Review and redundancies at Taranaki

Targeted at ensuring the port “remains profitable for its sole shareholder” (the Taranaki Regional Council), the consultative review determined that 11 roles needed to be reduced in the business services, marine, and operations and infrastructure divisions.

However, that reduction was partly offset by the creation of four new marine deckhand positions.

Port Taranaki chief executive Guy Roper says the review was necessitated by such factors as a reduction in ship callers due to vessels loading more cargo in each visit, a drop off in offshore oil and gas exploration and the end of the port’s container trade.

“The reality is, Port Taranaki needed to make changes to build a stronger business in a challenging and competitive sector,” he says.

In a separate development senior executive Peter Dryden was recently appointed to the port’s board, assuming the director’s position left vacant following the death of Craig Norgate last year.