minimal damage to our own infrastructure and being the only entry point into Napier postcyclone, our teams were immediately able to support the emergency response.

Napier Port became a community base for the ongoing response, including hosting both the NZ Army and Navy vessels, including HMNZS Te Mana and HMNZS Canterbury, as they provided welfare and aid to the communities most in need of help.

BY DAVID KRIEL

Specifically, we provided facilities to the NZ Army on port alongside our korora - /little penguin sanctuary, enabling them to set up a local base and assist with the cyclone response efforts across Hawke’s Bay and Taira - whiti. “Camp Penguin”, as it was affectionately called, was in action through until mid-March when operations wrapped up and the army shifted their crews back down to Linton Military Camp. Their support continued from Palmerston North with weekly missions as and when the National Emergency Management Agency required.

Napier Port became a community base for the ongoing response, including hosting both the NZ Army and Navy vessels, including HMNZS Te Mana and HMNZS Canterbury, as they provided welfare and aid to the communities most in need of help. PHOTOS: Napier Port

The Grasmere Maersk (4658 TEU) dwarfs the Rangitata (102 TEU) at Napier Port.

PHOTO: Napier Port

The NZ Army set up a local base, affectionately called “Camp Penguin” to assist with the cyclone response efforts across Hawke's Bay and Taira - whiti.

Additionally, Napier Port also supported other lifeline services to re-open by providing electricity generators, and a number of our people joined the Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management Unit, volunteering in specialist roles including health and safety, human resources, emergency management, and GIS/CAD design helping to map affected areas. Fortunately, the port was able to get back to full operations within a week, and we worked closely with cargo owners to overcome local logistical bottlenecks and ensure they retained access to regional and global markets. The best thing we could do was to keep essential supplies and imports coming into the region and help our exporters get their cargo to market.

Specifically, Napier Port supported Eastland Port in Gisborne to start a three-month coastal shipping service on the East Coast. This partnership saw Napier Port provide ship planning services and use a coastal vessel, the Rangitata, to supply containers to Eastland Port for exporters to load with freight, which was then coastal shipped back to Napier Port for export. This initiative allowed businesses on the East Coast to export products that they were struggling to get to market due to road and rail damage.

For example, we also worked closely with the local councils to restart cruises three weeks after the cyclone. Passengers were welcomed back with a Karakia, given information about the cyclone and offered the opportunity to donate to a regional relief fund.

Our region and growers were certainly suffering in the weeks following the cyclone, but we were heartened to hear stories of resilience from across our primary sector. Napier Port extended its hours of operation in order to help ease congestion on the region’s damaged transport infrastructure and support Hawke’s Bay growers as we moved into the traditional peak season for produce exports. Berth windows for container shipping, previously disrupted by the pandemic, had recently resumed and were able to provide more certainty and regularity around vessel scheduling for importers and exporters.

Additionally, our new Te Whiti wharf (opened in July 2022) had also been delivering benefits prior to the cyclone – unlocking congestion, reducing ship moves inside the port, creating more berth availability for ships, and also reducing the time vessels were spending at anchor waiting to enter Napier Port. Shift movements across the whole port were reduced by almost fifty per cent, resulting in greater

efficiencies for our own operations, shipping lines, customers and transport operators.

Tied to these new benefits, we were also very pleased to welcome two new container shipping line services calling to Napier earlier in January this year. The T.S. Lines China and ZIM Australia services have been able to provide greater and more timely options for exporters and importers and help to ensure a competitive market across the wider supply chain.

Cyclone Gabrielle delivered a significant challenge to our supply chain logistics. Napier Port’s logistics team works closely with customers to provide a cost-effective, reliable and efficient supply chain between sites and the port. Because we have visibility of the containerised imports and exports before a vessel arrives, we can optimise the landside network and coordinate landside transport options with customers.

Before Cyclone Gabrielle, our customer base grew with uptake in the central North Island, delivering more volume into the port. We had also recently strengthened our position and investment in the Manawatu - Inland Port resulting in a 50 per cent partnership with the Halls Group (Talley’s Group of companies).

Immediately following the cyclone, there was a modal shift with rail converted into road transport. The Napier Port team has worked closely with our affected customers to develop cargo solutions and ensure minimal disruption to service as the rail network is repaired. The shift of cargo back to rail is happening incrementally (see pic on page 20). Importantly, the main rail line has been restored as far as Hastings; however, the link between Hastings and Napier requires reinstatement and the work is expected to continue through to the end of the year.

Damage to regional road transport infrastructure also limited access to the port across the Hawke’s Bay region for a period of time, adding challenges in particular for parts of the forestry sector. We have been encouraged by the favourable progress of increased road access to and from Napier, but the resilience of our wider infrastructure network has certainly raised a number of challenges that need to be addressed in the longer term.

The forestry industry has since re-established forest-based production, although it has seen some reduction in capacity due to short-term redeployments and some loss of industry transport capacity. Additionally, Pan Pac’s cyclone-impacted operations are expected to be restarted around September/October this year, followed by a gradual ramp-up towards normal production levels.

