The firefighting foam tank and piping that feeds the firewater monitors (water cannons) on Port Taranaki's Newton King Tanker Terminal. Photo: Supplied
A multimillion-dollar upgrade and replacement of the firefighting system at Port Taranaki's petrochemical terminal is nearing completion.
The Newton King Tanker Terminal handles a wide range of petrochemicals and bulk liquids including crude oil, liquefied petroleum gas and methanol.
The $16 million freshwater firefighting project, which includes new pipelines, water cannons, valves, pumps, dual electronic controls, a new firefighting foam system, and a refurbished freshwater tank, is in its final trials and will be fully operational on 31 December.
It replaces a saltwater system that was nearing the end of its life.
The upgrade brings the firefighting system at the terminal up to date with International Safety Guide for Oil Tankers and Terminals standards, and meets incoming Environmental Protection Authority firefighting foam regulations.
Port Taranaki chief executive Simon Craddock said it had been a huge project and its largest capital investment since it commissioned its tug Kīnaki in 2018.
"While it's a significant investment in something we hope we never have to use, it's an incredibly important and necessary asset for the safety of the port and the people who work here.
"It gives us and our customers assurance that our wharf and their assets - their pipelines on the Newton King Tanker Terminal, loading arms and the tankers that come to port - will be protected as best as possible should a fire occur."
Craddock said it also prepared the terminal for possible future changes in energy products which might be moved across the wharf.
"It has truly been a Team Taranaki effort, involving more than 100 people from multiple contractors and the port.
"The co-ordination between the various parties has been fantastic and enabled the project to come in on time and on budget, and we thank them for all their hard work."
Port Taranaki general manager infrastructure John Maxwell said the decision to replace the saltwater system was made in 2020.
The key advantage of a freshwater system was that it required less maintenance and it helped extend the life of the piping, valves, and monitors, and the customers' assets on the terminal, he said.
"While there is an easy and infinite source of salt water right under the wharves, salt water is more corrosive. We carry out monthly tests of the firefighting system and, currently, we then have to push freshwater through to clean it out and spray down the piping on the terminal to remove the salt," Maxwell said.
"With the new freshwater system, this won't be required and, coupled with the corrosion protection on all the pipes, valves and monitors, we expect the system to last a lot longer than its 25-year design life."