Auckland bounces back

Total container volumes rose 15% to a record 476,333 teu and breakbulk cargo throughput (including vehicles) increased 42% to 2.8m tonnes. Ports of Auckland chief executive Tony Gibson says customers are being attracted by gains in productivity made since the business set about its restructuring process in 2011.

Major rival, the Port of Tauranga, has reported an essentially unchanged net profit after tax of NZ$39.3m (when removing a one-off asset sale from the figures) and a 16% gain in revenue to NZ$137.1m. Overall trade volumes rose 6% to 9.9m tonnes while container throughput dipped 12% to 381,038 teu. Port of Tauranga chief executive Mark Cairns describes the performance as “strong” given the loss of a major import call and significant infrastructure investment.

Meanwhile, South Port delivered an 8% reduction in net profit after tax to NZ$2.68m and 5% lift in revenue to NZ$14.6m. Total cargo throughput increased 8% to 1.37m tonnes on the back of strong fertiliser and stock food imports and growing log export volumes.

South Port chairperson Rex Chapman says the result was encouraging given the country’s freight sector encountered a quieter-than-normal export off-season.