29 August 2011
Mediterranean Shipping Company Consolidates On Port Of Tauranga
Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), the world's second largest container shipping line, has today announced plans to
commence a new Oceania Express Service with the Port of Tauranga as it s only New Zealand port call. (Oceania Express
port rotation will be: Melbourne Sydney Brisbane Tauranga Balboa Long Beach Melbourne).
MSC s National Operations Director Mark Godfrey says: "MSC has recognised the Port of Tauranga as a major New Zealand
hub, and we plan to trans-shipi cargo from six other New Zealand ports utilising our three other services currently
operating in New Zealand (Capricorn, Kiwi and Pacific Island services).
Port of Tauranga Chief Executive Mark Cairns said MSC's announcement is fantastic news. We are delighted that MSC have
chosen Tauranga as their New Zealand hub port and this announcement provides another tangible example of the structural
change that is occurring in the New Zealand Port sector.
We are undertaking significant capital expenditure at the container terminal over the next few years to ensure that we
continue to provide our customers with world class levels of productivity."
MSC s Oceania Express service will commence in October and along with the five other new services recently announced we
now forecast container volumes to increase by approximately 20-25%, compared to year ended June 2011, with approximately
40% of this increase being attributed to transshipped cargo.
ends