Northland Chamber of Commerce chief executive Tony Collins said an expansion of Northport to take up some or all of Auckland's freight operations would be great for not only the region but the country.
"It'd be really great for Northland economy if we were a major export hub, we've got one of the best deepwater ports in New Zealand," Mr Collins said.
"From a New Zealand Inc point of view, Northport is one of the few ports with the land and the area available to expand for things like container storage and bringing in cars.
"It'd relieve some of the issues... around whether it is practical to have a large container terminal in the heart of New Zealand's biggest city."
Northland MP Winston Peters was fiercely supportive of a relocation of Auckland's freight operations to Northport and said central government needed to be more involved.
"Twenty, 10 years from now is nonsense. It must happen now... Auckland's choking," Mr Peters said.
"There should be serious central government engagement in that because it's an infrastructure and investment matter.
"The Government has ended up with the most viable port in the country [Northport] with no railway to it... The corridor has already been bought, already been planned for, it's all set to go, what it needs is central government commitment on infrastructure.''
Mr Peters said it would have a "very, very significant" impact on the Northland economy.
However Annabel Young, executive director of New Zealand Shipping Federation, said there were two particularly difficult logistical aspects of the move.
"The practical problem is that most of the cargo needs to end up in South Auckland. Seventy per cent of what comes into Auckland Port is used in Auckland, and to the extent that it isn't, it goes out through the south," she said.
"So if you had a port in the north how are you going to get stuff through the isthmus of Auckland City, because there's a choke point there.
"The other is the massive investment you would need... is for road and rail links."
Ms Young also pointed to the Auckland Port Future Study having Northport on the long list of possible future locations but it did not even make the short list of seven other potential spaces.
Northport chief executive Jon Moore said there was "significant potential" for expansion at Northport, and said it has more than enough land to expand to if needed.
"While not currently configured as a large-scale container operation it would be entirely possible for Northport to assist Ports of Auckland with this type of cargo in the future," he said.
Built specifically as a multi-purpose facility, Northport is well-placed to handle whatever traffic comes its way. This includes extra cargo that Auckland may not be able to handle in the future, as well as the import and export requirements of any businesses wanting to relocate to Marsden Point.
