The Coastal Shipping Resilience Fund, valued at $30 million, is now accepting applications for projects designed to enhance New Zealand’s coastal shipping connections and drive economic growth.
“The coastal shipping sector is vulnerable to natural hazard risks. Disruption to the sector could worsen New Zealand’s supply chain and economic performance,” Associate Transport Minister James Meager said in a statement.
“This long-term investment is crucial to ensuring we as a nation can get our goods to market, which is vital to growing the economy.”
“Economic growth means more jobs, higher incomes and better public services for all Kiwis,” Meager added.
The fund will be invested in a select number of projects to support assets and facilities with a lifespan extending well beyond the three-year funding period. Potential projects may involve reinforcing wharves and jetties, enhancing access routes to and from ports, or upgrading freight handling equipment.
Applications that include co-investment will be prioritised.
The fund will also consider applications from energy and fuel supply, navigation aids, or seafarer training, as these sectors are known to contribute to the overall resilience of the coastal shipping industry.
“Coastal shipping plays an important role in New Zealand’s freight network. It provides a safe and low-emitting way of transporting large, heavy cargo such as shipping containers – along with cement and aggregate used in building new infrastructure.”
Meager said coastal shipping can serve as a lifeline for communities affected by natural disasters, “as demonstrated following Cyclone Gabrielle when coastal shipping provided critical services to Tairāwhiti. The fund will ensure those benefits can continue.”
“The fund will enhance the coastal shipping sector’s ability to prepare for, respond to and recover from disruptive events that would otherwise undermine our coastal freight connections.”