Bunch of *ankers playing with themselves at the expense of Auckland & NZ.
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Goff prefers to look at the Manukau option further.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/...ZN2RKCTYVK66A/
hard to see them wanting to let go any Port business so I would assume their preferences would be 1/Manuakau 2/Firth of Thames and then maybe 3/ Northport.
The rail spur, and an inland port somewhere in Auckland to unload containers from trains to trucks would mean Northport could provide flexibility if Ports of Auckland continues to have problems.
Wonder if Wayne Browne is busy ? Ideal job for him for 10 years or so....
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/...NEIYXOOLRL2R4/
" Ports of Auckland chief executive Tony Gibson has resigned and will step down at the end of June.
In a statement, Gibson said the sometimes personal attacks on him has been damaging to the company and the great people he works with."
This has been a difficult decision" he said today. "I love working at Ports of Auckland. It is an organisation full of absolutely wonderful people doing amazing things."
"Gibson has been under intense scrutiny in the past few months following a damning report which found systemic problems with health and safety under his watch and ongoing problems with an automation project at the port."
I see in todays Business news that the govt has scrapped the highway connection between Marsden Pt, Nthland port and Highway 1 , where does this fit with the future of MMH now ?
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/pol...project-canned
I guess the four lane highway from the Port to Whangarei (the most deadly in Northland) did not warrant the cost, especially when Aucklanders need a bridge to ride their bikes on.
Good to see the govt is committed to a rail spur out to the port though. That would be a much more important link as it links the port with Auckland. A few dead Northlanders don't compare with Aucklanders need to ride bikes.
I am still of the view without people like Wayne Brown pushing it as an option most Auckland politicians would want another port nearer to Auckland such as the Manukau or Thames option. Northport will keep ticking over and maybe one day it will be a viable option. A four lane highway from Auckland to the port might be more useful than one to Whangarei. The motorway to Warkworth is nearly done next leg will be to Wellsford. Lets hope a future prime minister buys a holiday bach at Whangarei Heads to help the political will to get it done.
You are right though Whatsup the time frame might be long after we are all dead.
Article in the herald this morning re moving ports of Auckland two pager so lucky I was up early. Roads were not part of the Northport plan, moving onto rail was the main objective.
This approach takes a 3.5billion dollar four lane highway out of the Sapere reports costings. Also mentioned the ships coming to Auckland are dropping off for the consumers in Auckland and move on to Tauranga, Napier etc to pick up from the producers so a trip around the top or bottom of the north island from Manukau doesn't make a lot of sense. Especially as the shipping cost is a large part of the freight cost.
Money, Maori and Conservationists possibly present too big a hurdle for the Thames option but who knows what to believe.
Nothing firm regarding an inland port for devanning and distribution into Auckland but the pro of rail is the container trucks won't be clogging up Auckland roads.
Building enough wharf at Northport was put forward as a problem by the old CEO of Ports of Auckland but this was brushed over by suggesting digging into existing land rather than land reclamation.
Phil Goff comes across as not wanting to upset his crusty older Auckland voters who want the port to stay. Or the decision is too big for him to make one way or another. A move is a 30 year time frame so better to start sooner rather than later.
I guess the rail spur will be a big plus for Northport one way or another.
Interesting that the individuals behind the initial Northport proposal don't mind standing behind their work and the Sapere people don't seem to mind hiding behind the company name. An $800,000 vs $2,000,000 dollar report (Possibly a paid assassination attempt on Wayne Brown's report)
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/...D2SOAQ723RDIQ/
"Next steps under way to unlock Northport's freight supply chain potential"
"KiwiRail expects the pace of land purchase for the Marsden Point rail spur to pick up now Government funding has been allocated for the freight link expected to unlock the potential of Northport."
"With funding for the spur now allocated, KiwiRail would now talk to iwi, other stakeholders and the community about the rail link project, expected to take up to five years to deliver."
Going to be a slow process. Good to see this critical first step underway.
Port invests $8mill in infrastructure, container handling, lighting. Nothing major but the growth news continues to be positive for Northport.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/...VULVTNGTIHLU4/
The 19km rail link is scheduled to be delivered by KiwiRail within five years.
The auditor general reported in the paper this morning saying that (I have already forgotten but roughly) there should be an overall logistics plan for the ports or planned investment by some (unnamed ports) will be a waste of time.