In terms of our container cargoes, the seasonal crop losses (pip fruit and other fresh produce) and damage to primary processing will see a reduction in container traffic through the port over the coming months. The extent of the potential future reduced output of planted areas, that will require remediation and replanting to restore production, remains uncertain at this stage with all eyes on the next spring blossom. Despite the significant impact of Cyclone Gabrielle and the ongoing challenges we face, Napier Port is confident that our region will rebuild. Demand for its food and fibre exports continues to grow, while our region is a world leader in primary sector innovation and research. With solidarity and respect, we see the efforts by businesses, community organisations, central and local government, neighbours and volunteers, groups of friends and Iwi pitching in to recover and build back together.

We have been proud to join our community and stand beside them in this ongoing effort. Looking ahead, our passionate Napier Port team will continue to prioritise support for our customers, cargo owners and community in the aftermath of the cyclone and remain committed to keep doing everything we can to support our region’s recovery.

David Kriel General Manager – Commercial | M.Prof.Studs. Transport Management (Dist), FCILT

David joined Napier Port as General Manager – Commercial in 2018. David has an extensive background in transport and logistics and worked with Lodestar and Oji Fibre Solutions from 2005 to 2018.David is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport. He is a member of the Eastern Asian Society for Transport Studies and the Humanitarian Logistics Association. David sits on the board of the New Zealand Cruise Association as well as the advisory board of ExportNZ Hawke’s Bay.

Cyclone Gabrielle, Booth’s Logistics, and lessons learned

BOOTH’S LOGISTICS IN HASTINGS found itself at the epicentre of Cyclone Gabrielle’s impact. Its Executive Director, Stewart Taylor, says the weather’s effects were felt throughout the business’ entire network –not just in Hastings and Hawke’s Bay.

Damage to bridges was among the huge toll the cyclone took in the Hastings District Council area which was estimated to cost about $800 million to remedy or repair, including 16 destroyed bridges, 28 significantly damaged bridges and more than 100 kilometres of road needing to be rebuilt, plus attention to 13,000 culverts requiring either unblocking, repairing, replacing or upgrading and more than 1,000 slips needing remediation.

Thankfully, Booth’s Elwood Road premise wasn’t flooded but that was the only good news; operations to and from Hawke’s Bay were suspended immediately. On a normal day, Booth’s operates around 50 trucks from its site and while some services could get through to Palmerston North, devastated roading networks meant the majority of logistical operations were curtailed.

However, as Booth’s is an import hub for Foodstuffs, Mr Taylor says the need for specific products for the likes of rice and other food staples was still urgent. Then a flurry of generator requests came in, making Booth’s a central hub for emergency generator movements for cold stores and community centres.

Despite the difficulties, the company successfully delivered a truckload of food to multiple supermarkets and ensured the availability of essential supplies in the aftermath of the cyclone. So, if there was one thing Mr Taylor and his team learned, it was the importance of adaptability.

“For logistical reasons and to prioritise everyone’s safety, we briefly instructed our employees to stay home,” Mr Taylor says.

“On the day following the cyclone, we had a warehouse filled with essential food products that our customers urgently needed. Our dedicated emergency staff

braved the darkness, retrieving those supplies for supermarket chains and other clients in need.”

Booth’s is heavily involved with containerised cargo for Napier Port with services including container packing and export loading, container shipping and temperature-controlled container specialists. The typical product mix is import/export containers, produce cartage and handling, packaging and other assorted products.

As one could imagine, this service took a dive when bridges and damage to other regional infrastructure occurred. However, once road access opened up locally including to the south via SH2 and SH51, Booth’s tried restarting its container services, albeit in a smaller scope.

“Containers were scheduled for vessels and those vessels were delayed or the bookings were bounced to the next week. Some exporters were redirecting their cargo to the port of Tauranga. By about day three or four, there was this significant shift in exports going up to the Port of Tauranga," Mr Taylor says.

“By about that time, I’d say the majority of our fleet engaged in moving containers, especially export containers but also some imports, to and from Tauranga. We had to go via Manawatu, going to Palmerston North then to Tauranga.

“So, that was a two-day round trip rather than a single-day round trip.”

Reflecting on the overall experience, it was made painfully aware to Mr Taylor of Booth’s need for improved emergency backup infrastructure.

“We realised that we lacked emergency power backup for certain warehouses, which became evident when the lights went out, leaving us in darkness. We had generators available on-site, but their functionality was limited to a plug-and-play setup.

“One of the things we’re going to pick up on is to make sure that our buildings are

BY JAMES PAUL

enabled for the quick stand up of alternative energy for operations.”

More than their own vulnerabilities, the cyclone emphasised the fragility of the district’s infrastructure to extreme events and, as a result, the weaknesses of the supply chain at large.

“We lost two out of the four bridges between Hastings and Napier and even now, we’re still impacted by the change in traffic flows, and from that the number of trips we can complete in a day with a truck,” Mr Taylor says.

“But it’s fascinating just to take a step back and realise that we are limited by this handful of river crossings. This will have lasting impacts; road transport businesses are not too effective when there aren’t roads to travel on.”

