Port of Tauranga has secured approval for its Stella Passage development, paving the way for an expansion that could almost double cargo handling capacity at New Zealand’s largest port by volume.
An independent expert panel approved the development under the Fast-track Approvals Act 2024, subject to conditions.
The project will extend the Sulphur Point container berth by 385 metres across two stages and add 315 metres to the Mount Maunganui wharves.
Port of Tauranga will convert existing cargo storage land within its current footprint to accommodate the new wharves. The project also includes land reclamation behind the wharves and dredging of Stella Passage to accommodate larger vessels.
The expansion aims to address capacity constraints while providing additional infrastructure for New Zealand’s future import and export freight task.
Additional berths target capacity constraints
Port of Tauranga handles around a third of New Zealand’s cargo and operates international container, bulk cargo and logistics facilities from the Bay of Plenty.
Its road and rail connections extend into Auckland, Waikato and the central North Island, while regional feeder ports and inland freight hubs connect the port with businesses elsewhere in the country.
The port has identified berth availability as a constraint on future growth, with its existing container terminal operating close to capacity.
Adding new berths would allow the port to accommodate additional shipping services and larger vessels while increasing the amount of cargo it can move through the precinct.
Port of Tauranga chief financial officer Simon Kebbell said the development would support future freight demand.
“The Stella Passage development is vital strategic infrastructure to support future freight growth for New Zealand,” Kebbell said.
“It will improve the resilience and efficiency of the international supply chain and lower costs for importers and exporters.”
Export sector has backed additional capacity
New Zealand’s export sector has previously called for additional port and freight capacity as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s supply chains.
ExportNZ identified Stella Passage as a nationally significant infrastructure project in its recommendations on improving New Zealand’s export environment.
The organisation specifically called for the project to move through the resource consent process more quickly, linking the development with greater capacity and resilience across the national supply chain.
ExportNZ also called for investment in coastal shipping and rail capacity to improve domestic freight movements, highlighting the importance of connections between ports and the wider transport network.
The industry position reflects New Zealand’s reliance on efficient international freight connections, particularly for exporters moving goods between regional production centres and overseas markets.
Larger vessels could reshape port operations
Dredging Stella Passage and extending the wharves would allow Port of Tauranga to accommodate larger vessels and increase berth capacity.
Larger ships can provide economies of scale on international routes, but they also require ports to provide sufficient channel depth, berth space, cargo-handling infrastructure and connections with inland transport networks.
Port of Tauranga has already focused on improving the productivity of its existing infrastructure.
During the 2026 financial year, the port increased average crane productivity by 9.9% to 30.8 moves per hour, while ship rates increased 13.6% to 76.5 moves per hour. On-time vessel arrivals also increased from 62% to 71%.
The Stella Passage development would add physical capacity alongside those operational improvements.
Expansion follows lengthy approval process
Port of Tauranga has pursued the Stella Passage development through several approval processes.
The project spent years progressing through Resource Management Act processes and Environment Court proceedings before the port lodged its latest fast-track application in January 2026.
An expert panel began considering the application in March and granted final approval in September, subject to conditions.
Port of Tauranga and its advisers are reviewing the final decision and associated conditions. The decision also remains subject to appeal rights under the Fast-track Approvals Act.
The approval allows the port to progress planning for infrastructure that it has identified as necessary to address long-term capacity constraints.
Building capacity for New Zealand’s freight task
Port capacity has implications beyond the waterfront.
Importers and exporters depend on connections between shipping services, ports, rail networks, road freight and inland logistics facilities to move goods between domestic and international markets.
Additional berth capacity at Tauranga could provide greater flexibility for shipping services while allowing the port to accommodate future cargo growth and larger vessels.
The project could also strengthen the role of road, rail, coastal shipping and inland freight hubs in distributing cargo to and from the port.
For New Zealand supply chains, the Stella Passage development represents a significant addition to the infrastructure connecting domestic producers and businesses with international markets.
As freight demand evolves, the effectiveness of that additional port capacity will also depend on how efficiently New Zealand’s wider transport and logistics network moves cargo between the waterfront and the rest of the country.
Yvette is a Content Producer at Akolade, producing stories for Supply Chain Channel, an Australian learning ecosystem created to address the need for information, networking, case studies, and empowerment for everyone in the supply chain sector.
