Ports of Auckland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ports of Auckland |
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| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 530: Unable to find the specified location map definition: "Module:Location map/data/yes" does not exist. | |
| Location | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Location | Waitematā Harbour Manukau Harbour |
| Coordinates | 36°50′38″S 174°46′37″E / 36.843774°S 174.776859°E |
| Details | |
| Available berths | 16 |
| Draft depth | Depth 13.0 m. |
Ports of Auckland Limited (POAL) is a company that manages Auckland's main port. It handles both cargo ships and cruise ships. This company is owned by the Auckland Council.
The Ports of Auckland manages all the big shipping facilities in the Greater Auckland area. This article will tell you about the company and the ports themselves.
Contents
How the Port Works
Ports of Auckland Limited runs seaports on the Waitematā Harbour and the Manukau Harbour. It also has four inland ports. These are located in South Auckland, Palmerston North, Mount Maunganui, and the Waikato.
The company has about 600 full-time workers. They work all day and night to quickly move cargo.
Auckland's Main Port
The main Port of Auckland is a large port for containers and international trade. It is located on the Waitematā Harbour, next to the Auckland CBD. The port covers 55 hectares (about 136 acres) of wharves and storage areas. Most of this land was created by filling in parts of the sea. This happened in areas like former Commercial Bay and Mechanics Bay.
Here are some of the main wharves, from west to east:
- Wynyard Wharf: This area used to store chemicals. It is now being changed into a mixed-use area with homes and parks.
- Princes Wharf: This wharf has homes and is a terminal for cruise ships.
- Queens Wharf: This wharf is planned to be another cruise ship terminal.
- Captain Cook Wharf
- Marsden Wharf
- Bledisloe Wharf
- Jellicoe Wharf
- Freyberg Wharf
- Fergusson Wharf: This is a very large area created in the 1960s for container trade.
In 2018, three new large container cranes arrived. They cost NZ$20 million each. These cranes are the biggest in New Zealand, weighing 2,100 tonnes each. They stand 114 meters (374 feet) tall and can reach 70 meters (230 feet). They can lift four 20-foot containers at once. These cranes help the port handle very large ships. Each crane also has solar panels that can power an average New Zealand home.
Ports of Auckland wants to be a "Zero Emission" port by 2040. They have ordered the world's first fully electric port tugboat. This new tug will be delivered in 2021. It will be just as strong as the port's current diesel tugs.
Port of Onehunga
There is a second, smaller port at Onehunga on the Manukau Harbour. This port is closer to the industrial areas of South Auckland. However, it is harder for large ships to reach because the harbour entrance is shallow. This means it is mostly used for shipping goods within New Zealand, like bringing cement from Westport.
The Onehunga port was important in the 1850s and early 1860s. It connected to the Manukau Harbour and Waikato regions. Local Māori tribes would trade goods like peaches, fish, and potatoes there. This trade stopped in 1863 because of the invasion of the Waikato. Over time, the port was used less as new roads and railways were built.
Modern ships became too big for this port. In 2015, there were talks about selling the port land to create a waterfront village. However, this did not happen. In 2016, it was announced that the port would be sold to NZ Transport Agency (NZTA). NZTA planned to build a motorway interchange on the land.
Chelsea Wharf
Chelsea Wharf is in Birkenhead on the North Shore. It is not part of the Ports of Auckland facilities. This wharf serves the Chelsea Sugar Refinery, which has been operating since 1884. Ships carrying unrefined sugar arrive at this wharf about every six weeks.
Inland Ports
The four inland ports help connect the main seaport to the country's road and rail networks. They act as transfer points for cargo.
How Much Trade Goes Through the Port?
Cargo Ships
Auckland is New Zealand's largest commercial port. About 1,600 commercial ships visit each year. The port handles over NZ$20 billion worth of goods every year.
Ports of Auckland handles 60% of New Zealand's imports and 40% of its exports by value. It also handles half of the North Island's container trade. In 2007, it moved about 773,160 twenty-foot equivalent container units.
Many used cars are also imported through Auckland, about 250,000 each year. These cars are mostly newer Japanese models. Because New Zealand has very strict rules about keeping out pests and diseases, cars and other goods must be cleaned. This process can take time.
