The sight of large tanks floating down the coast on a barge has caught the attention of beachside onlookers.

The two 25m diameter carbon steel plate tanks, towering over 16 metres high, left Whangarei for Tauranga on July 30.

Culham Engineering in in Whangarei, which built the tanks, is one of New Zealand’s largest fully integrated fabrication and construction companies that specialises in heavy structural fabrication.

The main fabrication facility is in Whangarei with workshops and offices in Tokoroa and Kawerau, and a project management office in Auckland. 

The barge with two tanks on board seen off Hot Water Beach. Photo:Jodi Davis.

“The destination for the tanks is Stolthaven Terminals,” says Culham Engineering managing director Rob Kirwan.  

“With our premises in Whangarei on the edge of the Whangarei Harbour, utilising sea transport is a technique that we utilise frequently as an alternative to road.”

The tanks, which took one year to build, were expected to take five days to reach the Port of Tauranga.

The Cronus barge, under tow, on its way from Whangarei to Tauranga. Photo: Barry Weeber.

On the weekend, the Cronus barge, owned by Heron Construction, was towed as far as Hot Water Beach before stopping, with locals taking to social media with pictures and posts of the colossal tanks on board.

“Seems like someone is using their brains instead of destroying our roads some more,” says one person responding to the photos.

“Who ordered the big tank off Hot Water Beach – is it Noah’s Ark II, a new house, or a new island?” says another.

The weather was fine over the weekend with relatively calm seas and some queried why the barge had stopped off near Hot Water Beach.

“[It is] waiting for berth availability,” says Rob.

The tanks, leaving Whangarei on board the Cronus barge. Photo: Rusty Russell.

Others wondered what the tanks would be used for on arrival in Tauranga.

Stolthaven Mount Maunganui, located at the Port of Tauranga on the corner of Hewletts Road and Tasman Quay currently has 18 tanks that are 500-1500 cubic metres in size with a total tank capacity of 17,290 cubic metres. These state-of-the-art bulk liquid storage facilities are used to mostly store chemicals, vegetable oils and tallow supporting local manufacturing.

“[The tanks] will be used for marine fuel storage for the port,” says Rob.

The tanks have now arrived and are in location in Tauranga.

The two tanks on board the Cronus barge near Hot Water Beach. Photo: Michelle Illingsworth.