A new supply chain initiative has been launched at Napier Port in New Zealand.
This has been eighteen months in the making. Napier Port has been testing customer demand for the North Island. The focus is a north-island supply chain will offer a personalized service to warehousing and logistics.
Napier Port chief executive Todd Dawson says supply chain industry players like importers and distributors have shared their challenges of efficiency, wasted time, cost, and a lack of flexibility and responsiveness when moving cargo between distribution centers and ports.
“We set out to change that by matching the visibility Napier Port has over shipping logistics, such as the real-time arrivals and departures of vessels, with timings for road and rail transport.
“Customers and freight forwarders know every time they pick up the phone to call Viewpoint, one of our team will answer and will find a solution that saves them time, and cost, or removes waste.
Import and export freight
The project has been welcomed by stakeholders, especially after the rail line was damaged during Cyclone Gabrielle. KiwiRail chief executive Peter Reidy has been working closely with Napier Port over the years.
The line was recently reopened. “We can support both Napier Port and their customers to move import and export freight more efficiently around the North Island – and with lower emissions,” explains Reidy.
Jerry Shearman, chief executive of the Central Economic Development Agency (CEDA) based in Palmerston North, says CEDA’s primary goal is to deliver economic, social and environmental benefits for central New Zealand. He mentions that Napier Port was a key partner in achieving this.
“Hawke’s Bay is a strong connector in the central region, underpinned by Napier Port’s depots and inland port in Manawatū and their strategic partnership with Te Utanganui, the multi-modal distribution network for imports and exports throughout central New Zealand and beyond. Viewpoint facilitates this connectivity and drives efficiencies in the supply chain, which also encourages sustainable connections between regions,” he says.
Rail freight plays an important role in the New Zealand economy. The industry was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, but it has rebounded and seen an increase in import and export volumes.
Logistics market in New Zealand
Mordor Intelligence reports that road freight is the predominant mode of freight transport and accounts for almost 70% of the total domestic freight movement in New Zealand.
A report by GlobeNewswire says that the e-commerce business in New Zealand has experienced rapid growth.
“This trend in e-commerce is increasing the demand for more logistics infrastructure and freight management centers in the country,” reads the report.
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About the author
Sharl is a qualified journalist. He has over 10 years’ experience in the media industry, including positions as an editor of a magazine and Business Editor of a daily newspaper. Sharl also has experience in logistics specifically operations, where he worked with global food aid organisations distributing food into Africa. Sharl enjoys writing business stories and human interest pieces.