Cruise Ships
The port also welcomes many cruise ships. In the 2005/2006 season, 48 cruise ships visited. More than 100,000 passengers passed through the port. Most passengers got off the ships for short trips around Auckland. Each cruise ship visit is thought to add about NZ$1 million to the local economy.
The largest ship to visit so far was the Queen Mary 2. It had to use a different wharf because it was so big. In February 2007, the port had its busiest day for cruise ships. Two large ships, the Statendam and Sapphire Princess, exchanged about 8,000 people. This was like 19 large jumbo jets arriving at once.
In 2013, Auckland won an award for being the "Best Turnaround Destination." This means it was voted the best place to start or end a cruise trip.
Port's Impact on the Economy
The Ports of Auckland are very important for the economy. About 173,000 jobs in the Auckland Region depend on trade through the ports. The ports affect about one-third of the local economy.
The Ports of Auckland company is 100% owned by the Auckland Council. The company has paid over NZ$500 million in profits to the council over 15 years.
Port History
Auckland is a city on an island, so its trade has always relied on its harbours. The port started with wharves in Commercial Bay in the 1840s. Over time, the port grew by filling in parts of the sea. This changed the entire Auckland waterfront over the 19th and 20th centuries. The port became the largest in New Zealand by 1924.
19th Century Changes
The first wharves in Commercial Bay and Official Bay were hard to build because of muddy areas. In 1853, the Auckland Provincial Council took control of the Waitematā Harbour. They worked hard to improve the port. This included building the first Queen Street Wharf.
In 1871, the Auckland Harbour Board was created. More wharves were added, and huge areas of land were created by filling in the sea. This caused Freemans Bay and Mechanics Bay to lose their natural shorelines. Commercial Bay, where much of downtown Auckland is now, was completely changed. The new land allowed for railway wharves and new dockyards. New facilities were also built in Devonport. The 'Calliope Dock' there was the largest drydock in the southern hemisphere in 1888.
20th Century Growth
By the early 1900s, the port was very busy with cargo and passenger ships. Large passenger liners from Europe and the United States arrived regularly. During World War II, the United States used Auckland as a base for some of its ships. This meant the harbour facilities had to expand even more. In 1943, 104 warships and 284 transport ships visited Auckland. This is when the port started working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
After the war, the port continued to grow. The Import and Freyberg Wharves opened in 1961. The Overseas Passenger Terminal was built on Princess Wharf. In the late 1960s, the very large Fergusson Wharf was built for the new trend of container shipping. The first container ship arrived in 1973.
In 1988, the Auckland Harbour Board became a company called Ports of Auckland. This change helped the port become more efficient.
Becoming a Company
In 1993, 20% of the company's shares were sold to the public. In 2005, the Auckland Regional Council bought back all the shares. This made the port 100% owned by the council. Today, the Auckland Council still owns the port.
21st Century Developments
Today, Ports of Auckland is the third largest container terminal in Australasia. It is also New Zealand's busiest port. The port is still growing and changing. There are plans to create even more land by filling in parts of the harbour. This will help meet future needs and make the Auckland waterfront more open to the public.
In 2008, the port planned to make Fergusson and Bledisloe terminals into one large area for containers. This would increase the port's capacity by 250%. It would also allow ships carrying up to 7,000 containers to use the port. The plan included buying even larger cranes, up to 94 meters (308 feet) tall. Containers on the wharf might be stacked as high as six-story buildings.
Since 2010, Ports of Auckland has used a new inland port in Wiri. This facility connects road freight to the port using trains. This helps reduce the number of trucks that need to drive through central Auckland by up to 100,000 trips a year.
In May 2024, the Mayor of Auckland decided not to sell the Ports of Auckland. The port will remain owned by the Auckland Council. The port also agreed to return Captain Cook Wharf and Marsden Wharf to the council. This will give the public more access to Bledisloe Wharf.
SeePort Open Weekend
Ports of Auckland holds an annual open weekend called SeePort. It happens on Auckland Anniversary Weekends. This event lets the public visit the port and learn about Auckland's shipping history.
See also
In Spanish: Puertos de Auckland para niños
- Auckland Harbour Board v CIR
