Oceania

An independent valuation of the Port of Napier has revealed a 47.1% rise over three years to NZ$177.4m (US$134m).

A five-yearly review into the regulation of key state ports is being undertaken by the South Australian Essential Services Commission (ESCOSA).

Port-related infrastructure has received only a moderate boost from the Australian Federal Government’s 2012-13 budget.

Ports of Auckland and the Maritime Union of New Zealand commenced the Employment Relations Authority’s facilitation process in May in a bid to break their nine-month industrial dispute.

Speculation Northport is about to fulfill a blossoming role handling spill-over container volumes from Auckland and Tauranga has been calmed by port company business development manager John Lee-Richards.

An Australian port economist says the pressures on ports are being significantly increased by the challenges of catering for larger ships.

Assets and leases held by Westgate at Victoria Dock in Melbourne have been bought by Qube Logistics in a deal worth A$47m (US$49.3m).

CentrePort Wellington chief executive Blair O’Keeffe says a Productivity Commission report on the local ports sector fails to acknowledge the dramatic surge in freight handled successfully over the past two decades.

Northland Regional Council chairperson Craig Brown believes Northport is ideally-placed to win trade from nearby Ports of Auckland and Port of Tauranga.