| The 1800s- 1828 - The visit of the missionary schooner Herald, probably the first European vessel to enter the harbour.
- 1853 - Captain Drury in HMS Pandora surveyed and charted the coast and harbour.
- 1873 - The Port of Tauranga was officially established by order of the Governor of New Zealand.
- 1882 - The Lady Jocelyn of 2,138 tonnes was the first large sailing vessel to enter the harbour.
The 1900'sThe 21st Century- 2000 - The Port extends its multi-port growth strategy by entering a 50:50 joint-venture with Northland Port Corporation (NZ) Limited to develop and operate a deepwater port at Marsden Point.
- 2001- Agreement between the Port of Tauranga and Tranz Rail to extend MetroPort Auckland to a seven-day-a-week service.
- 2001 - FESCO New Zealand Express Line establishes Tauranga as its sole North Island port of call for its fixed day weekly service to the Far East.
- 2002 - The purchase of a 100% stake in Owens Services BOP Limited, a log marshalling and cargo handling business.
- 2002 - A 50:50 joint venture formed between Ports of Auckland Limited and Northport Limited to provide piloting, tug and lines services for commercial shipping on the Whangarei harbour.
- 2003 - The Mediterranean Shipping Company use Tauranga as its sole North Island port for its European service which commenced on 5 February 2003.
- 2003 - Ten year extension signed with Tranz Rail for the operation of MetroPort, allowing for further investments to upgrade MetroPort’s facilities. The MetroPort agreement expires in May 2013.
- 2003 - Establishment of North Tugz Limited, a 50% joint venture between Northport and Ports of Auckland Limited to undertake marine services within the Whangarei harbour.
- 2004 - MetroBox Auckland Limited, a 50% joint venture with Toll New Zealand Limited, is established to operate a container storage handling, cleaning, washing and repair service for empty shipping containers.
- 2004 - MetroPort's throughput increases by 50%. Its capacity is to be doubled following a $3 million upgrade of the sealed area, ground slots and drainage.
- 2004 - P&O Nedlloyd restructures their express service direct between New Zealand and South East Asia, calling at the ports of Tauranga and Napier.
- 2004 - The sale of the Port's shareholding in The Owens Cargo Company Limited and the formation of the 50:50 joint venture company Toll Owens Limited.
- 2004 - The Port celebrated 50 years of operations. The MV Korowai was the first vessel to visit the Port on 5 December 1954.
- 2004 - The Port of Tauranga was a joint winner of the 2004 Australasian Port of the Year Award run by Lloyd's List Daily Commercial News, the first time a New Zealand port has won a Lloyd's List award.
- 2005 - Three new straddle carriers were introduced at Sulphur Point.
- 2005 - On 1 June 2005, the biggest export shipment of kiwifruit was moved into the Danish motor vessel Knud Lauritzen. The shipment amounted to 2.6 million trays (9,000 pallets) of kiwifruit.
- 2005 - The capacity of MetroPort in South Auckland was expanded to 1,265 operational ground slots with the ability to handle 100 TEU trains.
- 2006 - The first New Zealand call in the newly-formed Maersk Line's 4100 TEU "Pendulum" service commenced in February. This service provides New Zealand's exporters with a weekly direct service to North America and Europe which includes trans-Tasman imports via Tauranga.
- 2006 - In March, the new NZX shipping service made its first call in Tauranga. NZX combines several lines [Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK), Mitsui Osk Line (MOL), Pacific International Line (PIL), Malaysia International Shipping Corporation (MISC) and Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL)] to provide an express service calling at Singapore, Tauranga and Lyttelton to provide exporters with a fast connection into Asian markets.
- 2006 - Tauranga was confirmed as the North Island port of call for Hamburg Sud's new fortnightly Trident service commencing in March. The service takes exports to the East Coast of North America and Europe.
- 2006 - US Lines chose Tauranga as the only New Zealand port of call for its new fortnightly service which began in August. Imports from United States and Australia, exports to Australia, Hong Kong and south China and Los Angeles, giving both importers and exporters greater choice.
- 2006 - The new Goodman Fielder grain store was completed and the first delivery received into the store in February. The 4,000 square metre store, built on Port land, has a 20,000 tonne capacity.
- 2007 - A record year for cruise ships with 33 visits.
- 2007 - Marstel Terminals commenced construction on a $15 million bulk liquids terminal and announced Tauranga as their location for future growth.
- 2007 - During March, Tauranga was confirmed as the North Island port of call for Hamburg Sud's new fortnightly Trident service between Europe, East Coast North America, Australia and New Zealand. Calling weekly both north and southbound legs, equating to 104 ship calls per annum.
- 2007 - In June, Port of Tauranga announce that following a reconfiguration of the Oceania Vessel Sharing Agreement (OVSA) service they will receive an additional 26 vessel calls per annum.
- 2008 - A record year for cargo with trade up 7% to 13.525 million tonnes.
- 2008 - Total containers up 25% to 582,072 TEUs (twenty foot equivalent units).
- 2008 - MetroPort containers increasing 23% to 170,000 TEUs.
- 2008 - Import of over 450,000 tonnes of palm kernel/grain.
- 2008 - Seatrade, the world's largest specialist reefer shipping operator, announced plans to consolidate on Port of Tauranga.
- 2008 - ABB Grain commits to a 35 year lease with Port of Tauranga and plan to build a purpose-built 9,000m² bulk facility.
- 2008 - A record year of cruise ships with 40 visits.
- 2008 - Order placed for a new Liebherr gantry crane capable of handling 5,000 to 7,000 TEU ships. Scheduled to be commissioned in July 2009.
- 2008 - Commenced process to obtain Resource Consents to dredge channels to 14.5 metres draught.
- 2008 - CMA CGM purchased US Lines and consolidated services at Tauranga.
- 2008 - CMA CGM Panama fortnightly service began calling in July 2008.
- 2008 - Pacifica weekly coastal service began calling in October 2008.
- 2009 - Entering into a long term operating agreement with Carter Holt Harvey Lodestar.
- 2009 - Purchase of 2.6 hectares of Mount Maunganui wharf store and also 1.8 hectares of land within the Mount Maunganui wharf area.
- 2009 - A record year of cruise ships with 56 visits, up from 40 in 2008.
- 2009 - Erection of new Liebherr gantry crane at the Tauranga Container Terminal, commissioned in July 2009.
- 2009 - Lodged application for dredging consent to dredge channels to 14.5 metres draught at low water.
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