The NZ Shippers’ Council considers that a decision to relocate the current Ports of Auckland operations elsewhere is a major decision that needs to be considered very carefully. A sound business case should underpin any change or development, not a political whim.
Chairman Mike Knowles says the port plays a critical role in terms of both imports and exports.
“The location of the port in the centre of Auckland creates great efficiency gains – particularly for imports. In recent years numerous studies have been undertaken – all of which confirm this important role. It would be unwise to ignore the findings of those studies,” said Mr Knowles.
Mr Knowles said that fundamentally NZSC’s members “require ports that are reliable and efficient so that we can get our goods to market in a timely fashion. Development and management of the entire freight corridor in and out of ports is of critical importance. From our perspective, these economic considerations need to be front and centre in any discussion about the future of any New Zealand port. Any decision that ignores these considerations would be extremely detrimental for shippers.”
For further comment:
Mike Knowles
Chairman, NZ Shippers Council Telephone: 021 515 423
About The New Zealand Shippers’ Council
www.shipperscouncil.co.nz
The New Zealand Shippers’ Council represents the supply chain interests of major New Zealand shippers, with members across all sectors including importers, exporters, ports, freight forwarders, road and rail. Collectively members move over 60% of NZ containerised exports and a significant amount of bulk exports, imports and domestic volume.
