Auckland ports urged to think North

[geoff_184]

Napier is the third busiest container port in the North Island, and handles twice as much as Wellington, so I'm always a little mystified at suggestions it might close.

The other reason I don't think any port closures will occur, is simply because container volumes are only one part of a port operation. Each port also serves a niche market, bulk-wise.

I would be surprised if any of the current commercial ports close in my lifetime.

[Chris Randal.]

Napier is the third busiest container port in the North Island, and handles twice as much as Wellington, so I'm always a little mystified at suggestions it might close.

The other reason I don't think any port closures will occur, is simply because container volumes are only one part of a port operation. Each port also serves a niche market, bulk-wise.

I would be surprised if any of the current commercial ports close in my lifetime.

Here are the rankings....

http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/7277572/Shallow-water-deep-trouble

Napier is #5

[john-ston]

I don't think we will see closures per se, but there will be those ports which grow, and those ports which stagnate or shrink.

[Gibbo]

On the subject of Ports it has been an interesting week with PrimePort losing its container services and Centreport picking up an additional Maersk service.

I wonder what the implications of these container port alterations will have upon the overland freight transport sector. Will it result in more or less work for Road and Rail freight?

Timaru's container traffic will be railed north from Dunedin and back again... so thats a plus for rail.

Not quite so black & white - only time (& shipping requirements!) will tell. There are a significant number of containers currently handled by KR to & from PimePort. KR will lose a chunk of these as rather than being railed between PimePort places like Canterbury & Otago etc, those containers are quite possibly now going to be trucked locally to ports Lyttleton & Port Chalmers as the traffic sources may now be closer to the most suitable port(s).

Shipping changes are very much swings & round-abouts for transport operators. Although certainly on paper the loss of a port should result in more surface transport requirements. Let's hope KR get new traffic, especially on the Timaru - Dunedin section as the daytime services between those points are often very light.

[geoff_184]

Napier is #5

I wrote third busiest in the North Island.

[eurokiwi78]

A little OT but not really worth another thread, Looks like the Karioi Pulp Mill will be exporting via Napier Port rather than Centreport from next month.

So no more pulp trains to Wellington. And some redundancies at Centreport?

[geoff_184]

Wow, that's interesting news! When I lived in Napier the pulp was exported from there, and the pulp train ran six days a week as a dedicated service between Karioi and Napier Port. Back then it used SBX (later reclassified ZBX) wagons.

Presumably they will reinstate the wharf track at Port of Napier that leads to the pulp storage area.

What's happening with the Tangiwai timber traffic?

Good news for the PNGL!

[eurokiwi78]

I've heard nothing on the timber. Presumably the woodchips and timber will go on other services. An extra train between pn and the bay? I don't know what arrangements for unloading the wagons at napier have been made. Although there is a push to curtainside all the zh wagons.

[scooter]

I've heard nothing on the timber. Presumably the woodchips and timber will go on other services. An extra train between pn and the bay? I don't know what arrangements for unloading the wagons at napier have been made. Although there is a push to curtainside all the zh wagons.

Interesting. Got a link?

[eurokiwi78]

interesting. Got a link?

Sorry, word of mouth. Watercooler gossip.

[geoff_184]

According to Port of Napier staff, they get the pulp back from May 2013.

[eurokiwi78]

I had heard next year too. Centreport have had the contract for 18 years. Shame to see it go.

[royce]

A little OT but not really worth another thread, Looks like the Karioi Pulp Mill will be exporting via Napier Port rather than Centreport from next month.

So no more pulp trains to Wellington. And some redundancies at Centreport?

In the 1990's the pulp from Karioi was sent to Mount Maunganui on a couple of occasions. I wonder what the closest port would be on rail. Probably New Plymouth through the SOL. It would also be the closest port for ships going to Asia which is I think the destination.
Also does the pulp go out break bulk. If there is a gradual change to containers it could change the whole thing.

In addition more back on topic I note the Anatoki is doing a couple of loads of coal from Wesport to New Plymouth then its shipping urea from New Plymouth to Marsden Point. See the port website. When you consider the logistics of trucking the urea from Kapuni to New Plymouth loading it into the ship then steaming around North cape to Marsden point then unloading it and trucking it 30 kms to the Ballance store you would wonder if Kiwirail could do it cheaper. Presumably the rail load out at Kapuni is still in place and the Whangerai yard would be one kilometer away from the works.
Another quite quirky thing is the Anatoki has recently being into Wanganui carrying dolomite from Tarakohe also its being to Greymouth as well not to sure what it carried out of there.

[geoff_184]

I've heard nothing on the timber.

It's been confirmed that both the pulp and lumber will switch to Napier, from 1st May 2013. Considering they need 2DXB or 2DFT to haul it, I'm certain it will mean an extra daily train from Palmerston North to Napier. It's too much tonnage to add to existing services.