Tauranga News

Maritime NZ has issued a detention notice against a log carrying vessel, currently anchored off Tauranga.On Monday 24 July, the Panamanian flagged Achilles Bulker was departing Tauranga, bound for China when it encountered steering problems. It was subsequently determined that the rudder had disconnected from the ship during the outbound pilotage.The vessel remains anchored off Mount Maunganui, and the rudder was recovered by divers last week and brought to shore.Due to the rudder failure, the Achilles Bulker will need to be towed to a dry dock for repairs.Maritime NZ is working closely with the Bay of Plenty Regional Council and the…

Pacifica Shipping confirms it is introducing a second vessel onto its New Zealand coastal shipping service, which is expected to be operational mid-September this year.The vessel will add 1,300TEU extra capacity every week and will complement the existing coastal service provided by Pacifica Shipping’s MV Moana Chief, a 1,700TEU ship, which has been operating since August 2019.Country Manager for Pacifica Shipping and Swire Shipping New Zealand Brodie Stevens, said the service…

A stevedoring company based in Tauranga, New Zealand has been ordered to pay a $90,000 fine and $20,000 in costs for safety failings that led to an excavator being dropped overboard from a logging ship in 2018.C3 Limited had previously pleaded guilty to a charge of breaching its duties under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 and was sentenced February 4 in the Wellington District Court.Maritime NZ’s central compliance manager, Blair Simmons, said that the incident, which took place at Wellington’s Centreport on June 2…

A deal has been finalized that will soon see the largest vessel to ever call at New Zealand for the loading of logs.The deal between South Pacific Shipping (SPS) and Oldendorff Carriers was brokered by Braemar ACM’s Bruce McFarlane, a Mount Maunganui local. Braemar also negotiated the deal with ISO Stevedoring that delivered the mobile cranes from the manufacturer in Germany, to the port of Tauranga, New Zealand last year. Bruce McFarlane commented, “We saw an opportunity to bring…

ExxonMobil has started barge deliveries of two grades of IMO-compliant, low-sulfur marine fuel, namely, DMA 0.001%S [Ultra Low Sulfur Marine Diesel] and DMB 0.01%S [Low Sulfur Marine Diesel] at the Port of Tauranga, New Zealand, enhancing its offer in the Asia Pacific region.The arrival of MT Kormako, the first and only bunker barge in Port of Tauranga, enhances ExxonMobil’s bunkering operation at the Port of Tauranga as fuel deliveries are now available for vessels berthed at Sulfur Point along with land-based refuelling for those moored at the port.

A cargo ship master and chief engineer have been sentenced and fined after admitting to charges relating known engine problems that led to their ship to lose power and run aground at the Port of Tauranga in July.The Singapore-registered log-carrier MV Funing lost power and passed over a channel marker with the propeller becoming caught in the markerchain, before making contact with a sand bar in the Tauranga Harbor channel.A Maritime NZ investigation and subsequent prosecution…

The Sri Lankan navy said on Tuesday an oil slick had been spotted a kilometer from a loaded supertanker carrying roughly 2 million barrels of oil that has been engulfed in intermittent fires since an explosion on September 3.Oil from the engine room of the 20-year old New Diamond tanker “appears to have leaked out to the sea” following regular bouts of water-dousing by fire-fighting vessels, the navy spokesman said.The oil slick has raised concerns about the potential of further leakage from the cargo holds…

A log carrier that lost power and went adrift while leaving New Zealand's Port of Tauranga last week has been towed into port for repair and further inspection, local maritime authorities said.The Singapore-flagged Funing was outbound for Lanshan, China when it suffered engine failure and began drifting amid 30 knot winds and significant swells between Mount Manganui and Matakana Island last Monday.Powerless and adrift, the vessel snagged the chains holding a channel marker buoy, causing propeller and rudder damage.

