August is a much anticipated month in the continuing development of the Fairview Container Terminal in Prince Rupert, British Columbia. The port’s workhorses, the three container cranes each one 25 storeys high and 1,800 tonnes, are scheduled for off-loading in Prince Rupert.
The process is expected to take nine days. The cranes are being commissioned by ZPMC in Shanghai, China where they were built. Meanwhile, the $170 million first phase of the port remains on schedule and on budget for an October start-up, confirms Mike Graham, director of port development.
Much of the terminal infrastructure is in place, including wharf expansion. Fraser River Pile and Dredge completed the work to ensure a low tide depth of 16 metres to accommodate the largest container ships on the ocean. A new ground waste water management system has been installed and the Maher Terminals maintenance and administration building has been completed by Ledcor crews.
Maher is the port’s operator and is training crane operators at its base in New Jersey. Maher was recently acquired by RREEF Infrastructure, part of the investment management business of Deutsch Bank’s Asset Management Division.
The electrical system in place awaiting the arrival of the cranes. Babco Electric installed two transformers and JACO Powerlines strung the 63Kv transmission lines.
The Prince Rupert Port Authority reports an additional achievement, in recording about 800,000 serious accident-free manhours since the construction began in March, 2006. This despite several construction projects going on simultaneously on the tight 20 hectare worksite.
Another, even larger project in terms of investment dollars, is just beginning its construction process. NovaGold Resources Inc., in partnership with Teck Cominco is developing the $2 billion Galore Creek project.
The copper-gold-silver open pit mine will be built in remote, mountainous terrain about 200 kilometres southwest of Dease Lake in northwestern B.C. and about 70 kilometres west of the nearest road, Highway 37.
Keys to the project include creating infrastructure, which is anticipated to move ahead other promising mining properties in the region; continuing involvement with the leadership of the Tahltan First Nations and mitigating impact on the region’s extensive fish and wildlife populations.
On the infrastructure front, access now is restricted to helicopters. An access road including major bridges has to be constructed. Power for use at the mine will be generated by a run-of-the-river hydroelectric project on the Iskut River. It will require construction of a substation and transmission line. More demanding still, will be the boring of a four kilometre long tunnel under icefields to access the mine site.
