The arrival in Port of Tauranga of the biggest container ship ever to visit New Zealand was a historic day for New Zealand exporters and importers, Transportation Minister Simon Bridges said yesterday.
He was speaking at the dockside ceremony after the giant 9600 TEU (6m container units) Aotea Maersk berthed, inaugurating a new fast weekly direct service to North Asia. Mr Bridges said the significance of the megaships was not simply their size, but the increased efficiencies they would bring.
"We are the most remote developed country in the world," he said. "This service is really crucial in dealing with that tyranny of distance we have in New Zealand."
Maersk Lines' new Triple Star service provides New Zealand exporters with a direct service to important markets including Taiwan, China, Korea and Japan. The Aotea Maersk will be one of 11 sister vessels in the service rotation from Chile in South America to North Asia. The service will also enable New Zealand shippers to directly access North Asian imports and exports to South America, using a smaller vessel.
Several of the guest speakers noted that the vessel's arrival validated the Port of Tauranga's $350 million investment to enable it to become the only New Zealand port capable of handling mega container ships.