KEY POINTS:
The merger between Ports of Auckland and Port of Tauranga has been delayed by up to six months.
The ports said in early October they were in merger talks and planned to submit the final proposal to their respective boards in late November.
But Port of Tauranga chief executive Mark Cairns said yesterday discussions around the proposed waterfront stadium had delayed its negotiations with the Ports of Auckland.
"The merger is still progress but nothing has been finalised," he said.
The Port of Tauranga would update the sharemarket on the merger discussions before Christmas.
Ports of Auckland spokeswoman Karen Bradshaw said the proposal would be finalised within six months.
Analysts said the decision by giant container line Maersk in late November to run the bulk of its services through Ports of Auckland put question marks over the proposed merger with Port of Tauranga and could drive a wedge between the ports.
The owner of Ports of Auckland, the Auckland Regional Council, has said it wanted a bigger slice of the proposed mega-merger with Port of Tauranga, now that it has won a battle to be the major New Zealand port for shipping giant Maersk.
Shares in Port of Tauranga closed up 1c to $5.51.
