Ports of Auckland and Toll Group will build a rail connection to a new intermodal hub near the New Zealand port, to improve efficiency and provide more competitive options for local exporters.
PoA said this week it will open an intermodal freight hub in Mount Maunganui, in conjunction with transport logistics expert Toll Group and land owner Triton Pacific.
“Bay of Plenty exporters now will have an easy-to-access choice of ports through which they can export their goods,” PoA chief executive Tony Gibson said.
“Competition is a good thing. Our Bay of Plenty freight hub will help make New Zealand exporters more competitive on the world stage by making their access to global markets more efficient and easy.”
The hub at Mount Maunganui adds to existing PoA hubs at Wiri, South Auckland, and Longburn, Manawatu.
“The development of PoA’s third intermodal freight hub (or inland port as they are sometimes called) is part of a concerted strategy to invest in a network of freight hubs across the North Island,” Gibson said.
These intermodal sites will improve options to New Zealand exporters, reduce their costs, and maintain the port’s position as the country’s busiest port by volume, he explained.
“It also enables us to reduce excessive empty container movements and better balance the volume of exported goods with imported goods through our port,” Gibson continued. “This is good for exporters, for New Zealand’s supply chain logistics and for the port.”
Toll New Zealand managing director Greg Miller said the company was excited to be partnering with PoA, saying intermodal could become the preferred way to complement existing port capabilities across New Zealand.
“Toll has a long history of offering its customers end-to-end supply chain solutions, and we look forward to working with PoA to provide more choice and ultimately better service for Bay of Plenty exporters,” Miller said.
1.4 hectares will be developed initially at the site, but there is an option to develop further capacity. The land is adjacent to a rail siding and will be developed to include a rail connection, container handling facilities and other value added logistics services, PoA said.
The project is expected to be operating by the end of 2015.
Only 1.4 hectares? Thinking big?