Bay of Plenty Business News Year Book 2023

PORT OF
TAURANGA
New Zealand’s biggest international
cargo gateway
THE BAY OF PLENTY IS
home to New Zealand’s
largest international
freight hub, the Port
of Tauranga. The port
is the country’s main
gateway for export
logs, dairy products and kiwifruit
and operates New Zealand’s largest
container terminal.
Port of Tauranga offers importers and
exporters a lower carbon emission
supply chain for shipping their goods to
and from international markets, through
its ability to accommodate the largest
container vessels to visit New Zealand.
In the six years to 2016, Port of Tauranga
invested heavily in capacity expansion
for larger vessels, including deepening
and widening shipping channels and
expanding cargo storage and handling
facilities.
Bigger ships have higher fuel efficiency
PORT OF TAURANGA CHIEF
EXECUTIVE, LEONARD SAMPSON
and produce fewer emissions per
container and, especially when
combined with rail, offer a significantly
lower carbon supply chain over a typical
container journey.
Port of Tauranga now has its next stage
of investment under way.
The port intends to extend its container
wharves by converting existing port
land into an additional berth. Plans
for the extension include measures to
monitor and mitigate any impacts on the
flora and fauna of Te Awanui Tauranga
Harbour, including native birds, marine
mammals and kaimoana.
As part of its decarbonisation strategy,
Port of Tauranga also plans to introduce
fully-electric automated stacking cranes
to increase the number of containers that
can be stored and handled on site.
Port of Tauranga Chief Executive,
Leonard Sampson, says automated
stacking cranes can produce around 75%
fewer emissions than a traditional dieselfuelled
operation.
20 | YEAR BOOK 2023