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Orders for a rail link to busy Northport are increasing as additional trucks begin transporting thousands of containers from the port to Auckland.
National Road Carriers says an additional 2,700 truck trips between Marsden Point and Auckland will be needed to move Auckland-bound containers from the 261m ship Constantinos P.
The container ship was diverted to Northland after congestion at Auckland ports meant it could not be unloaded there in time for Christmas.
Denise Piper / Things
A container truck leaves Northport with three containers on Friday morning.
The ship, operated by ANL Container Lines, was originally scheduled to stop at Auckland Harbor on December 5, but congestion related to the impact of Covid-19 globally and a lack of staff meant the date was pushed back until December 22.
READ MORE:
* Why State Highway 1 between Auckland and Whangārei could be clogged with trucks as of Friday
* Safety fears more than 2,700 truck trips from a giant container ship in Northland to Auckland.
* Rail line to Marsden Point, and possible port movement, one step closer
Northport agreed to help, even though the ship is the largest to dock in the port and the port is not fully equipped to unload it, Chief Executive Officer Jon Moore said in a statement.
Northport / Supplied
The 261m Constantinos P, which docked Sunday, is Northport’s biggest visitor, laden with Christmas cargo.
The ship docked Sunday and a fire in Northport on Saturday did not disrupt operations.
However, several of the trucks entering and leaving Northport on Friday morning were capable of carrying two or three containers, suggesting that National Road Carriers’ estimates of truck movements were high.
The port was busy, not only with container trucks, but also with logging trucks that supplied the port’s main staple.
Denise Piper / Things
A large container truck, capable of hauling multiple containers, arrives in Northport on Friday morning.
Containers cannot be transported by rail because Auckland’s North Rail Line is closed for a $ 110 million redevelopment and a link to the port location at Marsden Point has not been built.
News of the additional truck trips has prompted some Whangārei residents to postpone trips to Auckland for fear of congestion.
It has also sparked more calls for the rail link to Northport to be built.
SUPPLIED
Northport, at Whangārei’s Marsden Point, is a natural deep-water canal. (File photo)
“When does the line open?” asked a resident at Neighborly. “There are more container ships coming to Northport.”
Other residents have complained about the poor condition of the road between Marsden Point and Auckland.
“The government must seriously examine the disgusting state of the roads. Throwing a bag full of metal into a pothole doesn’t solve much, does it? ”Said another resident in Neighborly.
Moving trucks
By 9am on Friday, several trucks had passed through Wellsford on their way to Auckland.
Bayley, a store worker at Biltong Plus in Wellsford, said SH1 was “very busy” but was still on the move.
“I’ve seen about eight of those trucks heading towards Auckland and about 15 going up towards Whangārei.”
Karen Lennon, owner of Woody’s Winners, also in Wellsford, said it wasn’t too bad on the roads so far.
“I saw some big trucks going north yesterday, but at this time of year we just expect delays anyway.”
Lennon hoped that the additional trucks arriving could help boost the business.
“They can feel free to stop for coffee and buy a lottery ticket here on the road,” he said.
