New Zealand’s newest addition to the coastal shipping fleet has made her maiden voyage carrying product for agricultural cooperative Ravensdown.
Coastal Bulk Shipping’s MV Rangitata first journey this month took phosphate rock from Napier to Dunedin, then 2000 tonne of superphosphate from Dunedin to New Plymouth.
The trip by ship reduced an estimated 39 tonnes of carbon emissions when compared to moving the same volume of product by road.
Coastal Bulk Shipping is one of four preferred suppliers in a $30 million Government investment for coastal shipping funding through the National Land Transport Programme (NLTP).
Ravensdown sustainability manager Allanah Kidd says coastal shipping is forming a key part of the company’s national emission reduction strategy.
“We are endeavouring to supplement road with coastal shipping, where the opportunity arises, to reduce our impact on climate change. It’s a more efficient way to move product, takes trucks off the road and reduces congestion.
“New Zealand has environmental commitments to meet. This is about New Zealand Inc., and on behalf of our farmer shareholders, we’re happy to be doing our bit to respond to climate change. It is a visible demonstration of our commitment to reducing greenhouse gases as part of our sustainability targets,” Kidd says.
Beyond the maiden voyage, Ravensdown will look to engage the vessel as required to move cargo into smaller ports such as Whangarei, Whanganui, Gisborne and Nelson.
National logistics manager Ant Boyles say freight movement from trucks to ship will take place when it makes sense to do so.
“We all have a part to play in trying to be as efficient as we can.”
Ravensdown has used Coastal Bulk Shipping for many years although this was the first journey on its new vessel which has a greater payload. The new ship can carry around 2000 tonnes of superphosphate, compared to the company’s smaller 800-tonne vessel, Anatoki.
“Coastal shipping gives us the opportunity to move our products around in a more greenhouse gas-efficient manner, and because this new vessel is bigger, we can do one ship movement instead of two,” Boyles says.
Waka Kotahi worked with the wider freight industry – NZ Shipping Federation, Port Company CEO Group, National Road Carriers, KiwiRail, and Te Manatū Waka – Ministry of Transport – to select four applicants for co-investment in new and enhanced coastal shipping services.
When announcing the funding investment, transport minister Michael Wood said it would go towards “better utilising the blue highway, improving our freight system, and future proofing our national supply chain”.
It is estimated the new services, once fully operational, will remove around 35 million kilometres of truck travel from New Zealand’s roading network every year, reducing wear and tear and improving safety for road users.
