Harvest time keeps port booming

While the containers went aboard the MSC Banu yesterday logs and general cargo was being loaded on two other ships in Napier Port. Photo / Paul Taylor

An increased pipfruit harvest coupled with growth across the region's forestry and viticulture sectors has seen some of the highest export volumes during the past decade handled by Napier Port.

After a busy March where monthly volumes were the second highest on record, April stepped up even further.

"Last month was the busiest April ever with 28,513 twenty-foot equivalent [TEU] containers handled over the port's wharves," Napier Port CEO Garth Cowie said.

The big apple crop had played a major part in that.

"At the end of last week, we had processed 8,860 TEUs of apples, which is a record for this point in the season," Mr Cowie said.

During the season he expected the port would process somewhere between 21,000 and 22,000 TEUs which was up around 4 to 6 per cent over last year's crop.

Those sort of figures, coupled with what Mr Cowie described as major growth across other major export sectors, was good news for the future.

"Over the next decade we expect significant growth in the bulk and breakbulk areas as well, with log volumes forecast to increase from 1.1 million tonnes to around 2.4 million tonnes by 2025."

The record-breaking figures from April export trade came on top of news late last year that overall revenue at Napier Port had risen 7.6 per cent to $72.1million for the year ended September 2015.

In that period the number of vessels calling rose from 636 to 653 and staffing levels also rose, from 210 to 243.

What has added to the promising picture is that the turnaround of the increased number of heavy vehicles has been smooth and without delays through the introduction of a vehicle booking system which was introduced last year.

Congestion which had delayed both port operations as well as general traffic in the immediate port area in 2014 had been eliminated.

"Operations are running smoothly," Mr Cowie said.

"While the number of trucks coming through our gates has doubled since January we haven't seen any increase in truck turnaround times."

Mr Cowie said on average the port was taking around 10 minutes to process each truck from entry to exit.

With containers already stacked six high and growth in cargo volumes expected to continue, the port has its eye on future capacity with planning for a new wharf to handle the projected cargo growth, under way.

The wharf is the port's biggest investment in its history with a $50 million price-tag.

Mr Cowie said it would "future-proof" the port as shipping patterns were changing and larger vessels were projected to call at New Zealand ports.

"Napier Port is a critical link between our local producers and world markets, and future-proofing that link is vital for our regional economy," he said.

"The proposed wharf will ensure we are able to handle the projected volume growth in the future and allow for the larger vessels should they decide to call at Napier."

He said the future berth development would see the continuation of a cost-effective supply chain for local importers and exporters through Napier Port which is the fourth-largest container terminal in the country, processing more containers than Wellington, Nelson and New Plymouth combined.

About Napier Port:

* Peak season is during central New Zealand's apple and horticultural export season, which typically starts in late February and runs until June.

* More information on the proposed development, including a map of where the proposed wharf would be constructed, is available via the website and directly at: http://projects.napierport.co.nz/the-project/.

* Napier Port is the largest port in central New Zealand and the fourth-largest container terminal in the country, processing more containers than Wellington, Nelson and New Plymouth combined. The port is a crucial part of the region's export-led economy.