New Zealand quake paralyses Lyttleton Port at Christchurch

AN earthquake measuring 6.3 magnitude has hit Christchurch, New Zealand, leaving Lyttlelton port out of action.


Investigation at the gateway port for South Island is the assess which parts of the port that handled 240,000 TEU in 2009 could be opened to relieve emergency operations, reported London's International Freighting Weekly.


Communications with the port have been down since the quake, but Lyttelton Port Company chief executive Peter Davie says it is clear there is "further significant damage".


Although operational until yesterday, Lyttelton was still in the process of undertaking repairs worth more than NZ$20 million (US$14.9 million), needed in response to a 7.1 quake on September 4 last year, reported the London's Containerisation International.


Three vessels are known to have been in port, including the cruise ship Europe, the South Korean icebreaker Araon and the New Zealand Navy ro-ro/supply ship Canterbury.


"The port is now completing a full engineering assessment over the next 12 hours. Until we have a clearer picture of the damage sustained to key infrastructure, port operations are suspended.


"The port's key focus over the next 48 hours will be to assess the state of the infrastructure and auxiliary services, and recover elements of key services as quickly as possible to ensure food and all essential supplies can get in."
(Source:http://www.schednet.com)