Even with fuel at its cheapest price in almost a decade, the ships that carry goods around the world have been cutting speed.

Car imports should be moved from Auckland to Northport at Marsden Pt, says Ports of Tauranga boss Mark Cairns.

Port of Tauranga felt the chill wind of a commodities downturn in its result for the year to June 30, posting a modest 1 per cent improvement in net profit to $79.1 million.

The protest group set up to halt wharf extensions is upset at being excluded from a study into the wider impact of the ports on the city.

The $1.3b megaship Ovation of the Seas has been confirmed to visit next year but in Auckland passengers may have to be ferried from the ship to shore in small boats.

Let's get rid of the single use plastic, reducing the amount of rubbish we are sending on diesel-hungry boats, writes Sam Judd. It would stop the harbour from filling up with plastic and possibly the extended port.

For the cruise sector, there are no alternative ports, writes Chris Roberts. Passengers want to come to Auckland and spend their money enjoying the sights and activities of our biggest city.

Chairman appears to have put his job on the line by digging in against council pressure to stop extending Bledisloe Wharf into the Waitemata Harbour.

The stand-off between Ports of Auckland and Auckland Council over a political call to stop work on two wharf extensions enters its fourth week today.

The present city administration's desire to keep politics out of council affairs plays right into the hands of the bureaucrats, the powerful, and "council-controlled organisations", writes Brian Rudman.

A legal challenge to the lawfulness of two wharf extensions in the Waitemata Harbour by Ports of Auckland will be heard in June.

Owners of a new generation mega cruise ship heading for New Zealand say they welcome plans by Ports of Auckland to extend its container wharves.

Ovation is still being built at a shipyard in Germany and when finished will be 348m long and 168,666 gross registered tonnes.

Several councillors have leapt to the defence of Ports of Auckland, the council-owned company facing public and political pressure to halt work on two new wharf extensions into the Waitemata Harbour.

Auckland Council has formally asked Ports of Auckland to halt construction of two massive wharf extensions.

Urban Auckland has taken the first legal steps to stop Ports of Auckland beginning construction on two massive wharf extensions next month.

Ports of Auckland is planning an offensive this week to sell its expansion plans to Aucklanders, using the carrot of releasing Captain Cook Wharf for public use.

The majority of Auckland councillors now want a rethink on the controversial proposed expansion of the port.

The protest was sparked by port company plans to begin building two massive extensions and Auckland Council voting to ease rules for further reclamation.

About 2000 people and more than a hundred boats gathered today to protest plans by Ports of Auckland to reclaim more of Waitemata Harbour.

A secret legal opinion shows Auckland Council could have pushed for tougher rules against port expansion into Waitemata Harbour.

Auckland's Waitemata Harbour has been "turned from a harbour into a river", by Ports of Auckland expansion, yachting great Chris Dickson says.

Prominent business leaders, sailors, architects, musicians have signed an open letter demanding that Ports of Auckland 'stop stealing our harbour'.

Business leader Sir Stephen Tindall is making a last-gasp plea to Mayor Len Brown and councillors to halt further reclamation of the Waitemata Harbour for port use.

Aucklanders would prefer a comprehensive long-term study before any port expansion occurs.