The Port of Tauranga is today marking a significant milestone, as the one millionth container passes through its terminal.
“The Port of Tauranga is the largest port regarding volume in New Zealand. It’s great to be able to mark this milestone and acknowledge the economic benefits it brings to the Bay of Plenty economy,” says transport minister Simon Bridges.
Bridges says the Port of Tauranga is investing $350 million in infrastructure to handle larger ships.
“Ports are our gateways to the world. In the six months to 31 December 2016, the volume of imports passing through Port of Tauranga increased by 7%, while exports grew by 9%,” says Bridges.
He says strong growth across many sectors such as horticulture, forestry, tourism, and meat and dairy exports are underpinning the wider Bay of Plenty economy.
“Effective partnerships between ports, the Government, KiwiRail, local councils and others are making this kind of growth possible,” says Bridges.
He says some initiatives supporting the Bay of Plenty’s growth includes the Toi Moana Bay of Plenty economic action plan that covers nine areas including horticulture, education and skills, forestry and wood products, geothermal resources, and Māori land utilisation.
