Lack of plan for maritime industry a serious problem

Mari­time Uni­on of New Zea­l­and Gen­er­al Sec­ret­ary Joe Fleet­wood says recent state­ments from Min­is­ter of Trans­port Steph­en Joyce and retir­ing Paci­fica Ship­ping Chief Exec­ut­ive Rod Grout on New Zea­l­and ports and ship­ping show the need for imme­di­ate action in the mari­time industry.

Mr Fleet­wood says it is incor­rect for the Nation­al Gov­ern­ment to say they want mar­ket forces decide the future of the mari­time industry, when massive tax­pay­er invest­ment was dir­ec­ted at roads and rail.

He says that a “hands off” approach to the mari­time industry means major mar­ket play­ers would dom­in­ate the mar­ket and make decisions that could harm New Zeal­and’s trans­port infra­struc­ture.

“The warn­ing from Rod Grout that New Zea­l­and cargo could end up being hubbed through Aus­trali­an ports is a very real pos­sib­il­ity, which would res­ult in fur­ther loss of con­trol of New Zea­l­and exports and down­grad­ing of our trans­port infra­struc­ture.”

Mr Fleet­wood says the Uni­on is advoc­at­ing a Kiwi­Port concept which would see co-ordin­a­tion of ports at a nation­al level, a level of invest­ment by Gov­ern­ment, and a planned approach to New Zeal­and’s trans­port needs.

He says an example of the much pro­moted “mar­ket forces” caus­ing hav­oc are the moves by Fonterra to shift its products onto long dis­tance rail rather than through loc­al ports which had dam­aged the Port of Timaru in 2009.

“The path pro­posed by the cur­rent Gov­ern­ment is to do noth­ing and let destruct­ive paro­chi­al com­pet­i­tion play out between our ports and a few self-inter­ested big play­ers.”

He says New Zea­l­and has con­tin­ued to be dis­ad­vant­aged by its depend­ence on glob­al ship­pers who con­trolled port trade.

“As a trad­ing nation and a mari­time island nation, it is irre­spons­ible and short sighted to have no long term dir­ec­tion for our mari­time trans­port industry set by the Gov­ern­ment.”