A month on from the cyclone, the Government announced a $6 billion National Resilience Plan, and a $100 million flood infrastructure fund as part of this year’s Budget. This is after the Treasury has put the cost of asset damage from the Auckland floods and Cyclone Gabrielle at between $9 billion and $14.5 billion – more than the Kaikoura earthquake but significantly less than the Canterbury quakes.

Mr Taylor and his team remain optimistic about New Zealand’s ability to invest in resilient infrastructure. He believes that, with time and effort, the country can enhance its infrastructure to withstand such weather events.

“It’s heartening to see investment in infrastructure, and I’m optimistic that we will find a way to continue operating – we always bounce back pretty fast.

“We have ongoing work streams through Gisborne that continued, they just ended up going to a different port. We tend to find some short-term solutions around the immediate challenge. And often it’s in the moment of rebuilding that we’re probably likely to rebuild that infrastructure to a higher standard.”

Air New Zealand in the thick of it

FOLLOWING THE CANCELLATION of 509 flights, Air New Zealand’s international and domestic network was back up and running on 15 February. Flying into heavily impacted regions New Plymouth, Napier and Gisborne had also resumed with some minor disruptions as the airline worked through operationalising the routes.

Following the increased wind gusts in the afternoon of 14 February, the airline was forced to halt its domestic and international operations out of Auckland, resulting in a further 300 cancelled services.

Air New Zealand Chief Customer and Sales Officer Leanne Geraghty said at the time that the gusts on 14 February set back the airline’s recovery from the initial cancellations, the network was largely operating as usual again the following day.

“With aircraft and crew displaced around the network, our morning operations were a little bumpy. But [we were able to get] back in the swing of things and are completely focused on customer recovery,” she said.

“We got halfway there [on 14 February] with our restart but, as we have throughout the recent weather events, we put safety first. It’s the right thing to do –every time.

“To have the airline operating largely as normal is no small feat. We had to divert nine services to other ports like Christchurch and Nadi, rework our schedule to allow for the planes and crew we had out of place, bring a large proportion of turboprops back out of storage and then work to rebook and look after those who have been disrupted.

“I’m continually amazed by the resilience of our Air New Zealand wha - nau – it has been one of the toughest periods in our history and they have put everything on the line to help keep the business running and our customers flying. A huge thank you to them and our customers who have been incredibly patient and understanding.

“We’re deeply saddened by the ongoing impact of Cyclone Gabrielle on those

affected regions, particularly Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay.

“We’re ready and waiting to support the national state of emergency response and are talking to affected communities about how we can help. We’re also supporting our own people who are still badly affected by the terrible weather. We will continue to monitor the situation and support wherever we can.”

BY JAMES PAUL

will be adding services and changing to larger aircraft where possible,” Ms Geraghty said.

The airline added extra services to Nadi, Tahiti, Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and Apia to its international network as well as additional domestic services between Christchurch and Auckland to recover passengers that were diverted south. Extra flights to North America were also being explored.

Following the special assistance flight to Gisborne, Air New Zealand began operating nine daily flights into and out of Gisborne. Although a slightly reduced schedule, they operated around 18 services per day to Napier except on Saturday when they had 14 flights.

To further support its regional teams, Air New Zealand deployed its Emergency Response Special Assistance Team (SAT). These are appointed airline staff from across several of its ports who’ve trained and volunteered for emergencies like this. The SAT team provides additional care and support to pilots, cabin crew, airport staff or anyone on the ground in impacted regions who need it.

“We’re immensely grateful that all our staff are accounted for however, we know that even though they are safe, some have experienced significant losses,” Ms Geraghty said.

Air New Zealand, in coordination with government agencies, deployed a special assistance flight, carrying communication support, emergency supplies and airport operational staff into Gisborne. Their hope was to assess and secure the reopening of the Gisborne airport to reconnect the region with much-needed support and supplies.

On top of the disruption, the airline had a total of 821 cancelled flights and 49,000 impacted customers since Cyclone Gabrielle began.

“We’ve again turned our focus to rebooking disrupted customers, with a focus on our 6,500 international customers impacted from [14 February]’s cancellations. We’re looking at where the areas of greatest need are and

“To our staff on the SAT team who are providing our impacted colleagues with invaluable support during this difficult time, thank you. This is a huge part of how we demonstrate manaaki for one another.”

Additionally, Air New Zealand added a new temporary service between Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay, with the direct service operating Sunday to Friday, and in addition to the airline’s existing services. The demands of operating Air New Zealand’s existing routes out of Gisborne and Napier mean that this service was limited to a daily operation and made possible because of the current need to reposition an aircraft overnight in Hawke’s Bay.

These flights were only available between 26 February to 25 March.

Subtropical Cyclone Gabrielle closing in on the North Island of New Zealand on 13 February 2023.

PHOTO: NASA/Aqua-MODIS

Red Cross: Preparing for and responding to Cyclone Gabrielle

BY RED CROSS

PREPARING FOR AND RESPONDING TO disasters is what we do. Even so, the scale of the devastation caused by recent weather and Cyclone Gabrielle is enormous. We know that communities all around the North Island are dealing with huge loss and uncertainty. We’re on the ground providing support where we can.

