A Napier Port-led commercial trial at Manawatū Inland Port is already delivering cost efficiencies and greater shipping choice for regional importers and exporters across the central North Island. By designating the freight hub in Longburn as a container point of acceptance, customers throughout Taranaki, Wanganui and Manawatū are able to take advantage of cost-effective one way landside moves and access additional container shipping line services through Napier Port. Designed on a model to reduce time to clear imports and exports, Manawatū Inland Port is set up as a one-stop shop that has an integrated rail system and offers a range of services including MPI inspection, cross-dock facilities, dry storage, pack and unpacking facilities, fumigation and container repairs.
The new freight hub trial at Manawatū, led by Napier Port in collaboration with the CMA CGM Group, MSC, Hamburg Süd, and Maersk container shipping lines, aims to ‘bring the port to its customers’ and create greater value and productivity for customers, transport operators and shipping lines alike. The trial has seen successful results to date – increasing supply chain efficiencies and decreasing costs, with more full containers travelling to and from the shipping lines at Napier Port.
Specifically, imports that are delivered to customers across the central North Island through Napier Port are able to be dehired at the Manawatū Inland Port instead of being delivered back to Napier as empty containers. In turn, these containers can be inspected, cleaned, and made available to exporters in the same region.
This solution also removes empty containers off the road and the rail networks. In addition to benefiting haulers who are able to better utilise their assets by removing empty truck and rail moves, this solution notably takes waste out of the supply chain and helps to reduce carbon emissions across the transport network.
An additional benefit of this trial is that exporters in the region now have additional container shipping line services – up to six services per week – available to them through Napier Port. With the four shipping lines currently trialling the use of Manawatū Inland Port, the necessary cargo handling equipment and capacity is on offer to service new export customers in the Taranaki, Wanganui and Manawatū regions.
Napier Port are currently in discussions with other shipping lines in regards to utilising Manawatū Inland Port in the future, which will provide further opportunities for regional customers.
Ultimately, Napier Port’s strategic focus is to make the supply chain as efficient as possible for all of our customers. We will continue to utilise the Manawatū Inland Port, developed in partnership between Napier Port, Ports of Auckland and Hall’s Group, to create supply chain solutions that drive innovation, improve efficiencies and actively grow regional outcomes.
Learn more about Manawatū Inland Port here.
