Kaikōura Marina was almost destroyed by the 7.8 earthquake that struck the central region of New Zealand in November 2016. It was a huge setback as the harbour in South Bay is critical for the marine tourism industry, a $120 million annual earner for the region.

Fulton Hogan, which is part of the North Canterbury Transport Infrastructure Recovery (NCTIR) alliance that is repairing all the infrastructure damage, took custody of rebuilding the marina.

It faced a massive challenge as the seabed had been raised by a metre in places and the rebuild needed to be completed within a tight timeframe. The team spent a lot of time working below sea level, with 22,000 cubic metres of material needing to be dredged so that the sea channel and harbour floor could be restored to their original depth.

Piers, jetties, launching ramps, a breakwater, retaining walls and rock groyne walls were constructed. A new tender jetty was also added so that cruise ships can berth off the coast with tourists ferried into shore.

Throughout the project Fulton Hogan liaised with all stakeholders so that limited operations, such as whale watching, could continue.

All safety requirements were met on the way to delivering a quality job. Despite the scope increasing by a quarter, the marina re-opened on schedule for the summer season – to the delight of all stakeholders as well as the community.