We are also working hard on a plan to use the New Zealand Disaster Fund to support these communities to recover and to support Aotearoa New Zealand through future emergencies. We are working with those who know their communities best – community groups, iwi and local government. We know from our experience working on response and recovery in New Zealand and overseas in places like Türkiye and Syria, that this is the best way to support communities.

Cyclone Gabrielle on a path for New Zealand

When we all heard that Cyclone Gabrielle was potentially on its way to New Zealand we acted quickly and got our equipment and people into position. Many of our teams had only just returned home after being deployed to assist with the flooding in

Ta - maki Makaurau Auckland and were still replenishing supplies and checking equipment and vehicles. They were now in a race against time to plan and prepare for the changing path of the cyclone.

Jackie Bubb, Director of Domestic Operations, worked with our logistics team to move our vehicles and equipment in the North Island. While some locations including the Hawke’s Bay had equipment pre-positioned, other equipment was relocated into Taira - whiti Gisborne and Coromandel. In Whanga - rei, we moved our equipment to higher ground, and in Auckland, we reconciled all equipment that was not being used for the Auckland flood response, so it was ready for redeployment. This is always a logistical challenge because we rely on volunteers to move our vehicles, 1,000s of stretchers and a lot of large heavy equipment such as generators.

At the same time, we were mobilising our trained Disaster Welfare and Support Teams from all around the motu. Our people train for this every week rain or shine, juggling their work and family commitments. They come from a range of backgrounds. From teachers, tradies,

bus drivers – we are all united by a shared commitment to our Fundamental Principles. Then the cyclone hit.

In response, we called on every one of our 300 Disaster Welfare and Support Team volunteers – whether deploying into the field or asking them to cancel plans to be on standby. This is the first time since the Canterbury earthquakes 12 years ago that all our volunteer teams have been required to travel around Aotearoa for the response.

In three and half weeks since our response to the Auckland Flooding and Cyclone Gabrielle, we have:

• Supported 1,500 people who took shelter in Civil Defence Centres.

• Moved 1,000 stretchers around the North Island to areas hit by flooding and Cyclone Gabrielle.

• Recorded close to 4,000 hours of time on the ground from our specialised and trained Red Cross teams.

civil servants, engineers,

Red Cross mobilised every member of its 300 Disaster Welfare and Support Team volunteers from all around the motu to assist in the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle.

PHOTOS: Red Cross

We have been working closely with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and local Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) groups in Ta - maki Makaurau, Taira - whiti, Hawke’s Bay, Northland, Whitianga, and around the North Island. NEMA lead the response. NEMA and CDEM direct us where to assist.

We’re also working alongside incredible community groups, iwi, and many individuals who have pitched in to help. The main things we’ve been doing in this response are:

• psychosocial support

• providing shelter, equipment and support in Civil Defence Centres (evacuation centres), and

• carrying out needs assessments.

Our Disaster Welfare and Support Team volunteers are trained in psychological first aid and supported by our professional advisor, Sarah Gribben. Our team apply the five elements of psychological first aid and focus on helping people feel safe, calm, connected, in control, and hopeful.

Psychosocial support is crucial when responding to an emergency, and our teams all across the North Island are providing this support. In Auckland, disaster welfare and support teams have been accompanying building inspectors to provide psychological support to those in Muriwai and Piha re-entering red stickered homes to quickly gather belongings.

Needs assessment is an important part of an emergency response. Once tasked by Civil Defence, our disaster welfare and support teams have been knocking on the doors of those badly affected, older people, or those who haven’t been heard from, to check on their welfare and make sure they are both looking after themselves and being looked after.

In response to Cyclone Gabrielle, we’ve been doing needs assessments in Auckland, Northland, Taira - whiti, the Coromandel, and Hawke’s Bay. We have been doing needs assessments in both urban and rural areas.

Our disaster welfare and support teams have been on the ground in Civil Defence Centres in both the response to Auckland Flooding and Cyclone Gabrielle. In these centres, our trained volunteers have been offering psychosocial support, setting up stretchers and bedding, helping with

organisation, and looking out for impacted people’s physical and emotional wellbeing.

We have also been liaising with communityled centres and offering psychosocial support as well as blankets, stretchers, and any other needs required. Our Napier branch members also assisted with the sorting and organising of clothing, after the Napier Civil Defence Centre was inundated with donated items.

We recognise the huge public outpouring of support for cyclone-hit areas and so our members help emergency management with sorting and logistics where we can. We encourage people to donate cash, not goods. As our members learnt first-hand, sorting, managing and distributing donated items during an emergency takes time and resources. Too often things end up in the wrong place at the wrong time and go to waste.

We have worked closely with CDEM, councils, and other agencies to deliver supplies to rural and isolated communities. This has included the delivery of high-quality generators to areas within Hawke’s Bay that may remain without power for a number of weeks.

