Cargo Ships

Most of the world's trade is carried by cargo ships. Whether it is soya bean from South America to Asia, containers on the main trade lanes or building products on inland waterways, cargo ships carry goods economically over long distances.

New Zealand's largest container port is Auckland. The number of containers imported through this port far exceeds that of any other New Zealand port. The port is right beside the inner city of Auckland on the shores of the Waitemata Harbour a relatively protected arm of the Hauraki Gulf.

In this general view there is an international container ship, running the Asia feeder service for P&O Nedlloyd, exchanging containers at Fergusson Terminal. A Pacific Islands feeder ship is berthed at Jellicoe Wharf. Jutting out between them is Freyberg Wharf, used especially for bulk ships. To the left the containers of Bledisloe Terminal can be seen. Straddle carriers are zooming around to shift containers. The large shed alongside Bledisloe Wharf nowadays is mainly used to store cars which are discharged at the port in their hundreds.

A large Wilhelmsen RoRo ship is approaching Bledisloe Terminal in Auckland. It has just rounded North Head which is part of the seaside suburb Devonport. In the background the volcanic island Rangitoto is visible.
The Direct Kestrel is part of the fleet of the Australia New Zealand Direct Line (ANZDL). This company is part of the CP Ships group and trades between North America and Australia and New Zealand. Today most of the ships are part of the Vessel Sharing Agreement which operates between the West Coast of North America and Australasia. The Direct Kestrel is seen leaving Bledisloe Terminal in Auckland.
New Zealand's biggest port is the Port of Tauranga in the Bay of Plenty. It is specialises more in bulk products. But in recent years, especially through the Metroport operation, container volumes have grown. Metroport is an inland terminal in South Auckland, connected with Tauranga by a frequent rail shuttle. Here the view from a straddle carrier across containers stacked on board a ship. On the opposite side of the port along the Mount Maunganui wharf a bulk ship is loading wood chips.
Tugs are important in any port. They guide the large ships safely to their berths. They are usually very powerful and highly maneouvrable. This is one of the tugs at the port of Tauranga.
Time to move south, more specifically to Timaru. This is, of course, where I work as port agent, especially for Tasman Orient Line ships. The Tasman Discoverer arrives in Timaru.

Tasman Orient Line operates ships between New Zealand and Asia. There are 3 different trades, all interconnecting at various ports. The North Asia service connects New Zealand with northern China, South Korea and Japan. The East Asia service links New Zealand with southern China (including Hong Kong), Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. The South East Asia Service goes to Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand and also provides tranship opportunities to the Philipines, Vietnam, India and Pakistan. East Asia and South East Asia service combine on the southbound leg and also call in Noumea and Fiji.

The Tasman Discoverer heads away from Timaru on a winter morning, as the first morning light appears between the ocean and the clouds.
Minutes later the sun sends brilliant rays of light over the sea.
Both the North Asia and the East Asia service call into Timaru. Cargo for the South East Asia Service is transhipped in Wellington. Imports are transhipped in Auckland. Two ships with gantry cranes are employed on the North Asia service. With their square hatches they are especially suited for steel cargoes. Here the Tasman Resolution arrives in Timaru.
Its sister ship, the Tasman Independence arrives at Timaru one summer evening.
Many of the Tasman Orient Line ships were chartered from the German shipowner Egon Oldendorff. One of those ships was the Tasman Explorer. On its last voyage for Tasman Orient Line, the Tasman Explorer is guided into the harbour of Timaru in late September 2004. Along with other Egon Oldendorff ships the Tasman Explorer also carried passengers.
Another ship chartered from Egon Oldendorff was the Tasman Adventurer. The sun is setting as one of the last containers is loaded on board the ship in Timaru. Pilot, crew, agent and stevedores alike are eager for operations to finish so that the ship can sail and everybody can get on with whatever else they have planned for the evening.
But it is not just Tasman Orient Line ships in Timaru. One regular caller is the Rangatira, trading between the Chatham Islands and Timaru. This little vessel carries containers, livestock and general cargo. It is operated by Leslie Shipping, a local shipping company. Her looks may not inspire great confidence, but the Rangatira is in fact a trusty sea-going ship.
The main shipping company in Timaru is without doubt the global container line Maersk sealand which has weekly and fortnightly services calling in Timaru. Here the Jens Maersk is heading out of the port of Timaru with the pilot boat staying close to the pilot's ladder.