Pacific Shipping
pp. 87-89 · Read in the full issue
Happier days on Noumea's waterfront
From Helen Rousseau
in Noumea
Ferrying tourists from the big ships anchored in midstream will be a thing of the past in Noumea’s port by next July, completion date for a multi million dollar port extension scheme which will give the New Caledonian capital new wharves, deep water berths and a dockers’ canteen and rest hall.
The extensions will provide two berths for regional trading vessels, one wharf for medium-sized passen ger boats and two deep water berths able to take such liners as the Iberia and Oriana, which, at present, have to anchor in midstream and ferry their passengers to a small jetty which has now become the starting point of the vast port extension pro ject.
The new wharves will thrust out at right angles to the present wharf, beginning at its northern end and crossing the harbour towards the Isle of Nou.
This initial project will be com pleted by July, 1972, although some sections will be ready earlier. Eventu ally, it is hoped that further ex tensions will be possible, linking Noumea to Nou Island completely, bridging a straight-line distance of half a mile.
The first new wharf, known as the Quai FED , will be finished by next February, to take medium linens such as the Kuala Lumpur. Built on the inner harbour side of the exten sions, immediately adjacent to the present wharf, the Quai FED will offer only a short wharf for loading operations. The remainder will be a bulwark of huge rocks against the sea. Some misgivings have been ex pressed locally over the effectiveness of this wharf, which is costing about
SUS3.S million, including a grant from the European Development Fund (FED). This wharf was planned before the Port Authority was established in 1968 and its construction is being supervised by the Public Works Department in Noumea.
The main new berthing facilities will, however, be facing the outer harbour, Closest inshore are two berths for regional traders such as the New Zealand Holmburn. This wharf is already built but being used as a base for extending pylons across the harbour. The next two berths are in deep water, offering a length of about 1,000 ft in 33 ft of water, Behind, there will be 30 acres of open storage zone, besides two warehouses of nearly 54,000 sq. ft each, In addition, alongside the Quai FED there will be a welcome innovation for tourists—a visitors’ reception hall, for which tenders were to be called at the end of November. It is hoped this building can be started next April and be completed by July.
The Port Authority has obtained SUS 6 million loan money to build its new wharves, while a further $3 million is awaited to finance extra buildings.
But trade is growing fast m Noumea so the Port Authority de cided in October to build a third deep water berth, in 36 ft of water, adding another 500 ft to the new wharf, Finally, by linking up with the Isle of Nou, there would be space for three more berths, making a total of six, with the possibility of pro viding space to work container ships.
Finance is now being sought for this project, which, Mr. Louis Chaumont, Port Authority director hopes, will find a “rapid solution”. Once this third deep water berth is available (say in December, 1972), it would be possible gradually to shift vessels away from the present wharf, which dates back to 1938. Eventually, it is proposed to abandon this wharf to let expressway traffic bypass the already congested streets of Noumea, Meanwhile, the northern end of the Noumea waterfront is rapidly undergoing a considerable change of contour. The extensions out into the harbour require more than 123,000 cu. ft of filling daily. Some is sup plied in the form of slag from the Societe Le Nickel smelting works nearby. Other filling comes from the hills that are being bulldozed down in the Ducos industrial zone, while
Dots outline area to be filled in from Noumea to Isle of Nou tip in foreground. Inner harbour is on right with nickel smelters and outer harbour at left.
in the future it is thought that schist could be brought from the Isle of Nou.
The new wharf is being built by the French construction company CITRA. Among the new buildings involved, a canteen and rest hall for dockers were built by the Aus tralian construction company Wowic Industries, at a cost of more than $A200,000. This building is equipped to provide 600 meals twice daily, to cater for a maximum of 600 dockers, working on the main quay and at the nearby nickel wharves.
If dockers, shippers and tourists can all be satisfied, then 1972 should see much happier days on the Noumea waterfront.
Last Trip
For 'Dorotea'
The Dorotea, chartered in May by Messageries Maritimes from Rederi ab Frederika, of Stockholm, will make her last trip from Australia to several Pacific Island groups in December. She will then be re turned to her owners.
To replace her, Messageries Mari times will bring one of their own ships, the Grange, 8,000 tons, out from Marseilles. She will remain indefinitely on the Australian ports- Noumea-Suva-Lautoka-Vila-Santo run.