The decision over which port will become the main North Island hub may be decided by Port of Tauranga customers, says chief executive officer Mark Cairns.
Port of Tauranga customer Fonterra has recently advised the port to be ready to accommodate container ships in the 6000–7000 TEU range as soon as practicable, says Mark.

Port of Tauranga customer, Tasman Orient Line.

As a result, PTL lodged a resource consent application to widen and dredge harbour channels and sitting basins to 14.5 metres draught at all tides.
Larger ships require very expensive infrastructure in terms of deep harbour channels, container cranes, considerable land area and very good intermodal connections to the ports, says board chairman John Parker.
'New Zealand can only justify one or two ports making this investment,” says John.
'More importantly, the tonnages that such vessels can economically load or discharge will mean that they will only want to call at one or two ports. Therefore a hierarchy of ports must emerge with feeder services from other ports.
'If local authority port owners don't see the economic necessity for their long suffering ratepayers and for New Zealand, then reform is likely to be imposed not necessarily by government, as a recent decision by
Fonterra to concentrate their exports on fewer ports indicates frustrated shippers may well force the issue.”