Night works planned at Hokianga Harbour ferry ramps

Work at Hokianga Harbour will begin today (Monday 28 September) with all in-water and heavy vehicle works scheduled at night outside ferry operating hours.

The work on the two ramps (Rāwene and the Narrows) will address significant scour and undercutting beneath and around both ramps.

Commercial Dive Specialists Ltd will carry out the repairs using a four-person commercial dive team. The work will include installing a concrete bag wall around the ramps and infilling scoured areas with concrete.

Repairs to the Rāwene ferry ramp will take place from Monday 28 September to Wednesday 21 October, followed by work at the Narrows ferry ramp from Friday 30 October to Tuesday 24 November. One ramp will be completed before work begins on the other.

The work will be carried out overnight, from about 8pm after the last ferry until about 6am, so the ramp can be cleared and fully reopened before the first sailing each morning. No disruption to scheduled ferry sailings is expected.

If the ferry needs to use a ramp overnight for a medical emergency, the dive team will be able to make the worksite safe quickly so the ferry can access the ramp.

The work has been planned to keep the ferry service available to the public during the day. Ferry ramps will remain open, clear and safe for ferry users during scheduled operating hours.

Temporary fencing and safety signage will be put in place each night after the last scheduled ferry sailing has departed. The fencing and signage will be removed and stored before the first ferry sailing each morning.

This means the ferry ramps will be returned to their normal operating condition each day, with no temporary fencing or work vehicles affecting access during ferry operating hours.