Ports of Auckland location

Bernard Orsman at NZ Herald writes:

Auckland has a choice if it wants to open up more of its waterfront – let the port expand into the Waitemata Harbour or lose cargo to Tauranga and Northland.

An independent study on freight demands of the three North Island ports shows Auckland cannot open up Captain Cook and Marsden wharves to the public without having to fill in more of the harbour or limit the amount of cargo it handles.

That would lead to the economic benefits from Ports of Auckland going to Port of Tauranga and Northport.

I think the long-term future is to move the Ports of Auckland to another location. It is silly to have prime beautiful waterfront land taken up by a commercial port. The same goes for Wellington.

Even with “very significant operational efficiencies”, the study said, Ports of Auckland would still need extra berth and storage space by 2041 to cater for growth.

And the public won’t wear a growth in area in its current site, so a new location is the only way to expand.