In Northland, we have been helping the Whanga - rei District Council deliver supplies to areas that were only accessible by helicopter.

Our IT and telecommunications emergency response unit has been assisting with the response in Hawke’s Bay. One of the biggest challenges in the immediate response to Cyclone Gabrielle has been the lack of communication with isolated areas.

In Rissington, one of 34 cut-off areas in Hawke’s Bay, our team heard that

communications were down and went out to set up a temporary repeater. Repeaters are used to extend transmissions, so that signal covers larger distances or can be received on the other side of obstacles, such as landslides. The team also distributed a number of satellite phones, to make sure that people without cell phone coverage or Wi-Fi are able to communicate.

Thank you

Every year we respond to at least a dozen disasters in Aotearoa. As climate change causes more frequent and more intense weather events that impact our communities across the country, we expect this number to increase and the impacts to become more severe.

We need to be ready to deploy our people, specialist disaster response equipment, supplies and technical expertise at a moment’s notice –anywhere across the country. We can’t do what we do without our incredible volunteers and wider Red Cross family. Our disaster welfare support volunteers are supported by a team of specialist staff.

Our response to disasters is also supported by our wonderful wider membership. And finally, everything we do is powered by generosity and donations. So, thank you Aotearoa –we’re here for good because of you.

Red Cross worked closely with local Civil Defence Emergency Management groups, councils, and other agencies to deliver supplies to rural and isolated communities.

Impact of Cyclone Gabrielle and other severe weather events on the rail system

MURRAY KING TALKED TO Daniel Headifen, KiwiRail’s Civil Engineer in charge of the Hawke’s Bay recovery, and others.

During January and February, the North Island was subject to three severe weather events (as defined in the Severe Weather Emergency Recovery Legislation Act 2023): Cyclone Hale, from 8 - 12 January, the Auckland Anniversary Day storm from 26 January - 3 February, and Cyclone Gabrielle from 12 - 16 February. All of them affected the railway system, but most of the impact was from Gabrielle.

The North Auckland Line was damaged by slips and washouts in a number of places. There were 10 major sites where temporary works were unlikely to be viable, in particular a major slip at Tahekeroa, about 20 kilometres north of Helensville. A hillside in rolling farmland gave way and poured debris across the railway and a local road. This is still being stabilised and cleared. There are more than 30 further sites where specific engineering

investigation and solution development are required. Other sites are still being discovered.

There was also damage to the North Auckland Line within the metro area, particularly from the Anniversary Day floods. These did not impact operations for very long, but repairs are still ongoing.

Cyclone Gabrielle in particular caused significant damage to the railway in Hawke’s Bay, which will take many months to fix. This initially cut off both Napier and Hastings, and Napier and Napier Port are still cut off. Napier Port is a key destination for rail traffic in Hawke’s Bay. This article focuses on the damage in Hawke’s Bay.

Work on repairing the line south of Clive began immediately, as well as preparations for a temporary bridge at Awatoto, including clearance of a large amount of debris at the bridge site. For north of Napier, the recovery team has built on experience with the restoration of the Main North Line in

the South Island following the Kaikoura earthquake, and has taken time at the beginning to work out what is needed, and what the priorities are. This process resulted in some changes to the number of sites, the estimates of damage at some sites, the work required to fix it, and the priorities. To assist with this, the team developed a triage tool, classifying the damage at each of the nearly 600 sites (on the whole line) into five categories:

• No obvious railway damage despite adjacent land being damaged – in case of rail damage later became apparent;

• Minor damage – localised damage readily cleared e.g., short track misalignment, ballast loss;

• Moderate damage – shallow landslides covering the track with surface soils and vegetation, track subsidence, repairable damage to bridges, more serious track misalignment;

Cyclone Gabrielle in particular caused significant damage to the railway in Hawke’s Bay, which will take many months to fix. This initially cut off both Napier and Hastings, and Napier and Napier Port are still cut off. PHOTOS: KiwiRail

• Major damage – track and formation are buried, pushed out of alignment, or lost. Culverts collapsed, and bridge foundations were undermined. A full formation rebuild is needed. Bridge repairs up to six months; and

• Extreme damage – track and formation damaged over more than 500 metres, track deformed and displaced, damage to tunnel portals, life safety threats for access. Bridge repairs in excess of six months. There were 15 such sites in Hawkes Bay, 14 of them north of Napier.

Digitising lidar (light detection and ranging), drone and aerial maps enabled rapid assessment of the work required, particularly temporary and make safe work, including quantities of material to remove or replace, and how the task should be approached.

A reconstruction alliance (Transport Rebuild East Coast Alliance – TREC) has been formed with KiwiRail, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency and contractors Fulton Hogan, Downer and Higgins. This type of alliance worked well in the aftermath of the Christchurch and Kaikoura earthquakes, though in the Hawke’s Bay case, there is less opportunity to share works as road and rail run on largely separate routes (apart from through Eskdale, Clive to Napier and some shorter sections).

Reopening to Hastings

The line between Woodville and Hastings had damage over most of its 161km. Fortunately, most sites were not major; the worst was the washout of a bridge embankment at Waipawa. This was repaired and the line reopened by 3 April. There is still follow-up work to be done in this section to bring the line back to full standard.

