CENTREPORT Wellington this week hosted government and shipping industry representatives who came to visit a containership on a New Zealand coastal service.
The port welcomed NZ transport minister Michael Wood, Swire Shipping representatives and owners of the 1300-TEU containership Takutai Chief, which recently added Wellington to its route.
Stefan Reynolds, general manager for container services at CentrePort, said it was great to have the minister and industry guests at the port.
“CentrePort understands how important the growth of coastal shipping is in making the supply chain more cost effective, efficient and resilient, while helping reduce New Zealand’s freight carbon footprint,” Mr Reynolds said.
Pacifica Shipping, an operating division of Swire Shipping, deployed Takutai Chief on its New Zealand coastal service in September last year.
Pacifica is one of four shipping companies which have expanded their services in New Zealand or are planning to do so in a bid to restore supply chains.
The company announced in late March it had “redesigned” its NZ coastal service to restore schedule integrity and optimise available capacity within its network.
“The revision includes the reintroduction of a weekly Wellington call into the Pacifica network,” it said in a notice.
“These temporary changes will enable Pacifica to continue operating both vessels efficiently and deliver the most environmentally sustainable transport solution; supported by our ‘first and last mile’ door to door services.”
Takutai Chief now calls Port of Tauranga, CentrePort and Port Nelson, and Pacifica’s second vessel Moana Chief sails weekly between Ports of Auckland, Lyttleton and Timaru (and Marsden Point on alternating weeks).
CentrePort noted the NZ government last year announced a $30 million investment in four coastal shipping suppliers who each bring at least one additional service into play.
It said the funding aims to improve the resilience of coastal shipping and add diversify the New Zealand supply chain, to in turn reduce overall carbon emissions.
