Record volumes for Ports of Auckland

Ports of Auckland surged in October and November, handling more than 100,000 containers for the two months. Photo / Brett Phibbs

The Ports of Auckland said it had handled a record number of containers in March, beating the previous record set last October.

The port handled 54,427 containers, or 79,492 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) in the month -- 10,305 (16,771 TEU) more than the same month in 2013. October's record was 54,049 containers.

Ports of Auckland chief executive Tony Gibson said breaking the monthly record in March was unusual because the pre-Christmas period was normally the busiest.

"Solid import volumes plus a lift in exports gave March a real boost,'' he said in a statement, Bulk, break-bulk and car volumes were also up in March.

Gibson said the port's restructuring, which started in 2011, had boosted productivity - making it easier for the port to handle increased volumes.

A new tug and six new straddles for the port will arrive soon and a new crane will be ordered later this year. Work on a 50 metre extension of Fergusson wharf will begin later this year, Gibson said.