A log carrier that lost power and went adrift while leaving New Zealand's Port of Tauranga Monday has been towed to anchorage in deeper water while it awaits further inspection, local maritime safety authorities said.The Singapore-flagged Funing was outbound for Lanshan, China when it lost engine power and began drifting amid  30 knot winds and significant swells between Mount Manganui and Matakana Island around 12:30 a.m. local time on Monday.The 180-meter ship was pushed by the wind and tides and snagged chains holding one of the buoys marking the shipping channel…

The Port of Tauranga,  the largest port in New Zealand, reported profit after tax of more than $100 million for the first time.Group net profit was 6.7 per cent up on the previous year at $100.6 million, fulfilling previous earnings guidance of delivering at the upper end of $96 million to $101 million.The port handled close to 27 million tonnes of cargo, an increase of 10.2 per cent in volume, with container cargo growing 4.3 per cent to more than 1.1 million TEUs, or twenty foot equivalents.Exports increased 11.2 per cent to 17.1 million tonnes while imports rose 8.4 per cent to 9.8 million tonnes.Transhipments, where containers are transferred from one service to another…

Logistics software company WiseTech Global has announced its acquisition of Singaporean supply chain tracking and management software firm Containerchain.Based in Singapore, Containerchain provides optimization services such as real-time tracking, operational planning and automation to logistics communities in Europe, the US and the Asia-Pacific region.Containerchain serves the container community of empty container depots, road transporters, container terminals, warehouses, shipping lines and cargo owners. Its customers include Qube Holdings, CMA CGM, ACFS Port Logistics, Arrow Transport and Logistics, Chalmers, DP World Logistics Australia…

The largest Port in the South Island of New Zealand, Lyttelton Port, has welcomed its largest ever container ship.The Singapore–flagged Rio de Janeiro, which can carry nearly 6000 containers and is the length of about three rugby fields, arrived early Saturday.Lyttelton Port Company (LPC) Chief Executive, Peter Davie said, “The Rio de Janeiro is a new class of ship to call at Lyttelton. She can carry 5,905 twenty-foot equivalent containers (TEUs), while the largest container vessels currently visiting Lyttelton commonly carry 4,500 to 5,000 TEUs.“This is an important milestone for Lyttelton Port and our customers. We are delighted to welcome the Rio de Janeiro to Canterbury…

Container shipping firm CMA CGM Group and reefer transport specialist SEATRADE Group will together create a new vessel sharing agreement incorporating the services known by CMA CGM as PAD and by Seatrade as MERIDIAN, linking Northern Europe, the East Coast of the U.S., Central America, the Pacific Islands, Australia, New Zealand, Peru and the Caribbean on a weekly basis. The new service, expected to launch in October 2017, will bring together CMA CGM, SEATRADE and shipping company MARFRET and improve their frequency and port coverage.

Indonesian bulk carrier  DL Marigold has been ordered to leave port of Tauranga  in New Zealand waters after its hull was judged to be threat to bio-security. The Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) has sent the ship packing from Tauranga because of its dirty hull - the first time this has happened. MPI ordered the Panama-registered DL Marigold from New Zealand after MPI divers discovered dense fouling of barnacles and tube worms on the ship's hull and other underwater surfaces. It  gave the ship 24 hours to depart. "The longer the vessel stayed in New Zealand, the greater chance there was for unwanted marine species to spawn or break away from the ship. So we had to act quickly," local media reported Steve Gilbert, border clearance director at the MPI as saying.

New Zealand's largest freight gateway Port of Tauranga says it is on track to break the country's record for transporting more than one million containers in a single year. "Our results show the Port of Tauranga is continuing to reinforce its position as the country's premier freight gateway. We have lifted revenue and earnings and moved record cargo volumes including more than 510,000 TEU containers," said chairman David Pilkington. “Exporters, importers and the shipping lines are increasingly recognising the benefits of our deep water port and our efficient freight handling and stevedoring operations. "This achievement is the direct result of our now-completed five-year $350 million infrastructure investment programme…

CMA CGM has informed that Brisbane, Australia, will be added to the rotation of its PANAMA DIRECT (PAD) service as from m/v HARMONY N voy. 081RPS-082RPN, ETA Brisbane on February 1st, 2017. This new call will allow PANAMA DIRECT to become the only direct service connecting North Europe/USA/Caribbean/South America and Brisbane both ways. Connections with CMA CGM global network available in Cartagena, Kingston, Rotterdam, Manzanillo and le Havre. Frequency : every 2 weeks. Fleet : 7 vessels. Large Reefer Capacity.