With the line open to Hastings, road bridging of traffic - especially to the port - became feasible (see pic on page 20). KiwiRail has used customer sites at Team Global Express (TGE) in Hastings and Heinz Wattie’s nearby at Tomoana as transhipment points for freight. The TGE site is used for handling containers moving meat, dairy, machinery and other freight to the port. The daily pulp movement from Karioi in the central North Island, which is breakbulk rather than containerised, resumed in early June. This could not move to the port at all while main highways were blocked, and as the mill did not stop producing, its output had to be stockpiled off-site. After the reopening of the state highways, the traffic to the port was moved by truck to keep customers’ supply chains flowing. Now it is back on the rail, using Heinz Wattie’s site at night, when Heinz Wattie’s was otherwise not using the area.

Log traffic from south and north to the port is currently hauled by truck.

The floods stranded a number of locomotives and a heritage railcar in Napier. Once the line was open to Hastings, the stranded locomotives were shifted there by road. The railcar was roaded back to its Pahiatua base.

Hastings to Napier

In this 20km section, there were a small number of minor sites which have largely been fixed, and a major site, at Bridge 217 across a branch of the Tutaekuri River at Awatoto. Sixty metres of this 260m-long bridge was ripped apart by the flood waters. Three concrete piers and even more spans were washed away, and two further piers were potentially undermined and not safe to reuse. Some of these piers and spans have not yet been found. The rails were bent at right angles and broken off by the pressure of the flood and debris. Bridges are designed to withstand the build-up of debris, and also designed against scour, but the combined effect was too much this time.

A temporary bridge is being built, on the current alignment. This is using second-hand spans held for such an emergency (something the American owners in the 1990s thought should be sold!). It will include six new piers and five new 40-foot spans, with a further 20ft spans at each end. The piers are being formed from steel casings (railed from Belfast) which will be filled with concrete. As of mid-June, about half the new casings were in place. The bridge and the line through to Napier Port are expected to re-open later in the year.

A temporary bridge was chosen as it enabled quick design, procurement and construction to enable the line to be available again, including for access for rail equipment to any rebuilding effort north of Napier.

Some of the rails between Hastings and Napier were bent at right angles and broken off by the pressure of the flood and debris.

A permanent replacement will come later, on an alignment and with features like span length and height that will take into account the need for future flood protection and other transport improvements.

North of Napier

The line to Wairoa and Gisborne was mothballed in 2012. In 2019, it was reopened as far as Wairoa, to carry logs to Napier Port.

Along this 116km section were 70 per cent of the total damage sites on the line north of Woodville, and nearly all of those sites were classed as extreme. Damage included bridge damage, under and over slips, gully erosion and flood damage. In particular, it was concentrated on the 39km section from just north of the SH2/SH5 junction at Bay View to Kahika.

In the 7km section along the lower Esk Valley, through Eskdale (where the railway runs parallel to SH5), which is relatively flat, the damage is a result of floodwaters scouring out track and formation, distorting track, depositing debris and, in particular, silt. Not only are there mountains of silt to be cleared, but it is also potentially contaminated and may need to be treated as hazardous to work with.

It is not the first time it has flooded in the Esk Valley – in 1938 a similar massive flood closed the line for a time. For many years, the flood level was marked on the goods shed and later on a notice. The same flood damaged many bridges over an area roughly the same as Gabrielle.

In this section, the track materials are likely to be written off. It will have to be cleared of debris, and be rebuilt. The whole of the Esk Valley flats has been provisionally declared by the local authorities to be level 3 (where a currently unacceptable level of future risk means it may no longer be safe for people to live there), which illustrates the level of risk and damage to the railway. Any work on the railway here will need to be coordinated with Waka Kotahi and Hawke’s Bay Regional Council.

In the next 24km section, from the Esk River bridge up the steep sides of the Esk Valley through Waikoau to Tutira, there is extensive damage from underslips (washouts) and overslips. In contrast with the lower section, embankment washouts are the most common form of damage.

The Esk River bridge (see picture on page 8) appears to be standing but, in reality,

has lost piers at the ends and cannot be used. The deck of the bridge is covered in debris. It didn’t stop there, as some even got deposited on the top of the truss! Records from the 1938 flood levels on this bridge show the 2023 water levels were a reasonable amount higher.

Further north, there are deep gullies and damaged bridges. In the first 16km of this section, the line rises almost continuously on a grade of 1 in 60 along a steep face up to more than 100m above the Esk, a rise of about 270m in total. The 8.5km section at the top of the Waikoau bank has the highest number of major sites. The last 6km to Tutira also has some major sites.

Many months of work will be necessary on this before reopening can be contemplated.

Conclusion

Natural disasters play havoc with roads and railways, especially in steep country like that north of Napier. The railway in Hawke’s Bay has been damaged before by floods and restored. This time, there is a significant amount of work to be done, particularly to the north of Napier, but the first priority is to

get the line open to Napier.

