Protecting a critical link in New Zealand’s fuel supply
When you're responsible for importing, storing and distributing 40% of New Zealand’s fuel supply, including 80% of the country’s jet fuel, your infrastructure has to deliver.
For Channel Infrastructure, that means keeping their 1960s-era concrete and steel jetty structures fully operational. If they’re not serviceable, the company's ability to supply fuel to keep New Zealand moving, and deliver on its strategic objectives, would be severely impacted.
Critical infrastructure, strategic action
Built in a harsh marine environment, the jetty had undergone decades of repairs, refurbishment and expansion over its lifetime. But the time had come to step back and look at the bigger picture.
Channel needed confidence in the jetty’s current state and future resilience, to ensure it would continue to play its part in achieving the company’s objectives. So they asked GRIT to develop a practical, evidence-based Asset Management Plan (AMP) that aligned with their business goals.
Working closely with Channel, we systematically brought together masses of information from various systems, documents and people to develop a single, practical plan that could guide decisions for the next 15 years.
Gaining a deeper understanding
Resulting from the AMP, several targeted investigations were scoped and delivered to better understand the asset. These included above and below-water condition assessments, concrete durability testing, and structural risk analysis under various load scenarios.
Access was challenging in places, particularly the below-water sections, so the team carefully selected representative sample locations, and prioritised inspections that would give the best understanding of current condition. This balance of technical rigour and pragmatic application helped ensure meaningful insight was gained without overextending the budget.
The findings give Channel a reliable picture of the jetty’s current state, and provided valuable input in developing the strategy to keep it operating safely and efficiently.
A shared focus on resilience
Throughout the project, we worked alongside Channel as an extension of their team - helping to manage contractors, coordinating site access, and adapting as new requirements emerged. Open communication and mutual trust meant challenges could be addressed early, and opportunities for improvement acted on quickly.
Together, we made sure the work stayed on track, within budget, and delivered what the business needed to achieve its objectives. The shared goal was always the same - make smart decisions now to support reliable asset performance long-term.
