Container lines return to CentrePort

The 30,166 gt and 2,164 teu Jens Maersk exchanged 450 containers on Maersk Line’s weekly Northern Star service. This cargo included imports from Australia and Asia as well as dry and reefer exports bound for Asia and Europe, said Maersk Oceania trade and marketing director Hennie Van Schoor.

“The operational process was seamless and the vessel departed on schedule,” he said.

“We are satisfied that CentrePort have returned to their usual high standard of operational service and we are delighted to be able to serve our customers in the Wellington region with a direct and efficient product.”

CentrePort is also expecting the return of Mediterranean Shipping Company’s (MSC’s) weekly Capricorn schedule calls as from September 27 as well as the weekly NZS/KIX service calls as from September 29 (the latter including ANL, COSCo, OOCL, PIL and APL), while it has continued to host ANL’s weekly Transtaz service since February.

The returns follow a NZ$28m project to secure 125 metres of CentrePort Wellington’s 585-metre container wharf and reintroduce its two ship-to-shore cranes to operation.

As well as temporary paving works, the project has entailed over 185 piles (equating to over a thousand tonnes of steel) being driven an average of 40 metres into the soil. Additionally, 644 gravel columns have been embedded into the ground to reduce any liquefaction from future earthquakes and provide resilience to the temporary works.