Jon Moore
Northport has released ''a conversation starter'' about the possibility of nearly doubling the size of its Marsden Point facility.
The port company's vision will not become a fully formed or even a formal proposal without testing the water for public, business and local authority approval, chief executive Jon Moore said.
''This is not yet a proposal, it's a vision we're putting up for community feedback,'' Mr Moore said.
The vision comes as the Government explores the possibility of moving Ports of Auckland work to Northport, but it is not part of that work.
If Northport did expand it could take its berth capacity from the current 570m to 1309m, and its footprint from 48ha to 75ha.
East-west linear berth development to the existing wharf would mean no further encroachment into the harbour, he said.
The vision document and accompanying website contain a strong message about available space for large scale growth at Marsden Point, and the port's major role in Northland's economic development.
Northport is within a ball's throw of 700ha of vacant commercial/industrial park; an area larger than Auckland's port and CBD, a roughly square area from Parnell to the Wynyard Quarter along the waterfront, and from Newmarket to Ponsonby Rd.
There had been some ''frustrating narrative'' in recent months about Northport's lack of capacity for growth, Mr Moore said.
A bigger Northport would not compete with Ports of Auckland but enable Auckland to stay in its current form, he said.
That city-front port has growth and harbour preservation issues of its own yet has stated Northport is not a likely off-loading point for incoming space eater items such as cars.
Mr Moore reiterated Northport's Vision for Growth would not become a fully shaped proposal until the company reviewed input from shipping and transport industries, the public, local and central government, iwi, recreation groups and other stakeholders.
''It's a conversation starter, a vision based on what we believe is possible here.''
Northport's growth would be key to the growth not just of Northland but the upper North Island, he said. There are already fortnightly coastal shipping runs to Tauranga and Lyttelton.
Expansion would mean Northport was ready to meet forecast demand and be a '' trade route to give Northland business more transport options.''
Unlike the traditional method of first writing a plan and then calling for submissions, Northport is asking interested parties and individuals to check out the vision, and send in feedback. (www.vision4growth)
That feedback — in more bureaucratic speech, submissions — would shape a later plan.
There are no projections available regarding a start time for the whole project or timeline for separate stages, and no available construction costs, projected returns or how many jobs would be created. However, any expansion would mean more jobs, he said.
The not-yet-plan doesn't have a dedicated cruise liner berth, although a linear wharf design could accommodate such vessels, Mr Moore said.
It steers clear of rail links and other transport issues, which are outside Northport's hands. The expansion idea has been served at the company's top table regularly for at least six years.
Yesterday's reveal of what the future might look like coincided with Northport's 15-year anniversary.
Port owner Marsden Maritime Holdings Ltd is a 50 per cent shareholder/partner with Ports of Tauranga, and the board was 100 per cent in favour the Northport Vision for Growth, Mr Moore said.