'Dangerous' port could close within days: Laws

Anne-Marie Emerson | 21st November 2009

Wanganui Port could  close permanently within days because of concerns for public safety and ongoing legal wrangles.

Wanganui Mayor Michael Laws said yesterday lives were at risk from the degraded state of the port infrastructure, and he accused the port's  lessee, River City Port, of not fulfilling its responsibilities.

``It is only a matter of time before the wharves crumble into the sea, taking human lives with it.

``Soon there will literally be no physical port left.''

But River City Port chairman and major shareholder Colin Cashmore has labelled Mr Laws' statements ``complete bollocks''.

He has accused the council of blocking plans to improve the port and its facilities.

The council recently commissioned a report into the state of the port from  legal firm Kensington Swan.

The report states: ``The overriding impression gained from the inspection of the facilities at the Port of Wanganui is one of untidiness, neglect and decay.

``Such repairs as have been undertaken appear to have been poorly engineered or not engineered at all.''

The report said  between $6million  and $10million would be needed to  lift the port  to an acceptable standard.

Mr Laws said a copy of the report would be sent to the Department of Labour.

 He anticipated the port would  close ``within the next 72 to 96 hours''.

 He laid the blame for the port's  state  at the feet of River City Port,  which bought the 99-year port lease from Ocean Terminals four years ago.

``They are corporate vultures and vandals. They are ripping out as much money from Wanganui as possible.

``Their chief executive, Ray Lambert, has been drawing a salary of $150,000 for a part-time job over the past five years.

``They expect to receive the harbour endowment profits _ yet they're not fulfilling their end of the bargain and maintaining the port to an acceptable standard.''

 The best thing River City Port could do was ``take the $1.5million [compensation for the lease] and just leave''.

Mr Laws' broadside comes  six weeks after the council signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with local iwi Tupoho to manage the port.

Mr Laws said the MoU would not be affected by a possible closure, nor  would it affect the Wanganui District Council Port and Harbour Bill, which was recently introduced to Parliament and  was set to have its first reading on December 9.

He said the bill would be ``critical'' to the future of the port because it would clarify ownership issues.

River City Port chairman and majority shareholder Colin Cashmore  rejected Mr Laws' claims  as ``complete bollocks''.

``Yes, the port is unsafe _ we're not disputing that.

``But when we first purchased the lease there were already problems with it then.

``We drew these to the council's attention and thought we were working constructively toward fixing them.''

Mr Cashmore said River City Port had proposed three separate developments at the port _ but the council had blocked  each one.

``The terms of the lease said that any development we propose must be approved by the council. So how can we carry out any development when we can't get approval for it?''

Despite that, traffic at the port had increased by 30 per cent in recent years, Mr Cashmore said.

Any closure of the port would seriously disrupt regular freighters and barge traffic.

Mr Cashmore also said it was a ``total lie'' that chief executive  Mr Lambert received a salary of $150,000 from River City Port.

``He has not drawn one cent from River City Port.''

Mr Cashmore said he believed the council had mismanaged its role and hadn't honoured the terms of the lease.

``We took the port on in good faith, but now we believe Michael Laws wants the harbour endowment funds for himself. That's why he wants us gone.''