Ports of Auckland has released its draft 30-year master plan which outlines a range of projects needed for the port to keep delivering for Aucklanders until the port is moved.

 The draft plan can be viewed at www.masterplan.poal.co.nz.

 Chief executive Tony Gibson said the port‘s owner, Auckland Council, is investigating options for a new port location, but this was an involved process. Finding the best location, getting consent, securing funding and undertaking construction takes decades, and in the meantime, the port needed to continue to deliver freight for importers, exporters, and Aucklanders.

 “In response, we‘ve developed a draft 30-year master plan that we think balances Auckland‘s economic, social and environmental needs. Our plan provides transparency and certainty about what we need to do to continue delivering for Aucklanders. It creates space for freight and gives Auckland Council the time it needs to make a sound decision on where, when and how to move the port.”

 Gibson says Auckland‘s population is growing and Ports of Auckland needs to adapt to keep pace. The master plan outlined projects the port needed to undertake until the port was relocated. This includes the automation of the container terminal, completion of a deep-water terminal berth, and installation of three new cranes, which, along with other projects outlined in the plan, would provide additional capacity in the container terminal to serve a population of up to 5 million – three times Auckland‘s current population.

 The port is facing significant capacity issues on its general cargo wharves and Gibson says they have a plan to develop a five-storey car handling building which will provide more capacity, hide cars from view and free up space on Captain Cook Wharf for public use. A new waterfront park will also be created and space has been earmarked for a building for public use.

 “We also have a plan to increase berth space. We are proposing to build a new wharf running east-west along the north end of Bledisloe Terminal, in line with the recommendations of Auckland Council‘s Port Future Study. It will be a piled structure in line with our commitment to no further reclamation, but it will reach an extra 13 metres north into the harbour. This 13 metres is essential to the success of the other wharf projects.”

 All of Marsden Wharf and part of a wharf known as ‘B1‘ will be removed, bringing three redundant wharves back into use and creating nearly a kilometre of new general cargo berth space.

 Gibson says the port will be applying for consents for some of the more urgent projects soon, and will engage with the community and provide regular updates.