The New Zealand Rail Plan
Outlining the Government’s long-term vision and priorities for New Zealand’s national rail network.
The New Zealand Rail Plan
The primary purpose of this study is to identify whether a large-scale port could be located in the Manukau Harbour, not whether it should move to the Manukau Harbour.
Earlier studies identified that the current Ports of Auckland Ltd (POAL) freight operation in the Waitematā Harbour is likely to run out of capacity to cater for Auckland’s long-term freight needs. Some critics of the CBD location suggest that the land could be repurposed for better uses, including for tourism, accommodation and commuter transport, as opposed for storage of containers, cars and other bulk commodities. However, the issue of moving to Manukau is very divisive – many believe the Harbour is too shallow and that the tidal Bar makes it inoperable for large container vessels. Weather and sea conditions experienced on the West Coast of New Zealand are also challenging.
The work to date
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Aug 2022
Request for proposal opens
We are inviting providers to submit a proposal for the Manukau Harbour port technical feasibility study contract via GETS.
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Feb 2023
Tonkin & Taylor to undertake technical feasibility study
After running a tender process on the Government Electronic Tenders Service (GETS), the Ministry of Transport is pleased to appoint the engineering firm Tonkin & Taylor to undertake the technical feasibility study. Tonkin & Taylor is leading a wider consortium consisting of Royal HaskoningDHV, MetOcean Solutions, Pacific Marine Management Ltd and the University of Auckland. The study is expected to be complete in 12 months.