Channel and Higgins mark major bitumen import terminal milestone with Minister Chris Bishop
Channel Infrastructure and Higgins Contractors today hosted Minister for Infrastructure Hon Chris Bishop at Channel’s Marsden Point site for a sod-turning on the new bitumen import terminal that will supply bitumen directly to the Upper North Island.
The Minister joined Channel Infrastructure CEO, Rob Buchanan, and Higgins GM, Andrew McRae to mark this milestone in the build of the new terminal.
Commenting, Rob Buchanan, said:
“Today’s event is an important step towards our delivery of this new facility for our new customer, Higgins, and an important part of our plans to deliver our vision for growth at Channel’s Marsden Point Energy Precinct. Once complete, this new facility will enable Higgins to import bitumen via our strategically located Marsden Point site, for supply into the Upper North Island. For Channel, this investment marks an important evolution in the business’ plans for growth, as we seek to develop the Energy Precinct, utilise our infrastructure to provide resiliency to another important supply chain, and bring investment to Northland.”
Channel and Higgins announced the Bitumen terminal in November 2024, and since then Channel has undertaken extensive site clearing works and removal of redundant facilities, surveying, and reworking site access roads to accommodate the heavier Bitumen Road Tankers, in readiness for construction to begin.
Commenting on the new terminal, Higgins General Manager Andrew McRae says it will support the continued growth of the Higgins business.
“This terminal will enable us to supply enough bitumen to meet the infrastructure needs of Auckland and the upper North Island. It will also provide much-needed supply chain resilience for bitumen importation across the wider industry.”
Once completed in the second half of 2026, the terminal will enable Higgins to import enough bitumen to service the upper North Island, with a 10,000 tonne storage capacity. The next nearest bitumen import terminal is at the Port of Tauranga, while Higgins currently imports its bitumen through the company’s existing bitumen import terminal at the Port of Napier. Once online, this terminal is expected to bring significant cost and time savings for major construction projects including aspects of the Government’s Roads of National Significance programme.
Channel is investing $17-21 million, which will involve jetty linework to facilitate the import of bitumen, bitumen storage facilities, and a truck loading facility.
Rob Buchanan added:
“Channel is committed to providing energy and infrastructure resilience to New Zealand, and that starts with what we can do from our Marsden Point site. We have a unique set of industrial assets unparalleled anywhere else in New Zealand, existing consents, including for fuels manufacture, and a huge amount of available space from which to maximise the value we can bring for Northland and New Zealand. Having Minister Bishop here today to show him our Energy Precinct plans has been a fantastic opportunity for us to demonstrate how our plans will deliver economic growth for Northland, and secure and resilient fuel supply chains for New Zealand. It’s great to have the Government’s support for these endeavors.”
Pictured L-R are Andrew McRae (Higgins GM), Hon Chris Bishop, and Rob Buchanan (Channel Infrastructure CEO).