APL launched a new weekly service with direct connection between New Zealand and North Asian ports: the New Zealand Express II (NZ2) service. “APL introduced the new NZ2 service to serve the China-New Zealand market in a direct and more efficient way. Compared to transshipment options, the NZ2 service provides our customers with dedicated and faster connectivity between the North Asia and Oceania markets. The direct service will enable businesses to accelerate their products’ speed and access to these markets, as they seize new growth opportunities in the region,” said Tonnie Lim, APL Head of Intra-Asia Trade. Designed with five New Zealand port calls and competitive transit times…

Mediterranean Shipping Company S.A. (MSC) is pleased to inform clients of recent upgrades to our New Kiwi Service operating between Australia, Noumea and New Zealand. MSC’s New Kiwi Service has been running in its current format since February 2015, with fixed weekly port calls into Bell Bay, Tasmania. Due to growing market demand, MSC has further enhanced our service by adding an additional weekly port call into Bell Bay. Now offering two fixed port calls in Bell Bay each week, MSC provides our clients in Tasmania a truly premium service linking Tasmania directly to Noumea, New Zealand and MSC’s global network. Sydney – Brisbane – Noumea – Tauranga – Auckland – Bell Bay – Melbourne – Bell Bay – Sydney.

Maersk Line is upgrading  its  ‘Triple Star’ service by launching direct, weekly northbound connections between New Zealand and North East Asian ports. "We are optimising our ‘Triple Star’ service with the launch of direct, weekly connections between New Zealand and North East Asian ports. Starting from late September 2016, Kiwi exporters can enjoy all the benefits of direct access to Taiwan, China, Korea and Japan," says a statement from Maersk Line. With unmatched transit times to a number of strategic ports, this superior service has been tailormade to offer New Zealand businesses fast and reliable access to these important markets.

Maersk Line is launching a new ‘South Pacific Express’ service between Oceania and the West Coast of South America. "We are pleased to launch our new weekly ‘South Pacific Express’ service between Oceania and the West Coast of South America. Starting from July 2016, Australian and Kiwi exporters can enjoy all the benefits of a market exclusive gateway to a number of strategic ports in Chile, Peru, Colombia and Mexico," says a statement from the company. With unmatched transit times, this superior product is tailor-made to offer the customers fast and seamless service connections to the West Coast of South America. Maersk claims the speed is ‘Best-in-class’ transit times on the fastest service to the West Coast of South America…

The increasing automation of vessels is causing some mariners to lose basic maritime skills. During dinner on June 10, 1995, the last night before the cruise ship Royal Majesty was due to arrive in Boston from its voyage to Bermuda, the master bragged to the passengers at his table that his ship could never run aground because it had all the latest electronic equipment, including a navigation system that integrated the GPS signals and other information. At 2225 that night the ship grounded on the Rose and Crown Shoal near Nantucket. It was 17 miles west of its planned trackline.

Freight Traders Ltd arranged the duty free importation of two Dillmec drilling rigs into New Zealand.   This included various mobilizations and demobilizations to remote New Zealand locations in the central north island. With the drilling campaigns complete, Freight Traders Ltd successfully completed re-export formalities from New Zealand over two (2) x  ship charters. The most recent ship charter sailed early May 2016 from Tauranga port in New Zealand.

CMA CGM has made a service upgrade in New Zealand by adding a new call in Wellington on its Panama Direct Line (PAD) service starting November 23rd. The PAD service offers a connection between Europe, the US East coast, Australia and New Zealand via the Panama Canal. The CMA CGM Group is the first and only maritime carrier to provide a direct connection from Wellington to Europe and the US East Coast. CMA CGM answers its clients’ needs by offering a unique and innovative product on the market. This new call is in line with the Group’s development strategy and global presence reinforcement in New Zealand. The new rotation will be as follow: Tilbury…