Tauranga Clearing Space for Bigger Ships

New Zealand’s Port of Tauranga handled 426,512 TEUs, up 11.9% on the prior year, while total cargo volumes increased 1.2% to 10 million tonnes in the six months to December 31, 2014.

Last year’s agreements with freight and logistics management company Kotahi brought Maersk Line’s “Southern Star” service to Port of Tauranga, driving increased container traffic through the port.

Port of Tauranga’s expansion of its South Island operations continues with the granting of a resource consent to develop a 15 hectare intermodal freight hub at Rolleston, 12 kilometres south of Christchurch. Construction is underway and the facility is expected to be operational by May 2015.

Meanwhile, in March 2015, Port of Tauranga will put the dredging of the Tauranga harbour channels out to international tender. The work is scheduled to be completed by August 2016. The port will also soon take delivery of two new tug boats capable of handling the larger vessels expected at Tauranga.

The port’s board also approved the purchase of two new super post-panamax gantry cranes to provide the crane intensity needed to handle the port’s projections of over one million TEUs once big ships commence calling in 2017 financial year.

Port of Tauranga has also formed a new logistics joint venture with Kotahi. Named Coda Group, the venture is designed to create more efficient pathways to and from distribution centres and key New Zealand ports.