RACHEL PINDER Port of Napier chief executive Garth Cowie has hit back at claims that the port is going ahead with a second container berth. Despite reports in The Dominion Post hinting that the second container berth was likely, Mr Cowie said no decision had been made and the options werestill being considered. "The possibility of a second container berth has been discussed for the past 18 months but there has been no final decision at this present stage. "We will keep on the radar as and when our options are finalised," Mr Cowie said. His comments come after an announcement from shipping line Maersk on resuming services with large container ships. It had been feared Maersk would pull out of Napier as part of a service review, but instead the company confirmed the continuation of a weekly service and a return to the big ships that were used until February. Mr Cowie said the return of 281ft-long Albatross-class container vessels making weekly visits to Napier would increase the number of available container slots for exporters through Napier, particularly in the seasonal peak to cater for growing apple, meat, dairy and horticultural products. Its Asia service, which hubs through Tanjung Pelepas in Malaysia, will use four Albatross-class ships capable of carrying up to 4100 20ft-equivalent unit containers on a weekly "string", calling at Auckland or Tauranga, and Napier and Port Chalmers. The strength of the Hawke's Bay economy, and the wider hinterland, was the key point that had persuaded Maersk to retain and improve its services to Napier. Mr Cowie said last week that Port of Napier Ltd had put much work into securing the service, and the decision reflected "the extremely positive commitment by Hawke's Bay exporters and importers". All Maersk cargo to Europe will go through Pelepas, and the US east coast service will be improved with increased direct calls to Norfolk and Savannah, as well as the current Philadelphia and Kingston calls.
