Road freight peak body Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand is warning that sustained Port of Auckland (POAL) price hikes will hurt businesses and consumers across the country, unless accompanied by significant port productivity gains.

POAL recently announced increases in port access fees and other charges effective January 2025 and 2026, following on from substantial increases in January this year.

Transporting New Zealand Interim Chief Executive Dom Kalasih says that as one of the largest container and import ports in the country, POAL’s ship processing and truck turn around performance has flow-on effects for all other ports in the country.

"Our members have been pleased to see POAL’s reported truck turn times reduce from around 20 minutes in the first four months of 2023, to just over 16 minutes in 2024. Time spent parked up and waiting is frustrating for drivers and incredibly unproductive for freight companies.

"However, these modest gains look significantly less impressive when compared to the big hikes in POAL charges that our members have to pay on behalf of their customers. To give just one example, in December 2022 the POAL peak vehicle booking system (VBS) charge per container was $35. By January next year the combined VBS and Access Fee will be $130. Businesses and consumers are going to feel that at the hip pocket."

Transporting New Zealand’s concerns about port pricing and productivity are shared by the New Zealand Council of Cargo Owners, the organisation representing New Zealand’s largest cargo owners.