Port of Tauranga

New NZX service gets underway at Port of Tauranga

Posted on 15th March 2006

The new NZX service to Singapore and Europe gets under way this weekend with the arrival of the 1600 TEU vessel Provider at the Port of Tauranga.

The weekly, fixed-day NZX service is a partnership of five shipping lines, brought about by the demise of the NZAX service which was recently phased out as a result of changes in the international shipping scene.

The service provides New Zealand importers and exporters with significantly increased capacity, with nine vessels being involved in the NZX service compared with the five vessels operating on the previous NZAX service.

The service will operate in two loops - a sprint service to and from Tauranga, Lyttelton and Singapore (NZX2) and a second loop service calling Auckland, Napier, Lyttelton, Wellington, Nelson, Brisbane, Pt Kelang and Singapore.

General Manager for MOL and spokesperson for the partnership, John Sinclair, says NZX2 (the sprint service) will offer exporters and importers one of the fastest transit times available to Singapore and key European ports.

“The benefits of the sprint NZX2 service will also be available to Auckland importers and exporters, using rail links directly to and from the Port of Tauranga’s MetroPort,” Mr Sinclair says.

The shipping lines involved in the NZX partnership are Malaysia International Shipping Corporation (MISC), Mitsui OSK Lines Limited (MOL), NYK Lines,

Pacific International Lines (PTE) Ltd (PIL) and Oriental Overseas Container Lines Ltd (OOCL).

Chief Executive of the Port of Tauranga, Mark Cairns, says the Port was pleased to welcome the NZX service which largely replaced the NZAX service which has ceased calling at the Port.

“Our MetroPort inland port facility has enabled the NZX2 service consortium to call at just two ports in New Zealand while effectively and efficiently serving the Auckland market.

We have created choice for the NZX consortium and options which we are delighted the new shipping group has chosen to exercise.”


For further information:

John Sinclair
General Manager
MOL
Telephone: 09 300 5820

or:

Mark Cairns
Chief Executive
Port of Tauranga Ltd
Telephone: 07 572 8829