The National Freight Forum for the logistics sector was held online on June 20. Some of the topics discussed included the following:
- 98% of summer maintenance of South Island roads was achieved. There are a few areas on SH8 near Fairlie that need work;
- Only 63% of North Island maintenance was done due to the weather. There are massive issues on SH 25 around the Coromandel, East Coast, and north of Auckland which will carry on through winter;
- The death of a contractor killed on Burkes Pass last year when getting out of his truck has led to the development of an updated policy for contractors around safety at sites;
- KiwiRail reports that the rail link between Marton and New Plymouth is to stay open, despite rumours it was to be mothballed. New locomotives in the North Island have arrived; South Island ones (57 in total) are being made in Spain, are a Swiss design, and are scheduled to arrive in late 2024;
- The first new Interislander ferry is due to arrive in late 2025, with the second scheduled for early 2026;
- Coastal shipping representatives report Cook Strait freight volumes are down; Manukau Harbour is being looked at for some ships, and a decent sized commercial dry dock is being investigated as an option. The location is to be confirmed but could be at North Port;
- Waka Kotahi says it will be looking at high-profile crashes more closely with the idea of working with operators to help avoid more;
- A study of the bitumen supply chain found it is secure and performing as expected.
What do you think about these things? Email your thoughts to: info@transport.nz
