Container boost at Ports of Auckland

By Phil Boeyen, ShareChat Business News Editor

Monday 16th July 2001

Ports of Auckland has reported an 8% jump in container volumes in the year ended June although non-container volumes fell 2.5%.

POA boss, Geoff Vazey, says container growth was excellent at a time when there was strong competition from other ports for container business, a relatively weak local Auckland market and varied world economic conditions.

"The container trade represents about 70% of our total throughput and is the main driver of our revenue, together with ship calls."

During the year the port company says it handled 567,000 TEUs (20-foot equivalents) compared with 525,000 previously. The import to export ratio in containers was 57:43, little changed from the previous year, while the number of transhipment containers increased 32%.

"The growth in transhipment containers reflects the use of Auckland as a hub for some shipping line services," says Mr Vazey.

The number of ship calls fell slightly to 2,172 from 2,185 the previous year, while breakbulk or non-container volumes fell 2.5%, from 4.4 million tonnes to 4.2 million tonnes.

The port says this was mainly because of a reduction in dry bulk imports, such as wheat, although some of this reduction is due to these products being transported in containers, rather than in bulk.

Car imports through the port rose from 140, 300 vehicles last year to 145,600, made up of 48,900 new vehicles, 86,500 used vehicles and 15,400 large vehicles such as buses and trucks.

Expressed in tonnes, the total volume for both breakbulk and containers at the port increased from 12.8 million tonnes in 1999-2000 to 13.3 million tonnes in the latest 12 months.

Ports of Auckland will announce its annual results for the year ended June on Tuesday, August 21.

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