Northport Investing In Further Container-handling Capability

Northport is to invest $8m in infrastructure needed to
support the growth of container traffic through the port. It
is buying container-handling equipment and a simulator
module to train staff in its operation, expanding its
container storage area and upgrading its lighting to enhance
safety during 24-hour operations.

The company is
forecasting a 15 percent year-on-year increase in the volume
of container traffic for this financial year to the end of
June.

It has placed orders for two new reach-stacker
container handlers and a new dock-truck and MAFI trailer.
These will enhance substantially the port’s
container-handling ability.

It will start paving an
extra four hectares of its south-west development in October
and install at a later stage six 35m towers with LED lights
– a first for the port.

“This investment
demonstrates our commitment to growing container traffic
through Northport to service the trade needs of both our
region and north Auckland,” said chief executive Jon
Moore. “It’s a solid vote of confidence in the potential
for significant and continued economic growth around our
region and across the Upper North
Island.”

“We’ve had to rise to the unexpected
challenges presented by recent unplanned and large-scale
container traffic, with the bare minimum of equipment. I’m
hugely proud of the way our small team has adapted and used
what we have to great effect. But we expect container
traffic through Northport to keep growing so the time is
right to expand our container-handling, receipt and dispatch
capability.”

Mr Moore said this investment was not
linked to possible expansion of the port.

“This is
equipment we need to manage the here and now. We invest in
infrastructure that we know we have a need for. It’s the
approach we took with our two mobile harbour cranes and
it’s the same story with this latest tranche of
investment.”

The company is continuing with the work
and studies it needs to complete before lodging the Resource
Consent application for its growth plans. It has already
posted a range of predominantly draft expert reports on its
‘Vision for Growth’ website (visionforgrowth.co.nz),
with several more to come.

About
Northport

Northport, situated
at Marsden Point at the mouth of Whangarei Harbour, is New
Zealand’s northernmost deep-water port. It is a flexible
facility catering for large, multi-purpose vessels and full
cargo handling facilities are available from its 570-metre
linear berth.

Logs, woodchip and processed timber for
export comprise the bulk of cargo handled by the port.
Recent investment in container handling equipment has seen
an uptake in coastal and international container trade.
Other export items include kiwifruit, dairy products and
manufactured goods. Imports are an important part of
Northport’s business and include fertiliser, gypsum, coal
and palm kernel.

The port is owned and operated by
Northport Ltd, itself owned jointly and equally by Marsden Maritime
Holdings Ltd and the Port of
Tauranga
Ltd.

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