Port of Tauranga will almost double its handling capacity following fast-track approval

Port of Tauranga has been granted fast-track approval by the government to enable a major port expansion known as the Stella Passage development.The project will involve extending the Sulphur Point container berth by 385 metres and the Mount Maunganui wharf by 315 metres, almost doubling its handling capacity.The port said the project will see it convert existing cargo storage land within the port's current footprint, as well as reclaim land behind the new wharves and dredge the passage.An application for fast-tracking the project was lodged in January 2026, with approval taking around five months from the appointment of an independent expert panel.It follows an earlier application in 2021 for fast-tracking through the Covid-19 fast-track system, which was declined.Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop said the project has a lengthy history under the Resource Management Act, spending roughly seven years navigating standard RMA processes and Environment Court hearings.Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop.RNZ / Mark Papalii"The Port of Tauranga is New Zealand's largest port by volume, handling roughly a third of all cargo in New Zealand. Current activities at the wharves are constrained by limited container capacity, vessel congestion and the age of the existing infrastructure."The Stella Passage development will address these constraints by enabling larger ships and almost doubling the handling capacity at the port."Port of Tauranga chief financial officer Simon Kebbell said the approval was very welcome news."The Stella Passage development is vital strategic infrastructure to support future freight growth for New Zealand. It will improve the resilience and efficiency of the international supply chain and lower costs for importers and exporters," he said.