It's been a week since Maersk announced it was shifting its Southern Star service to Tauranga and the union and Ports of Auckland are still arguing.

Ports of Auckland chief executive Tony Gibson says Maritime Union president Gary Parsloe is trying to deflect the blame for the loss of the $20 million customer from the union.

'Maersk has been widely quoted as saying the industrial action was the catalyst for their decision,” says Tony.

'It is the central reason they have given us for taking the service to Tauranga and the only reason mentioned in their media statement,” says Tony.

'Even Mark Cairns, CEO of Port of Tauranga, has described the industrial action as ‘the straw that broke the camel's back'.”

Garry Parsloe's comments that export cargo flows out of the Hawke's Bay and Waikato are the reason behind the loss of the service are misinformed and illogical, says Tony.

'The Southern Star is in fact predominantly an import call, 70 per cent,” says Tony.

'All this has done is handover part of Auckland's core business to a rival port.”

Ports of Auckland will continue to communicate directly with staff and provide them with factual updates on the situation.

'It is vitally important that we are open and truthful with our employees about the possibility of redundancies and our intention to explore alternative business models, including contracting out,” says Tony.

Ports of Auckland has lodged a counter-claim of breach of good faith against the union. Tony says the company objects in particular to the use of a placard by picketers, prominent in TV footage of the protest, suggesting the port pays wages as low as $13 an hour.

'This is a clear breach of good faith. Average remuneration for a full time stevedore is $91,400 per annum and the lowest hourly rate paid is $17.12 with all other rates over $20.”