Ports of Auckland and Napier Port have announced a strategic alliance they say will help improve services for freight customers and save exporters and importers money through a more efficient supply chain.
The marine transport hubs will look at ways to align their services, which they said would reduce costs for exporters and importers without providing any detail.
"The strategic alliance builds on Napier Port and Ports of Auckland's existing joint venture in Palmerston North's Longburn regional freight hub and will support Ports of Auckland's regional freight hub network strategy to manage the growing freight market," the operators said in a statement.
"This strategy helps to balance freight flows, provides exporters with choice, improves access to overseas markets and reduces exporters' costs due to supply chain efficiencies."
The deal is the latest in a series of moves by the Auckland port operator to expand its network across the North Island and fend off similar moves by rival Port of Tauranga.
