Napier Port has seen a 17.3% decline in total container volumes for the six months to March 31 while total bulk cargo volumes increased 21.6% for the period.
Total container volumes of 98,000 TEU for the half year period were down from 119,000 TEU in the prior period, according to the NZX-listed port’s latest trade volume data.
For the second quarter, total container volumes decreased 6.3% to 56,000 TEU.
Chief Executive Todd Dawson says container volume decline was anticipated following the impact of Cyclone Gabrielle on key customers’ production facilities.
“However, during the second quarter we have seen a positive bounce back in refrigerated exports of horticulture, meat and other chilled produce as growing conditions across spring and summer have been favourable.
“Imports and other container movements, such as transhipments, are down and in line with the national trend of slower general domestic economic conditions.
“Despite soft export market demand in China, log volumes were particularly strong during the half year with good volume momentum sustained from our underlying catchment areas,” Dawson says.
Full container volumes (excluding empties and other container movements) during the half year period decreased 14.2% while empty and other container movements decreased 20.4%, compared to the same period a year ago.
Reefer export cargo for the half year increased 25.9% to 18,000 TEU, driven primarily by the return of trades impacted by Cyclone Gabrielle and favourable growing conditions in Hawke’s Bay across spring and summer, the port says.
Dry export cargo for the half year reduced 34.8% to 20,000 TEU with Pan Pac’s wood pulp and timber mill volumes still rebuilding following Cyclone Gabrielle.
Containerised imports for the half year decreased by 13% from 57,000 TEU to 50,000 TEU. The decrease was “primarily driven by fewer empty containers imported in the first quarter on lower export volumes,” the port says.
Dry imports decreased 16% to 12,000 TEU on lower general cargo and manufactured items.
Other container movements for the half year, including DLRs and transhipped containers, decreased 55% from 12,000 TEU to 5,000 TEU due to decreased transhipment and restow activity.
Container vessel calls for the half year were 124, up from 110 calls in the prior year.
Bulk Cargo
Total bulk cargo volume, compared to the same periods a year ago, increased 53.1% for the second quarter to 870,000 tonnes, and 21.6% for the half year to 1.88 million tonnes.
Log export volumes increased 330,000 tonnes, or 81.3%, for the second quarter and 408,000 tonnes, or 35.7% for the half year with good volume momentum sustained by harvesting of central north island windthrown forests and additional unprocessed log volume following Cyclone Gabrielle, the port says.
Charter vessel calls decreased to 119 from 149 in the same half year period a year ago due to lower non-log bulk cargo volumes.
Cruise services
There were 88 cruise vessel calls during the half year period, and a total of 89 cruise vessel calls for the 2023-24 season, which completed in early April. In the same half year period a year ago there were 62 cruise vessel calls.
