The Brexit decision and subsequent exchange rate fluctuations has paid off for the Tauranga City Council in its purchase of the 350 tonne vessel hoist for the Tauranga Marine Precinct.

A Cimolai travel lift

Signing the deal to buy the major piece of infrastructure for the project is looming, with an agent for the manufacturer Cimolai Technologies of Italy expected in Tauranga next week, says project director Phil Wardale.

'With the volatility in exchange rates we have been able to improve on the exchange rate because of Brexit,” says Phil in answer to a question from councilor Gail McIntosh at this week's city council Monitoring Committee meeting.

He didn't want to say by how much until after the order is signed.

The 350 tonne lift will be the largest in the country when it begins operation next May/June, and is the key to the Marine Precinct's operation.

The lift will arrive in containers and be assembled on site. Construction of the machine begins next month, with delivery expected in April, 2017. Final handover is expected in June 2017. Commissioning and training will be subject to the heavy pavement being completed for the significant load testing required of the machine ahead of handover.

Other tenders about to be finalized include the major stormwater tender. Civil works tenders for the project have been on hold while the property purchases were finalized, says Phil.

'It was nice for those tenderers to see the news which for many of the tenderers ratified that this was an actual project,' says Phil. 'Pretty often they would be asked to price projects which for whatever reason do not get to market.”

The delay has also widened the options available for the stormwater processing says Phil.

'Around the world water processing technology is progressing as quick as the technology on our phones, so we are going to make use of the most relevant water processing that we can,” says Phil.

Currently the project team is awaiting final pricing submissions from all three short listed civil works companies after receipt of the refined design from council marine engineers and the changes to the lot layout plans agreed during negotiations with the buyers.

Contractors have also been asked to submit pricing for a number of alternative solutions specifically for the boat hoist/travel-lift runways and associated seawall. This is to guarantee the final build cost comes in under the allocated budget and that TCC can select options as required.

The final construction contract will be amended to allow for provision of services to the additional lots included in the stage one land sales and subdivision process. This potentially includes the re-routing of Den Place subject to the final layout of Lot 7 which is being sold to Super Yacht Coatings.

The preferred contractor is expected to be announced before the end of the month.