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.
At the release of the report in March prompted by two port workers losing their lives due to accidents on the wharves and a speeding pilot boat accidentally striking and killing an ocean swimmer, Gibson said he would stay in the job as long as the board had confidence in him.