Port Taranaki has long prided itself on being a key contributor to the Taranaki economy and community – operating with the wellbeing of the region always front of mind. “We take our important role of helping Taranaki succeed very seriously, and our vision of being ‘The Pride of Taranaki’ is something we work towards and aim to achieve in all aspects of our business,” explains Port Taranaki general manager commercial Ross Dingle. Being agile and adaptable to changes in markets and cargo has been central to the port’s success over decades and, once again, the port is moving with the times and working alongside business and the community to help bring new revenue and employment streams to the region. Cruise tourism and o shore wind production are a particular focus. With the region being ‘o the beaten track’ and largely unexplored, Taranaki is becoming more and more attractive to cruise lines looking for new and exciting tourist destinations. At the same time, o shore wind developers are eager to take advantage of New Zealand’s status as having the fth best wind resource in the world by establishing o shore wind production facilities o the Taranaki and Waikato coasts. Port Taranaki has a key part to play in both these sectors. In 2023, Port Taranaki, alongside a number of key stakeholders, including the regional development agency Te Puna Umanga Venture Taranaki, iwi and hapū, tour operators and the business community, developed the Taranaki Cruise Strategy, with the aim of sustainably growing cruise tourism. “The strategy gives us a clear pathway of where we want to go in the next ve years and a set of initiatives to work on that ensures we’re developing a high-value cruise tourism o ering that’s sustainable, consistent, respects the environment, boosts the economy, adds vibrancy to the community and nurtures cultural enrichment,” Ross says. The strategy includes the target of ’28 for 28’ – having 28 cruise ships visit Taranaki in the year 2028. “It’s ambitious, but we believe our region has plenty to attract international visitors and cruise lines who are looking for a unique and memorable experience.” The strategy’s rst season was a success, with a record seven vessels visiting. “As a port, we’ve been working a long time on developing this part of our business. Alongside Venture Taranaki, we’ve been promoting our region through the New Zealand Cruise Association and at cruise expos. We also have a great planning and marine team who have worked hard to ensure cruise vessels can be accommodated around our day-to-day shipping business. “It’s a real Team Taranaki e ort and we’re proud of what we’ve achieved so far and are excited about the future of cruise tourism in the region.” Wind is beginning to ll the sails of the o shore wind production industry, as Aotearoa New Zealand looks to enable more renewable energy production at scale. Developers are looking to establish o shore wind energy production, with nine proposed projects earmarked for o the Taranaki and Waikato coasts. As New Zealand’s only deep-water commercial port on the west coast, Port Taranaki is a key cog in the wheel of an o shore wind production industry. A study last year found that Port Taranaki will have an essential and strategic role in the development of o shore wind farms – for the marshalling and assembly of wind turbines and structures, as a base for installation during the construction phase, and for supporting associated industry vessels during the ongoing production and servicing phase. There is also the possibility for excess generation to be used to produce other energy products, which could be shipped through Port Taranaki. Recently, Port Taranaki was among a group of co-funders to support an extensive o shore wind study – the National O shore Wind Energy Industry Impacts Study – published by PwC. The study, which was released at the O shore Renewable Energy Forum in Taranaki, revealed that o shore wind will play a critical role in helping Aotearoa reach its net-zero goals, while contributing $50 billion to GDP and creating 10,000 new jobs. “The study nds that economic activity and employment will be generated around the port, providing a timely boost for our region as traditional energy production slows,” says Port Taranaki chief executive Simon Craddock. “For this to occur, upgrades to port infrastructure are necessary, and the timing of upgrades is critical to ensure o shore wind farm construction is not delayed. Developers are targeting projects to be delivered in the early 2030s, and as major port infrastructure projects take, on average, 10 years to plan, consent and construct, we’re on that critical path now to provide the necessary port infrastructure. “Beyond o shore wind support, port upgrades will also have the potential to unlock broader industrial development, attract new investors and business and export opportunities, and support future decommissioning of oil and gas elds.” Cruise, offshore wind highlight port’s ability to adapt NEW ZEALAND’S PREMIER ENERGY PORT • Decades of skills, knowledge and experience supporting the o shore energy sector. • Embracing the future and working with renewable energy developers to bring o shore wind production to New Zealand. Ross Dingle, General Manager Commercial Phone: 027 310 5112 | Email: rdingle@porttaranaki.co.nz
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