Port of Tauranga is establishing a container packing and unpacking facility called MetroPack in Auckland.
Metropack is next to the Port of Tauranga's MetroPort operation in industrial suburb Southdown, which is connected by rail to the container terminal at Tauranga.
The joint venture with the country's largest container transport company Tapper Transport
and largest on-wharf logistics company C3 Limited will do its first job for Carter Holt Harvey Lodestar.
Port of Tauranga chief executive Mark Cairns said the company was delighted to announce the start of container packing operations in Auckland and to be welcoming CHH Lodestar as the foundation customer of MetroPack.
Carter Holt Harvey has a long-term operating agreement with Port of Tauranga and work together on strategic initiatives.
Lodestar general manager Murray Horne said MetroPack was selected on the basis of an open market, competitive tender process.
"The MetroPack facility offers strategic advantages to CHH through its location and sustainable access, via a range of transport modes, to our key export points within the North Island," Mr Horne said.
Mr Cairns said MetroPack also had the opportunity to serve other Auckland-based importers and exporters.
"Our aim is to give our customers the most efficient ways of handling their supply chains utilising our strengths as well as those of our partners," Mr Cairns said.
MetroPack is leasing an existing building at Gateside close to Tapper Transport's freight hub, as well as Carter Holt Harvey's Penrose paper manufacturing site.
Additional facilities will be built as required.
