Maersk 'will not drop any NZ port' after review

Of Danish origin, Maersk is a huge global company with offices in over 125 countries.

A statement by the world's biggest shipping line, Maersk, today appears to have obscured rather than clarified, the question of whether it will dump services to Ports of Auckland or Port of Tauranga.

The Danish company said in a statement today it had reviewed its New Zealand services and would continue to serve all nine ports it currently services.

It announced it was dumping direct services to Europe, meaning its service to Asia through its hub in Tanjung Pelepas, Malaysia, was more important.

On whether it used Tauranga or Auckland there was no clarity, except it confirmed it would be one or the other on key services -- rather than both.

The speculation it would curtail services to one of the two key ports has clearly been a catalyst for yesterday's announcement by the two northern ports they are discussing ways to work together or even merge.

Maersk New Zealand managing director Tony Gibson said the shipping line still had not determined which services to Auckland or Tauranga would continue and talks were continuing.

Maersk said its Asia service would use four, 4100 TEU (twenty foot [container] units) vessels on a weekly string, and now call at either Auckland or Tauranga, plus Napier and Port Chalmers.

The US East Coast Service, involving nine vessels on a weekly string, would call at either Auckland or Tauranga, Australia, Auckland or Tauranga, New Plymouth, Timaru, Port Chalmers, before returning to the US East Coast.

Mr Gibson said the relay service to Europe through Tanjung Pelepas was expected to be at least as fast and possibly faster because US documentation rules would no longer apply.

The company said it would be upgrading its Pacific Islands service to cover more NZ ports and act as a feeder for exporters and importers to its US East Coast Service and the Tanjung Pelepas base.

This feeder service would call at Auckland or Tauranga, Lyttelton, Nelson, Wellington, Tauranga or Auckland and then fortnightly to the Pacific Islands.

Mr Gibson, who was not immediately available to comment, said the decision to "retain and improve connectivity" for New Zealand ports would allow key players, including customers and government, to plan for a 30 year horizon for infrastructure investment that will best serve New Zealand exporters long- term.

He said that the changes arose from a review of Maersk's US East Coast, Europe and Southeast Asian services to create a more efficient network.

Changes to Maersk's US East Coast services would give New Zealand exporters a choice of two additional ports on the US East Coast through the Panama canal, as well as linkages to Central and South American markets, he said.

Tanjung Pelepas is operated by Maersk's sister company APM Terminals.

Analysts believe the merger talks between Ports of Auckland and Tauranga may counter shipping company plans to play one port off against the other.

Auckland is the biggest import port and Tauranga the biggest exporter. There is a suggestion they will form a super-port company on the same rationalisation that dairy giant Fonterra was created.

- NZPA