A new study led by the CMCC highlights the possible effects on production and prices of agricultural commodities to and from Europe Global trade relies on maritime routes, which pass through key chokepoints, for smooth and timely shipments. Continue →

Ruakura Inland Port – a newly minted, 9ha customs-controlled cargo facility on Hamilton’s eastern boundary is now operational and set to transform freight movement across the Upper North Island The facility has been more than 15 years in development by Tainui Group Holdings, the commercial entity of Waikato-Tainui, and will be operated in a joint-venture with Port of Tauranga – for an initial period of 50 years. Continue →

A critical labour shortage in the freight and logistics sector is set to widen from 4,700 to 18,000 workers by 2028 without immediate intervention, new government research finds Industry experts say unless addressed, the growing skills shortage will constrain the future growth of all sectors of New Zealand’s economy. Continue →

The purchase of the Valentine ferry will provide resilience and secure freight capacity heading into the busy summer and Christmas period, Interislander General Manager Walter Rushbrook says Interislander leased the freight-only Valentine in November 2021 to provide freight capacity across Te Moana-o-Raukawa Cook Strait while repairs were undertaken on the Kaiarahi gearbox. Continue →

KiwiRail says $661.5m will keep the rebuild of New Zealand’s railway on track, but realistically it will just bring it to the standard it should be at already Budget 2022 brings the Government’s total investment in KiwiRail to $8.6 billion. Continue →

Experts have raised concerns over the major changes facing New Zealand’s freight and supply chain system laid out in a paper released for public consultation Te Manatū Waka Ministry of Transport has prepared an issues paper as preliminary work on the New Zealand freight and supply chain strategy. Continue →

Delays in the expansion of the Port of Tauranga’s capacity are set to exacerbate New Zealand’s supply chain woes, Infrastructure New Zealand reports A proposed container berth extension at the Port of Tauranga is now awaiting a resource consent hearing before the Environment Court after applications under the Covid-19 (Fast-track Consenting) Act 2020 and inclusion in the Government’s shovel-ready infrastructure projects programme were declined. Continue →

An SOS (save our supply-chain) call is going out to truck drivers to get them back behind the wheel as New Zealand battles staff shortages, says Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand chief executive Nick Leggett Staff shortages as a result of either Omicron illness or household contact isolation are hitting businesses throughout New Zealand. Continue →

As production comes back up to speed after the initial impact of COVID-19, companies are scrambling for a means of monitoring the inbound flow of product, to figure out how it can be received, stored and shipped Many businesses have been forced to review their current supply chain processes and to evaluate how they might build in resilience ahead of any future disruption. Continue →

Investment in direct rail freight between the Port of Melbourne and Dandenong South will make rail freight cheaper for businesses and take trucks off suburban roads Salta Properties and the Victorian Government have signed an agreement to jointly fund the Dandenong South Intermodal Terminal. Continue →

The finding that moving Auckland’s freight port to Northland would yield significant benefits opens the door for an Infrastructure Commission assessment of how such a move could proceed, who would pay, and how the process could be best executed, says Infrastructure New Zealand CEO Paul Blair The report from the Upper North Island Supply Chain Working Group indicates that moving the port’s freight operations north would have substantial benefits for the Northland region as well as freeing up valuable land in the Auckland CBD. Continue →