More container ships for Port of Tauranga

The number of container vessel calls to Port of Tauranga will increase more than 10 per cent during the next year after three new shipping services were announced this week.
The weekly schedules are mainly centred on Tauranga and will add more than 150 visits. At present, up to 1200 vessels a year are berthing at the Sulphur Point Container Terminal and its wharf will soon be extended.
Two long-term customers of the listed port company added only Tauranga, in New Zealand, to its new services.
Singapore-based Pacific International Lines is running a weekly schedule out of United States west coast and calling Melbourne, Sydney, Tauranga before heading back to Brisbane, Taiwan and China. MSC (Mediterranean Shipping Company), based in Geneva and the port company's largest container line customer, is including Tauranga into a rotation of its weekly service between Noumea and Australia.
Yesterday, the world's biggest shipping line, Maersk, said Tauranga, and Lyttelton, would be involved in a direct service to Tanjung Pelepas in Malaysia.
One of the fastest growing ports in the world, Tanjung Pelepas is a major trans-shipment hub for South East Asia and Australasia.
Port of Tauranga executives were last night meeting with Maersk representatives to learn the full details of the new service schedule, which takes effect on August 1.
In a statement, Maersk's trade and marketing manager, Dave Gulik, said the New Zealand schedule changes would give Kiwi companies better access to the major hub ports of South East Asia.
"Over the past few months, the continuing high global demand for many New Zealand exports has meant space has been tight," he said.
"We are reasonably confident this level of demand will continue, and we are stepping up our service to meet it more effectively."
Maersk will be replacing four Dabou-class ships with nine 2900 container-class vessels, increasing its cargo capacity on its NZ1 service, which includes the Pacific Islands.
Mark Cairns, Port of Tauranga chief executive, said: "We've had a successful week with three new services. MSC and PIL has chosen Tauranga as their only New Zealand port of call, and this helps us realise our vision of being New Zealand's hub port."