Wellington, Jan 15 NZPA - Port of Tauranga said rival Ports of Auckland prepared a Christmas Eve press release by NZL Group, which claims to have the right to set up a container terminal at Port of Tauranga.

Port of Tauranga said this was irksome. The port also does not agree that if NZL Group succeeds it will, in effect, be operating a private container terminal on Port of Tauranga's Sulphur Point land.

"NZL's contractual rights to re-establish operations are yet to be determined, but in any event, NZL's services would not be greater in scope than when they operated as a marshalling and stevedoring contractor back in 2003," Port of Tauranga said.

Privately owned New Zealand logistics company NZL Group said on December 24 it has a contract dating back to the days when P&O Ports operated Tauranga's container terminal which gives it the right to set up again.

It has advised the port of its intention to do so, providing shipping companies with a choice of a new private container terminal.

NZL director Ken Harris said today it would be a full terminal service.

NZL has said it does not intend to buy cranes but expected to be charged for lifts by the port's existing cranes.

Mr Harris said today that he had dictated the press statement but he did have access to a Ports of Auckland computer to send it out.

Ports of Auckland and Port of Tauranga have been bitter rivals but the ports last year did consider merging.

Port of Tauranga chief executive Mark Cairns said Port of Tauranga was the only New Zealand port to promote competition between stevedores and marshallers in its container terminal.

"Consequently we derive competitive advantage from greater efficiency and superior costs structures. We fail to see how NZL's proposal would be value or efficiency enhancing to our customers."

Mr Cairns said Port of Tauranga and NZL Group met today.

Until 2003 P&O Ports operated the Sulphur Point container terminal and when that arrangement stopped it was agreed that P&O would not operate the terminal for five years. That five years has now expired.

In 2006, former P&O business was bought by a group of New Zealand managers and investor Mike Pohio. Mr Pohio has links with Tainui. Tainui is not involved with the NZL investment, Mr Harris said.

NZL is one of several stevedore operators at the Port of Tauranga.

Mr Harris said he talked to a range of parties and tried to operate a network of transport arrangements.

"We are interested in promoting coastal shipping links and rail links," he said.

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