Eskdale Railway Station before Cyclone Gabrielle. The destruction as evidenced sign on the left can be seen. PHOTO: James Lovie

Eskdale Railway Station after Cyclone Gabrielle.

PHOTO: Barry Pulford

Engineering inspections found extensive damage to Bridge 217 near Awatoto, which lost piers and spans, and track. Work is underway to repair it.

PHOTO: James Lovie

Pile cases – shown here being loaded at Belfast, Christchurch – were used in much of the infrastructure recovery following the cyclone. PHOTO: KiwiRail

Delivering after a costly road to recovery

The road to restoring the beating heart of Hawke’s Bay’s economy in the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle promises to be a daunting one, spanning years of dedicated efforts and requiring hundreds of millions of dollars in investments.

Cyclone Gabrielle tore through the North Island on 14 February, wreaking havoc across Hawke’s Bay, decimating hundreds of hectares of crops and orchards and causing damage to rail and roading which is expected to plague local businesses for years to come.

The cyclone hit the region at the worst time, with apple crops ready to harvest. Horticulture stands as the bedrock of the local economy, with apple earnings alone making a staggering annual contribution of approximately $700 million.

With metres of silt left covering land and smothering crops, local growers have described the aftermath of the cyclone as “total carnage” and the “horticulture apocalypse”. But leading fresh produce company T&G Global is determined not to let one of the biggest natural disasters to hit New Zealand’s horticulture industry throw it off course.

“We have the strength and resilience to work through this and deliver on our future growth strategy,” Craig Betty, Director of Operations at T&G Global, says.

Hawke’s Bay is home to a sizeable part of T&G Global’s apple business, including packhouses, cool stores, and orchards. Four-and-a-half months on, Mr Betty has spoken about the initial challenges the company faced, the “considerable” recovery process ahead, and the forecast financial loss.

“It was devastating to see the impact Cyclone Gabrielle caused across Hawke’s Bay, Taira - whiti Gisborne, and other parts of the North Island, especially off the back of the heavy rain, floods, and slips which occurred in late January across parts of Aotearoa,” Mr Betty says.

“Today – over four months after the cyclone – we continue to conduct significant remediation work across our impacted Hawke’s Bay orchards, particularly in relation to the removal of silt and debris. This will take considerable time.”

He says the company is forecasting a loss of $28 to $34 million before income tax for the 2023 financial year.

“This forecast allows for all known cyclone impacts (including clean-up costs) and includes a provision for the one-off writedown of trees and planting structures devastated by the event.”

Mr Betty says the company is also working with insurers to assess potential recovery.

The initial response

Mr Betty vividly recalls the challenging circumstances faced following the cyclone. Amidst the chaos and widespread destruction, T&G Global swiftly established a crisis response team at the home of a staff member.

“Our immediate priority is always the safety and welfare of our people, and that was our focus on February 14 in Hawke’s Bay and Tairawhiti .”

He says they were up against “very challenging circumstances with telecommunications and power out, and many roads and bridges impassable”.

“Thankfully our people, seasonal team members, and partner growers were safe –although a number had to be rescued off roofs and lost their belongings, homes, and/ or orchards.”

Support poured in from colleagues across the country, including a provision of generators, equipment, safety gear, and even homebaked goods for team members rescued from their flooded accommodation and employees who lost their homes.

Surveying the damage

As soon as it was safe to do so, the company commenced detailed assessments of its facilities. Minor flooding was reported in T&G’s office facilities, one packhouse, cool stores, and the distribution centre.

Mr Betty says while the majority of the company’s owned and leased orchards were not impacted by the cyclone, four were “severely impacted”, representing approximately 13 per cent of T&G’s planted hectares in Hawke’s Bay.

“A further 22 per cent of the planted hectares in Hawke’s Bay were impacted to a varying extent and are expected to have reduced productive capacity for two-to-three years.”

Mr Betty says February is the start of Hawke’s Bay’s apple season and the company had

BY RENEE OLIVER

been harvesting for just under two weeks before Cyclone Gabrielle hit.

“This meant the fruit that was on the trees was ready – or near ready – to be picked. For orchards that were completely unaffected, as soon as the sites were approved from a health and safety perspective, our teams began harvesting the crop.

“At the same time, teams were working as fast as possible to remove silt from around the base of our trees to do our best to protect and preserve the health of the tree.”

One of T&G Global’s existing packhouses was not impacted and operations resumed there five days after the cyclone ravaged the North Island.

“Our brand new world-class highly automated Whakatu - packhouse was in the final stages of construction, and thankfully wasn’t impacted by the cyclone and has been commissioned in recent months.

“For our domestic T&G Fresh transport team, who deliver fresh fruit and vegetables to our network of 11 market sites across Aotearoa, as well as to some of our retail customers, they were focused on ensuring they kept fresh produce safely flowing to Kiwis in the aftermath of the cyclone. “This required a lot of agility and adaptability, with the impacts to the roading network resulting in route changes,” he says.

‘Beyond proud’

Beyond the forecast financial losses and physical damage, the story that unfolded for T&G was one of compassion, strength, and a strong sense of community spirit.

