Noise Management
Noise Management at CentrePort
CentrePort is committed to being a good neighbour. We are one of New Zealand's oldest ports, and as the city has built up over time around us, the boundaries between operations and residential areas have grown closer.
In Wellington, the port boundary sits opposite Oriental Bay, the CBD, Thorndon, and Wadestown. CentrePort's wharves out at Point Howard (Seaview Wharf) and Miramar (Burnham Wharf) are also near the communities that live there.
Our Noise Management Plan outlines how we measure, manage, and work to reduce the impact of port activity on locals.
Our Noise Management plan
We are a 24/7 operation, and we are obligated to adhere to regulations around noise as set out in the Wellington District Plan and the Natural Resources Plan for Wellington.
CentrePort has a Noise Management Plan, which provides guidance about the steps the port should take to mitigate the impact of port activities on the local community.
This includes:
- Taking steps to minimise noise during operations, for example, using rubber mats and chain covers to dampen sounds during scrap ship operations.
- Where practical, carrying out major works and port activities during daytime.
- Carrying out a regular review of ship berthing and considering the most suitable direction vessels face while in port to reduce the potential impact of shipping operations on community.
- Commissioning independent noise monitoring during operations to ensure compliance (at each port site at least once per year).
- Monitoring noise in response to ongoing community concern.
- Working with community groups before planned works that could cause disturbance.
Our Noise Management Plan has been developed with the support of noise experts in accordance with NZS 6809:1999 ('Acoustics - Port Noise Management and Land Use Planning')
Reporting a noise issue
If you'd like to discuss an issue or make an enquiry related to port activity, please let our Health and Safety team know.
If the issue needs urgent attention or it is happening outside normal business hours, please call CentrePort’s Security Team in the first instance.
Complaints or enquiries about potential noise involving ships in the harbour are usually responded to by Greater Wellington Regional Council. Wellington and Hutt City Councils are also play a role in regulating noise.
Partnering with the local community
When we know that a project or planned works could disturb locals, we work with residents and community groups in the area to let them know ahead of time.
Engaging with the community during Seaview Resilience Works
In recent years, CentrePort has worked closely with the Point Howard and Lowry Bay communities during works at Seaview Wharf - a multi-year project to strengthen the wharf and make it more resilient to natural disasters. The project involved leavy lifting, night works, and activity with the potential to disturb residents.
During the project, CentrePort built trusted relationships with the community, by hosting tours of the wharf, attending community meetings to provide updates on timelines and progress, and by providing advance notice about works that could cause disruption.
"The Point Howard Association commends the Seaview Project for their neighbourliness throughout the works at Seaview Terminal. The team have always been super responsive to any noise issues and have been happy to answer all queries from residents and the association.
The communication has been top notch, particularly around overnight works. The advance notice of the night work and advising residents of the steps taken to reduce any impact to them was appreciated. Residents also appreciated the two tours of the wharf which facilitated a deeper understanding of what was happening in their sight line. Ka pai!" - Allison Gandy, Chair of The Point Howard Residents Association