14 Logistics & Transport NZ
Port of Tauranga handles nearly a third of all New Zealand cargo by volume, 36 per cent of New Zealand exports and 42 per cent of all shipping containers in New Zealand. It is connected by road and rail to the Waikato, Auckland, and central North Island regions. Photos: Port of Tauranga
New Zealand’s port for the future NEW ZEALAND’S LARGEST and most efficient port is preparing for the next stage of cargo growth. Port of Tauranga handles nearly a third of all New Zealand cargo by volume, 36 per cent of New Zealand exports and 42 per cent of all shipping containers in New Zealand. The port handles around 70 per cent of New Zealand’s dairy trade, around 60 per cent of its meat exports, 30 per cent of log exports and almost all kiwifruit exports. Port of Tauranga is connected by road and rail to the Waikato, Auckland, and central North Island regions and has half shares in Northport at Whangarei and PrimePort Timaru. It operates inland ports in Auckland, Christchurch, and soon Hamilton. Its extensive national network gives importers and exporters efficient access to markets globally and puts them in reach of the “big ship” services that can only call at Tauranga. These larger vessels are faster and more efficient, and have fewer carbon emissions than smaller ships. In the six years to 2016, Port of Tauranga invested heavily in capacity expansion to accommodate larger vessels, including deepening and widening shipping channels and expanding cargo storage and handling facilities.
The next stage of investment is about to begin. Port of Tauranga intends to extend its container wharves by converting existing port land into an additional berth. The port will also introduce automated electric stacking cranes to increase the number of containers that can be stored and handled on site. The investments will allow the port to almost double its container handling capacity to around 2.8 million TEUs (twenty foot equivalent units) annually. This will give Port of Tauranga an estimated 35 years’ capacity headroom. The berth development, which is within the existing port footprint, has been in the planning for the last 30 years. The resource consent application for the project is expected to be heard in the Environment Court in July 2022. Port of Tauranga Chief Executive, Leonard Sampson, says the development is becoming increasingly urgent as supply chain disruption continues around the world.
left, time is of the essence for this critical piece of New Zealand infrastructure. It will protect New Zealand’s exporting ability for the next three decades.” Port of Tauranga is also developing a new inland port in a 50/50 partnership with Tainui Group Holdings (TGH). The rail-connected 30 hectare inland port is part of TGH’s Ruakura Superhub freight and logistics complex being built on the outskirts of Hamilton. The first stage of the inland port is due to open later this year. Mr Sampson says the Ruakura Inland Port will unlock significant environmental and economic benefits for importers and exporters. Port of Tauranga is the only New Zealand port able to handle larger container vessels and give shippers access to their greater fuel efficiency and lower emissions.
“We need to be able to accommodate larger and more frequent vessels, especially as kiwifruit export volumes are predicted to grow up to 40 per cent in volume in the next five years,” he says.
By far the largest proportion of carbon emissions in New Zealand’s container supply chain relates to the “blue water” or oceangoing component of the cargo journey. Landside emissions from road or rail transport contribute only a small percentage of the total carbon emissions related to container imports and exports.
“With a two-year construction period and an estimated two and a half years of capacity
Port of Tauranga regularly receives visits from vessels with capacity of around 9,500 TEUs.
