Acknowledging there had been progress on increasing coastal shipping, she said an integrated, efficient, resilient supply chain could be achieved with the help of government.
"It is our belief that current legislation and policy does not encourage nor facilitate investment even when it is environmentally sound and nationally significant.
"The consenting process is complex, time consuming and costly. It hinders adoption of new technology with its economic and environmental benefits, ensures we are always playing catch up with capacity and stops existing assets from being used to their full potential," she said.
"We will continue to press government to address these issues."
While the port company had been navigating the "seemingly endless maze" of unsuccessful applications to the Government for consenting and an Environment Court hearing delay, the cost of construction of the container wharf extension had ballooned.
Government funding had not been sought for the project. The Environment Court hearing for resource consent had now been delayed until March, nine months after it was scheduled to be heard.
"The development is critical to New Zealand Inc. Without it, the port and the country will face capacity constraints in a few years," Hoare said.
Leaders of some of the country's biggest exporters had expressed their concern at the delays.
Chief executive Leonard Sampson said the port had completed an $11m electricity upgrade in anticipation of the wharf extension, which would feature automation proven at ports around the world.
"Our automation project will unlock additional capacity within our current footprint. It will also help us improve safety, reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions," he said.
"Our existing container terminal has the annual capacity to accommodate up to 1.4 million 20-foot equivalent units [containers]. With automation and the new berth, we will have the ability to grow to nearly double that volume."
Sampson said based on FY23 first quarter results, and notwithstanding any significant changes to market conditions, the port expected full year earnings to be in the range of $115m to $120m.
The company's FY22 group net profit after tax was $111.3m.
Total trade in the first quarter was down 7 per cent on the previous corresponding period to 6.4m tonnes, reflecting a weaker log market and a challenging end to the kiwifruit export season, Sampson said.
Container volumes increased 1.8 per cent on the previous period, supported by a 7 per cent increase in dairy volumes.
Cruise ships had this month returned to the Bay of Plenty for the first time since March 2020, with 103 vessels expected this season.
The port hoped for a return to fixed container vessel schedules to ease supply chain congestion, Sampson said.
Only six out of 16 weekly services were currently arriving on time at Tauranga.
"We will not be able to achieve schedule reliability alone and require all New Zealand ports to return to normal container operations and productivity. We are eager to see this happen in early 2023," he said.
(Ports of Auckland, the country's main imports port, has said it plans to return to fixed container vessel schedules in March.)
