Auckland Ports urged to think North

Putting the brakes on further expansion of Auckland port into Waitemata Harbour is a golden opportunity for the city to start thinking about transferring its port operation to Northland Port at Marsden Pt, says former Northland Port Corporation chairman Mike Daniel.

However, Auckland Deputy Mayor Penny Hulse has indicated that Auckland port is not going anywhere.

Auckland City yesterday decided to undertake a major review on the ongoing needs of Ports of Auckland (POA) before any decision is made on port expansion. This follows a storm of protest from Aucklanders who say POA plans to extend the wharves and increase numbers of gantries will further disfigure the harbour.

The review would also include looking at future requirements for freight services across the upper North Island.

Mr Daniel says it's a no-brainer for the low-earning, congested port of Auckland to look north for a solution. He wants the review to look at the possibility of selling Ports of Auckland's $1 billion worth of prime waterfront and using about one-third of the proceeds to bring Northland Port on stream as a replacement.

The money would be used to upgrade the railway line between Auckland and Whangarei, build the branch line to Marsden Pt (the Northland Regional Council has already set aside the land) and move all Auckland's container terminal infrastructure to Northland Port.

Deputy Mayor Hulse said the Auckland Plan, which includes port development, would continue to provide for the long-term needs of the port and Auckland Airport.

She said Auckland Council had listened to the community: "People are not anti-port and understand it is the city's most important economic asset. It has a place in Auckland's future but it must be compatible with the city's over-arching social, economic and environmental aspirations."

Mr Daniel said transferring the port to Northland should be a serious part of the review.

The move would require a big dose of political courage but was completely logical and achievable within a five to 10-year time-frame and would reap huge benefits for both Aucklanders and Northlanders, he said.

The review would give Aucklanders a chance to look at a solution that would give them back their harbour, remove one heavy vehicle every five minutes from central Auckland roads and be a decisive step towards ending the port wars. POA was already the largest shareholder in the Northland Port Corporation, half-owner of the port, after the Northland Regional Council.

"Port of Tauranga is booming and out-performing Auckland. It will eventually run out of space; Auckland has already. The review should take a long look at the fact that the Port of Tauranga half owns Northland Port and could out-manoeuvre Ports of Auckland by jumping in and organising the development of our port, which would leave POA absolutely stuffed."