14 December 2006
Media Release for Immediate Use
Coastal ship operators welcome draft Energy Efficiency Strategy
New Zealanders coastal shipping interests have enthusiastically welcomed the Government’s draft Energy Efficiency
Strategy.
Paul Nicholas, the Manager of the New Zealand Shipping Federation described the Strategy as ‘a huge step forwards to the
development of a revitalised New Zealand coastal shipping industry’.
‘The Prime Minister has set a goal for New Zealand to be carbon neutral. Clearly, this will not be achieved as long as
we remain as dependent on road freight as we are. Investment in coastal shipping offers the best chance to lower New
Zealand’s transport emissions’, Mr Nicholas said.
‘The Strategy acknowledges coastal shipping is a more energy efficient way of moving freight off road. It also notes
that coastal shipping is a more energy efficient and emissions reducing mode of transport. These are things our members
have known for some time’, Mr Nicholas said.
Mr Nicholas welcomed the Energy Efficiency Strategy’s commitment to further develop the Federation’s Shipping Strategy
during 2008, and its promise to investigate opportunities to accelerate realisable potential from efficient fright
movements.
‘The Federation’s proposal that the Government fund a Maritime Promotions Unit to move more freight by ship fits well
with the Government’s plans, as do our proposals to increase funding assistance for coastal shipping and ports
infrastructure’.
‘New Zealand shipping companies have already removed, excluding the Cook Strait, more than 180,000 20-tonne truck
movements from NZ roads. And, with the right support, we can remove even more’, Mr Nicholas concluded.
ENDS