Scott Base redevelopment project costs go up by almost $160 million
Friday, 23 June 2023
The cost of the Scott Base redevelopment project has gone up by almost $160 million, with supply chain shortages, Covid-19 and the war in Ukraine contributing factors, the director behind the Timaru-based rebuild says.
The project was allocated $344 million in Budget 2021, but since then, as costs have continued to climb, Antarctic New Zealand’s project director Jon Ager said it had been back to the Government to ask for additional funding.
“The project has gone up by just under $160m,’’ Ager said.
“As we’ve gone through the process the whole country has seen the real challenges with supply chains. It’s been a big challenge.’’
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It was important to get the project right, he said.
“We are building something that needs to survive at least 50 years in the worst climate in the world.
“We don’t want to cut corners and are in a position that we have the funding required.
“We’re fortunate, I know, as there are a range of other Government projects that have suffered as a result of increased costs. We’re in a great place to go forward.’’
He said as the building needed to be robust enough to survive the journey to Antarctica “a lot of testing of structure has been going on’’.
“It’s making sure we have the right structure for the journey. It’s a unique project, and we don’t want to get it wrong.’’
Timaru was named as the main site for the massive redevelopment project in November 2021, with a late Timaru District Council offer to invest $1.5m into the town’s port infrastructure helping to win the bid.
Ager said the project design was complete and work, such as ground preparation, would take place from about August to October, with the public-visible work expected in about November.
“This is a really complex project, and it is all in the planning.’’
On Tuesday, Venture Timaru chief executive Nigel Davenport told the Timaru District Council meeting that Arowhenua Marae has been approached to mark the beginning of the build “appropriately’’.
Ager described the project as exciting but nerve-racking and said timing was critical, with a key date in the project’s timeline.
BigLift, the “biggest vessel in the world’’, will sail the prefabricated base from Timaru to Pram Point, Ross Island, on the back of a 20,675 metric tonne, 173-metre-long MC-Class vessel, arriving in January 2027, Ager said.
That date is also special as it will be exactly 70 years after the original base opened in 1957.
Ager said the building needs to have been built and commissioned for that to happen and the ground in Antarctica also needed to be ready.
“We’re keen to get started.’’
The project will replace the ageing facility that is used as a strategic hub for scientists throughout the world.
The new hub will consist of three interconnected buildings that can accommodate up to 100 people. It will include an accommodation, dining and welfare building, a science and management building, and an engineering and storage building.
“We are doing this for science, and it is a team project – between us, Leighs [Construction], Issac [Construction], the architects.
“It’s the whole collective team problem-solving.’’
He said another challenge relied on the weather.
“We need to survey the sea floor in front of Scott Base. We have to get under the ice – this is not your usual problem. It’s an incredible quest.’’
The project would be exciting for Timaru and the team “could not wait to engage, connect and share’’ with the community, he said.
“It’s really exciting stuff and a unique thing.’’
He also hoped it may inspire future scientists.