Plaudits for Port of Tauranga in freight

In the last five years we have sustained a higher growth rate than many other (listed) companies in the country.Mark Cairns, Port of Tauranga chief executive Port of Tauranga, which has diversified its business, was judged among the heavyweight freight and transport companies and it came out on top.
The country's largest port, based in Tauranga, has been named New Zealand's most exciting company in the international freight sector and its chief executive Mark Cairns was chuffed.
"The judging was by our customers and peers in the industry, that's important," said Mr Cairns.
"We are excited about what the future holds for our company and to realise the goal of being New Zealand's preferred cargo gateway."
Port of Tauranga gained a rating of 80.0 in surveys conducted by business strategy and consulting firm New River. The results of the survey appeared in the National Business Review's monthly Exciting Companies series which reviews different business sectors.
The port company was rated ahead of freight and shipping specialists, Oceanbridge 76.3 and Mondiale 71.3, and Mainfreight 66.0.
The world's largest shipping line Maersk managed 59.0 and Tauranga's rival Ports of Auckland had a rating of 49.
Mr Cairns said his company's vision for the long term future was starting to "fall into place nicely."
He said shipping calls were consolidating, freight was increasing and the ships were getting bigger and visiting fewer ports. The average size of container vessels now calling at Tauranga carried up to 3000 TEUs (20-foot equivalent) - three times more than 10 years ago. Every month Tauranga also handles the the OOCL New Zealand which carries up to 4600 TEUs.
"We are not sitting still; something new is going on all the time," said Mr Cairns. "In the last five years we have sustained a higher growth rate than many other (listed) companies in the country."
According to Statistics New Zealand, Port of Tauranga handled about 80 per cent more international cargo than its nearest competitor, Ports of Auckland, and three times the volume of exports.
Port of Tauranga, which has the successful MetroPort in Auckland, further diversified in March this year after buying Tapper Transport. The port company also has interests in Northport in Whangarei and C3, the country's biggest wharf handling operator.
In its last financial year, Port of Tauranga reported a record profit of $49.4 million, an increase of 9.3 per cent.
Its present activity has been boosted by a lift in log exports, and Port of Tauranga recently reported that its first quarter profit for the new financial year was up 10 per cent - on the back of a 10 per cent rise in total trade volumes and 25 per cent increase in containers.