Port development

Ports of Auckland’s aim is to develop and grow in a way that balances the needs of our many stakeholders and serves the best interests of Auckland and New Zealand.

The Port of Auckland from the east, looking west, Fergusson container terminal extension in the foreground

The Port of Auckland from the east, looking west, Fergusson container terminal extension in the foreground

As trends in international trade change, so too does the Port and its operations.

Ensuring Ports of Auckland is capable of serving New Zealand and future trade volume growth requires a long planning horizon.

Ports of Auckland is committed to consolidating its core operations to the east of the central city and, since 1996, has released more than 70 hectares of land and wharf space for alternative use. This is equivalent to nearly half of the Company's total land holdings, an area approximate in size to the Auckland Domain.

In 2008, the Company updated its Port Development Plan and in 2011, with the formation of the new Auckland City, the Port once again updated this Plan to fit in conjunction with Waterfront Auckland.

The new Port Development Plan is currently at the concept stage and will be included in the Auckland Unitary Plan once feedback received has been incorporated. The focus of the new Plan is on balancing operational needs with the public interest. The Plan is a high-level strategic view of how the Auckland seaport could develop.

Queens Wharf, adjacent to Princes Wharf and at the foot of Auckland's Queen Street.

Queens Wharf, adjacent to Princes Wharf and at the foot of Auckland's Queen Street, was handed over to the Government and Auckland Council in April 2010 for redevelopment into a public space.

The Port Development Plan covers aspects of throughput and capacity, larger container ships, port access, hubbing and carbon emissions, and cruise shipping. It also examines, in more detail, the release of land holdings, such as the 'finger wharves', and the construction of new facilities for future capacity requirements.

A key port development project is the extension of the Fergusson container terminal and associated deepening of the commercial shipping lane in the Rangitoto Channel. Dredgings from the shipping lane deepening were mixed with cement and recycled into the Fergusson reclamation to form new land at the container terminal.

The deeper shipping lane was officially opened in August 2007, and Stage One of the reclamation extension, the first 5.8 hectares, was completed shortly thereafter. Auckland’s commercial shipping lane is now 12.5 deep at the lowest of low tides and already able to accommodate the next generation of bigger container ships.

To be able to make full use of this new capacity and accommodate the bigger ships expected to call Auckland in the near future, Ports of Auckland has begun deepening of the existing berth alongside the Fergusson container terminal.

This deepening project will also allow for the simultaneous servicing of two large vessels simultaneously. In addition to the berth deepening, Ports of Auckland is constructing a new mooring dolphin on the northern end of the Fergusson Fergusson container terminal.

Work on the berth deepening and dolphin building project is expected to be completed early in 2012.