POA on track for big ship visits

By Phil Boeyen, ShareChat Business News Editor

Thursday 4th April 2002

Ports of Auckland (NZSE: POA) has taken delivery of two new 95-metre-high container cranes which will be used to service the bigger container ships that will be introduced into the New Zealand trade later this year.

The company's container-handling division, Axis Intermodal, purchased the cranes for $18.5 million. Division GM, Sandy Gibson, says the new-generation cranes are faster and bigger and have greater lifting capacity than the existing gantry cranes.

"Their ability to twin-lift 20-foot containers almost regardless of weight differential will improve our productivity. Crane downtime will also be reduced thanks to remote fault diagnosis."

The Chinese-built cranes will be unloaded from directly onto the berth at Axis Fergusson container terminal over the next few days.

Several shipping lines trading to New Zealand have indicated their intention to introduce large vessels which can carry 4,100 TEUs (20-foot equivalent units).

POA is also spending over $20 million on dredging the commercial shipping lane in the Rangitoto Channel in preparation for the new ships.

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