More than 16% growth in 40-foot container volume and more than 8% in 20-foot container volume since 2012 is putting pressure on port facilities, creating demand for standalone container storage and repair depots says an industry operator.
To accommodate the continued anticipated growth in containerization of freight, Depot operator ContainerCo (NZL) Limited is developing a massive new container services facility in Hawke’s Bay.
It is constructing a new purpose-built facility on a five-hectare site in Mersey Street, within the Napier City Council’s industrial zone.
ContainerCo is expecting that it will be investing between $5 to $10m in the site’s development.
ContainerCo’s managing director Ken Harris says the investment both reflects and supports the growth of exports and imports in Hawke’s Bay as well as the continued success of Napier Port in attracting cargo to and from the wider region.
“The new site will future proof our presence in Hawke’s Bay,” says Harris.
“Demand for off-port container processing and stockpiling has steadily grown and this site is important as it is near port and rail infrastructure, reducing truck movements and exporter and importer costs,” he says.
“The cost of container handling needs to be as low as possible to ensure that exporters are competitive, and costs are minimised. Therefore container parks need to be as close to the port and rail as possible,” says Harris.
The Mersey Street depot will accommodate more than 5,000 TEU (20-foot equivalent container units) and include onsite rail facilities that will reduce the region’s reliance on road transport. It will also have specialist services suited for the horticultural sector.
The company has signed a long-term lease through to August 2036.
“The long-term leasing agreement secures the land ContainerCo needs to expand its operations to be able to handle an expected increase in container movements in the future,” says Harris.
“It also enables us to replace two of the company’s current Napier facilities, the Battery Road and Austin Street container depots and consolidates operations at Mersey Street,” he says.
ContainerCo operates bases in Tauranga, Auckland, Napier and Christchurch; adjacent to the country’s four largest container ports. Its customers include some of the world’s most major shipping lines.
