20 years of room yet but General Wharves need modernising

 

The second part to the Port of Auckland review study is out.

From the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research

NZIER study suggests that Ports of Auckland will face constraints in the future

04 February 2015

NZIER study suggests that Ports of Auckland will face constraints in the future

Auckland Council commissioned a study from NZIER to inform Council decision making on the draft rule on port reclamation provided for in the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan (PAUP).

Our study has assessed how long the Port of Auckland can operate within its current footprint and considered whether there are external constraints on port expansion and what the impact might be of the central wharves’ development plans on port operations. We were not asked to consider or form a view on the long term location of the port or the scope of port operations.

Our key finding is that ultimately, Ports of Auckland will need more multi-cargo wharf space to grow or some of its business will go to competing ports.

The Port has two very different port operations. The first is the relatively modern Fergusson container terminal and the second is the multi-cargo wharves located adjacent to Queens Wharf. Our findings show that the container terminal can grow on its current footprint for approximately twenty years, but this is sensitive to the growth assumption modelled.

The report’s author, Nick Allison, said the capacity of the multi-cargo wharves are coming under increasing pressure. They are used to land cargos that aren’t typically carried by containers, such as building materials, vegetables, wheat, vehicles and other goods used by households in Auckland and elsewhere in New Zealand. The ships are getting much larger and wharves weren’t built to manage such vessels. Mr Allison said the situation is further aggravated by the rapid increase in the number and increased size of cruise ships.

Laurie Kubiak, NZIER’s CEO, said that many everyday goods coming through the multi-cargo wharves are important for the livelihood of Aucklanders in ways that are not always obvious. For example, most of New Zealand’s vehicle imports come through the Port of Auckland. These imports create around 3,500 jobs in vehicle wholesaling and distribution businesses, and these jobs are concentrated in South Auckland.

—–ends—–

 

This study was not related to a Port of Auckland submission to the Unitary Plan that included a look at port relocations. You can see that submission and commentary on it here: PORT OF AUCKLAND – RELOCATION AND THE UNITARY PLAN

As for how will the Port move all that stuff from its main facility to South Auckland? Well this might help: PORT OF AUCKLAND INCREASE PORT RAIL SHUTTLE SERVICES

 

Part Two of the Port Study