Napier Port's quarterly log exports the 'highest on record'

Todd Dawson, chief executive of Napier Port, said strong offshore demand for New Zealand wood was driving significant growth in the volume of logs exported. Photo / File

Napier Port's trade volume for bulk cargo has jumped by 61.8 per cent, with its log export volumes the "highest on record".

Figures released by the port on Friday for the third quarter and nine months ended 30 June 2021, show containerised cargo volume increased by 8.3 per cent due to wood pulp and timber and empty container increases.

Chief executive Todd Dawson said log export volumes for the quarter were the "highest on record.

"Strong, sustained offshore demand for New Zealand wood is driving significant growth in the volume of logs exported by our customers," Dawson said.

"Container volumes are ahead of last year's Covid-19 alert level 4 lockdown affected volumes, which is also very pleasing given the ongoing disruption to ship calls due to global shipping congestion and adverse weather events."

He said total container volumes for the third quarter of 80k TEU (Twenty-foot container equivalent unit) increased 8.3 per cent from 74k TEU in the same period a year ago, due to increased volumes of wood pulp and timber exported and empty containers that were repositioned to the port later than the prior year.

Wood pulp and timber exports for the third quarter, which increased by 21.3 per cent on the same period a year ago, have continued to be affected by "shipping schedule disruptions and shipping capacity constraints".

Container vessel calls for the nine months were down to 191 ships from 223 ships in the same period last year, due to ongoing disruptions to shipping schedules and some days of restricted shipping due to weather events during the third quarter.

Bulk cargo total volume for the third quarter of 1.02 million tonnes was 61.8 higher than the same period a year ago.

Log export volumes for the quarter of 0.82 million tonnes increased 75.6 per cent due to sustained strong log export market conditions. For the nine-month period to June, log export volumes of 2.24 million tonnes were 36.1 per cent higher than the same period a year ago, and total bulk cargo 29.7 per cent higher.

In the prior year period, bulk cargo volumes were negatively affected by the cessation of forest harvesting during the Covid-19 alert level 4 lockdown period.

Charter vessel calls increased to 256 from 223 in the same nine month period a year ago, as a result of the increase in bulk cargo volume.

No cruise vessels called during the nine months due to the closed international border. In the same period of the prior year 76 cruise ships called at Napier Port.