New Zealand domestic container operator Pacifica Shipping is taking over a feeder container ship from parent company Swire Shipping in a move the companies say will facilitate a more resilient and sustainable coastal shipping network.
Joining the Pacifica fleet it’s Swire’s 1,300-teu Lihir Chief (built 2010), which is to be renamed Takutai Chief before commencing operations out of Auckland on 19 September.
The addition of this ship nearly doubles Pacifica’s fleet teu capacity, which currently consists of a single vessel, the 1,740-teu Moana Chief (built 2011).
Pacifica said this “significant investment” reflects its “long-term commitment to ensuring New Zealand’s supply chain has reliable access to the most environmentally sustainable transport solution”.
Jan-Hendrik Hintz, line manager for Pacifica said that with two vessels operating in tandem.
“Pacifica Shipping is better equipped to meet the growing demand for coastal services by providing reliable inter-island domestic freight delivery and increased coverage to regional ports,” he added.
Swire Shipping chief operating officer Ben Pike said: “Aside from the additional capacity offered, the increased frequency of port calls will help to smooth the flow of cargo volume through the New Zealand domestic supply chain and take pressure off pack and devan sites. In the long run, we believe that this will contribute to a more resilient and sustainable coastal shipping network.”
The Takutai Chief will operate a fixed-day weekly service calling Auckland, Lyttelton, Tauranga, and Timaru or Marsden Point on alternating weeks.
With two vessels deployed in tandem on the coast, the company is able to call at Auckland, Lyttelton and Tauranga twice a week on what it described as a “market-leading” 3.5-day frequency.
