The Parliament’s Transport and Infrastructure Committee has officially initiated an inquiry into the country’s ports and maritime sector.
The inquiry aims to assess the current situation, identify challenges, and explore future opportunities in the ports and maritime industry. This review also covers important links to the surrounding land and maritime economies, as well as transport connections and inland ports associated with the main ports.
Recognising the nation’s reliance on trade as an island economy, the committee emphasises that efficient and competitive ports and marine industries are essential for maintaining economic growth.
“From the first explorers, Polynesian and European, the sea has always been vitally important to New Zealand. We are a trading nation. Our ports are critical to exports and imports alike. Having myself visited most of our ports already, I am very aware of the diversity of our ports,” chair of the Transport and Infrastructure Committee Andy Foster said.
“They are of widely differing scale. They have different functions in the national maritime system. They compete, and they collaborate. They serve quite different regional economies and have varying maritime focus and both unique and shared opportunities and challenges.”
The committee expressed its awareness of the government’s strong commitment to improving productivity and economic performance, which is necessary to improve every Kiwi’s way of living.
“To this end, through this inquiry we will be seeking opportunities to help raise the performance of our ports and maritime sector and therefore help benefit our export producers and importers alike,” Foster said.
The committee plans to engage with key stakeholders and interested parties throughout the sector and conduct site visits as needed to deepen its understanding.
Interested individuals and organisations are invited to make public submissions. The submission period will remain open for six weeks, closing at 11:59 PM on Sunday, 13 July 2025.