Staff at New Zealand's Lyttelton port are working hard to reopen the port and to ensure safety after a strong earthquake forced a port closure since yesterday.

    The Lyttelton port of Christchurch advised Thursday that fuel and essential supplies are expected to start flowing through the port from this Saturday, following inspections from engineers and civil maintenance staff. “We are working towards recommencing receiving fuel on Saturday 26 February. There is some final checking to be completed tomorrow (Friday),” the port said in a statement.

    Container and general cargo operations are also expected to restart this weekend. The port is working to ensure that tunnel road and railway will be ready to handle traffic from next Monday. The deep-water Lyttelton port houses New Zealand's largest coal facility with over two million tonnes of export each year. A 6.8 magnitude earthquake has caused massive damage in Christchurch, as the death toll is estimated at up to 98.

(Source:http://www.seatrade-asia.com)