Container depots create alliance

By Yoke Har Lee

Four independent container depot operators have joined forces under one company, National Containers Ltd, aimed at achieving geographical clout and unified service.

National Containers is made up of Container Sales and Leasing (Auckland and Dunedin), NZ Express Transport in Christchurch, Transport Systems in Wellington, and the NZL Group's Container Repairs and Storage (Mount Maunganui).

The new entity will be a competitor to other key players Owens Container Services and Specialised Container Services.

The move is not unlike what airlines are doing in terms of creating global alliances to cover greater markets.

National Containers chairman Michael Simson told the Business Herald that the company would be the single largest container depot operator in New Zealand.

"Various of us in the industry have looked at the trends in the industry, at what is happening. As individual depots, the thing we can't give them [shipping lines and container leasing companies] is the national network.

"We looked and saw the shipping industry is changing, and changing fast. Major groupings were being formed and many shipping companies were becoming more discerning, seeking to rationalise the number of preferred suppliers.

"What was missing was a major grouping of independent container depot operators able to offer a seamless national service, the proverbial one-stop shop of container yard services across all ports and inland terminals. We want to be able to offer to the shipping lines a national network. They are pleased with it," Mr Simson said.

National Container said in a statement that collectively, the group will offer container yard services, including storage, purpose-designed repair facilities, pre-tripping (getting refrigerated containers ready) preparations, and wash facilities, among others.