“The cyclone has left destruction in its wake and recovery is as mentally challenging as it is physically challenging for everyone impacted by it,” Mr Betty says.

“While it has impacted parts of our operation, it has further demonstrated the resilience, care, determination, and passion of our team.

“Together they rallied around, providing support to each other as well as our grower partners and the wider community, and helping clean up homes, properties, and orchards. We are beyond proud of our T&G team.

“As a business, it’s further reinforced and shown us that we have the strength and resilience to work through this and deliver on our future growth strategy.”

Starlink and One New Zealand collaboration: The future of connectivity awaits

BY SAM MORTON

ONE NEW ZEALAND (One NZ) has recently partnered with SpaceX’s satellite unit Starlink to provide nationwide direct-to-cell coverage. The partnership was announced as part of plans to provide coverage to 100 per cent of the country and could spell the end of blackspots once and for all.

Whether you are out on a boat, climbing a mountain, traipsing the rugby field, travelling a remote road or out on the farm, the recent collaboration between One NZ and Starlink will ensure you remain connected to civilisation, day and night.

Just a day after launching their new rebrand, One NZ (formerly known as Vodafone NZ) announced major plans to link up with satellite internet provider Starlink, founded by well-known American billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk.

The agreement marks a significant step forward for New Zealand, particularly at a time when the world is grappling with the aftermath of COVID-19 and the isolated restrictions that have been regularly imposed before, during and after natural disasters.

The collaboration reflects a desire to bridge the digital divide that currently exists throughout New Zealand, something One NZ Senior Corporate Affairs Lead Matt Flood says is a critical step forward for communities throughout the nation.

“We recognise that New Zealand is one of the most isolated and rugged countries in the world, and even if you combine all of the current cell networks, you only get to circa 60 per cent geographic coverage,” he says.

“To reach that final 40 per cent requires an innovative solution, and it doesn’t get much more innovative than this partnership. That’s why leading mobile providers such as T-Mobile in the US have also made SpaceX their partner of choice, and ultimately, they have a solid track record of delivery.”

Starlink hit New Zealand for the first time in February 2021, primarily to provide fast and reliable internet to some of the country’s

deepest, darkest pockets. As the years have passed, the power of word of mouth has worked its charm and hundreds of customers have taken up the opportunity to become better connected via satellite.

Naturally, a partnership between Starlink and One NZ will be a welcome change for many, and may be the trigger point to eliminate blackspots once and for all.

“This collaboration will provide coverage to 100 per cent of the country, and end blackspots. We see this as a complimentary technology to our 4G and 5G network, which already delivers lower latency and higher bandwidth connectivity where available,” Mr Flood adds.

“This means, while you won’t necessarily be streaming Netflix from one of our amazing national parks with the satellite service, you will definitely still have that vital connectivity to share your location and keep in touch with the wha - nau.”

Reflecting on the direct benefits of the collaboration for the logistics and transport sector, Mr Flood points out the initiative will help to enhance functionality, in turn improving operational efficiency.

“The key direct benefit of this partnership is broader coverage. When we talk about the logistics and transport sector, this broader coverage will enable solutions that monitor fleet compliance and safety, through realtime connectivity, and provide employee safety benefits for sole operator drivers and operations staff,” Mr Flood explains.

“In fact, looking to the future, possibilities such as unmanned, remote connected distribution hubs, better coverage for control of loss and loss prevention for high-value freight and assets and a better customer experience through real-time tracking and information flow to customers.”

A satellite internet service such as Starlink definitely has a role to play. It helped Wairoa reconnect with the world after hours of complete blackout, and proved to be a pivotal factor in bringing numerous communities back online. It is

easy to deploy, doesn’t depend on local infrastructure, and only needs a small generator for power.

While this satellite backup cannot provide the amount of international capacity needed in a major disaster, they are still a valuable option and the benefits will roll out into the transport sector nationwide. However, while the introduction of SpaceX on a wider scale will be welcomed, particularly by the civil defence networks and territorial authorities throughout the motu, there is still a concern about the cost to secure Starlink’s services. Typically, there are high upfront costs involved to install the equipment needed, and while this may be affordable for some, it may not be feasible for those in low-income communities. Though, such are the benefits that come with the service, there is likely to be some level of government assistance for those that see cost as a barrier, as the ability to have satellite communication available must far outweigh any associated costs in the long run.

Other advantages to bringing the internet to remote areas include much widerreaching opportunities such as farmers being able to access crucial information to improve their yields, telemedicine enabling patients to receive healthcare services and advice without the need to travel long distances and a boost in overall tourism, with accommodation providers and other businesses having the access to offer online bookings and digital communication.

As it becomes the new norm for people to work and study from home on a more regular basis, reliable internet connectivity and the ability to digitally communicate, in general, starts to become a lifeline and this partnership will go a long way in giving New Zealand an edge in the digital world.

The initial SpaceX SMS services are expected to be available from late 2024, with voice and data services set to follow in 2025. As for the future beyond that, that really is anyone’s guess.