Port of Tauranga Wins Fast-Track Nod for Stella Passage
Seven hundred metres of new wharf would lift container capacity towards 2m TEU
The Stella Passage development at Tauranga has been approved under New Zealand's Fast-track Approvals Act 2024, subject to conditions. The port announced the decision on 7 September and said it and its advisers were reviewing the final wording; the decision remains subject to appeal rights under the Act.
The project adds roughly 700 metres of wharf in total. The Sulphur Point container berth is to be extended by 385 metres in two stages and the Mount Maunganui wharves by 315 metres, in both cases by converting cargo storage land that already sits inside the port's footprint. Associated reclamation behind the new wharves and dredging of the passage itself are part of the consent. The port set out the scope in its announcement of the approval.
The constraint being addressed is berth availability rather than yard space. The port has said its container terminal is essentially at capacity and cannot take on new shipping services because there is nowhere to put them. The development is expected to lift annual container capacity from around 1.2m TEU to approximately 2m TEU. In the financial year to 30 June 2026 the port handled 1,213,494 TEU, up 0.4% on the year before.
"The Stella Passage development is vital strategic infrastructure to support future freight growth in New Zealand," said chief financial officer Simon Kebbell. "It will improve the resilience and efficiency of the international supply chain, while lowering costs for importers and exporters. The development is urgently needed, so it is a great relief to reach this important milestone."
Crane selection is shaped by the airport next door. Two gooseneck ship-to-shore cranes are specified for the southern end of the Sulphur Point terminal to stay within a 78-metre height limit tied to the proximity of Tauranga Airport, while two further cranes would be allowed a maximum structural height of 110 metres with the boom raised.
The scheme also underpins a planned move from a straddle carrier yard to automated gantry cranes, beginning with two yard crane blocks set perpendicular to the quay while straddles continue to shuttle boxes between quay and stack.
This story is part of the Maritime Briefing of 12 September 2026.
