Car/truck transport ship arrives at Northport - to export wood

The car/truck transport ship Istra Ace was at Northport yesterday picking up wood products for export. It gave the port a trial run for if it ever imports vehicles. Photo / Michael Cunningham

When a large ship used to transport cars and trucks arrived at Northport at Marsden Pt yesterday, many Whangārei Harbour residents thought it could be the start of the long-talked-about import of used cars to the port.

But the Istra Ace was instead picking up a cargo of wood products to export overseas.
Northport has long been touted as the best place to take over Port of Auckland's huge imported vehicle trade, with plenty of land at the port to accommodate them.

However, while the visit from the Istra Ace was to pick up triboard from the Juken Mill in Kaitaia, it serves as a great trial run for if the port gets that import car business.

Northport chief executive Jon Moore said this unscheduled call would demonstrate Northport's ability to receive and handle car carriers and roll-on/roll-off vessels in the future.

The Istra Ace is normally used to transport cars and trucks but is at Northport to load approximately 5000 cubic metres of triboard from the Juken Mill in Kaitaia. The Istra Ace has sailed from South America and is destined for Japan. She was scheduled to depart Northport late Thursday or early Friday.

The car/truck transport ship Istra Ace was at Northport yesterday. Photo / Supplied

The Pure Car, Truck Carrier is a purpose-built vessel for the transportation of different types of rolling cargo, such as cars and trucks, heavy construction equipment and other heavy loads.

These vessels are usually configured with 10-13 decks for the loading of different vehicle types with axle loads from 1.2 tonnes to more than 22 tonnes.

The Istra Ace loaded the triboard on the main cargo deck, which is designed for heavy loads, providing the vessel with a backload to Japan rather than having to sail the entire route empty.

A fleet of four trucks operating in rotation drove loads of triboard up the vessel's stern ramp into the ship where they were unloaded. There the cargo was then stowed and secured by Northport staff and equipment.

Triboard from the Juken Mill in Kaitaia is loaded aboard the car/truck transport ship Istra Ace at Northport, before sailing to Japan. Photo / Supplied