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Nz Logistics & Transport - Our rising stars The trillion-dollar supply chain question What He Pou a Rangi report means for freight - The Chartered ...
Logistics & Transport nz
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        THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF CILT NEW ZEALAND   Volume 19 Issue 3
                                                             March 2021

Our rising stars
The trillion-dollar supply chain question
What He Pou a Rangi report means for freight
Nz Logistics & Transport - Our rising stars The trillion-dollar supply chain question What He Pou a Rangi report means for freight - The Chartered ...
ON THE COVER
                                                                                                                                                    Aerial shot of Eastland Port’s
                                                                                                                                                              Southern Log Yard
                                                                                                                                                              Photo: Eastland Port
                                                                                   LOGISTICS & TRANSPORT NZ
                                                                                   IS THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF
                                                                                   THE CHARTERED INSTITUTE OF
                                                                                   LOGISTICS & TRANSPORT NZ

                                                   6           Contents
                                                                Heeding our customers’ calls............................................................................... 3
                                                                The PR Company...................................................................................................... 3
                                                                Our rising stars.........................................................................................................4
                                                                The trillion-dollar supply chain question.........................................................6
                                                                Eastland Port – Paving the Way in Future and Environment.......................8
                                                                Are drones the key to future-proof conservation?....................................... 11
                                                                What He Pou a Rangi report means for freight..............................................13
                                                   8            Foreign aviation research and a proposed departure tax could
                                                                benefit New Zealand..............................................................................................15
                                                                CILT Mentoring Review.........................................................................................17
                                                                Workforce Development Council’s Orders in Council Proposals.............20

                                                                In the next edition
                                                                The editorial team welcomes expressions of interest for submitting an article for the
                                                                June 2021 edition of this journal, especially from young professionals (those under the
                                                                age of 35). Contributors should in the first instance contact the editorial convenor,
                                                                Murray King (email murray.king@xtra.co.nz) to discuss their article.
                                                13              Deadline for the June 2021 edition: May 3.

                                                                                                                                                                                 12
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CILT NZ National Office:                 Advertising Contact:                                    Published under                                Also published under
PO Box 1281,                             CILT national office                                    contract (print) by:                           contract (web) by:
Shortland Street,                        Tel: 09 368 4970, Email: info@cilt.co.nz                Excel Digital                                  Webstruxure
Auckland                                                                                         21 Jamaica Drive,                              29 Tory St, Wellington
                                         Editorial Contact:                                      Wellington 5028
Tel: 09 368 4970
                                         Daniel Paul, The PR Company                                                                            Tel: 04 801 7053
Fax: 09 368 4971                                                                                 Tel: 04 499 0912                               Email: hello@webstruxure.co.nz
                                         Tel: 021 400 993
                                                                                                 Email: studio@exceldp.co.nz                    Web: webstruxure.co.nz
                                         Email: daniel@theprcompany.co.nz

Disclaimer: This publication is the official magazine of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport New Zealand Inc (CILT NZ). It is published quarterly. All material appearing
in this publication is copyright and may not be reproduced without the permission of CILT NZ. The views expressed in this publication are not those of the editorial committee, CILT
NZ, its council, officers or The PR company, unless expressly stated as such.
Nz Logistics & Transport - Our rising stars The trillion-dollar supply chain question What He Pou a Rangi report means for freight - The Chartered ...
March 2021               3

Heeding our customers’ calls                                                                                           BY MARK CAIRNS

The Port of Tauranga Chief                           apparent than in the past six
Executive retires at the end of June.                months, as the blockages at Ports
In just a few months I will retire after 15 years    of Auckland have caused chaos
at the helm of Port of Tauranga, by far New          throughout the supply chain,
Zealand’s busiest and most productive port.          congestion at many ports and
                                                     delays for shippers and their
I am proud of what we have built at Port of          customers.
Tauranga, and the wide-ranging benefits
shared by our customers, partners,                   We have done our best to
shareholders and community. Our success              accommodate diverted vessels
has been a huge contributor to the growth            and cargo, but have been
and prosperity of our region and our country.        hampered by capacity constraints
                                                     on the rail network.
Our distance to international markets, and
our persistently strong dollar, means New            To avoid future congestion, Port
Zealand must maintain and improve our                of Tauranga is pursuing plans to
international competitiveness. We must               convert existing port land into a
offer an efficient, low-cost and – more              fourth container berth.
importantly – low carbon supply chain. Ports         The berth construction project
                                                                                                        grapple with the threat posed by the Covid-
and their transport networks are critical, long      will be accompanied by investment in
                                                                                                        19 pandemic.
run infrastructure assets and are vital to our       technology to increase our storage capacity at
country’s future prosperity.                         the container terminal.                            Our health and safety team, working with our
                                                                                                        operational teams, have made a huge effort
Over the past decade, Port of Tauranga has           In addition, we are partnering with Tainui
                                                                                                        to embed new procedures and protocols to
heeded the calls from our customers                  Group Holdings to develop an inland port at
                                                                                                        keep our people and the community safe
to ensure New Zealand has a “big ship                the Ruakura Superhub just outside Hamilton.
                                                                                                        from Covid-19. I thank all of our people for
capable” port. We have invested heavily in           The rail-linked Ruakura Superhub will be a
                                                                                                        their ongoing diligence, especially as many
infrastructure to accommodate bigger vessels         game-changer for the Upper North Island
                                                                                                        of them have to endure the discomfort of
and cargo exchanges, and unlock efficiency           supply chain and unlock even more efficiencies
                                                                                                        regular Covid-19 tests for border workers.
gains for importers and exporters.                   for importers and exporters.
                                                                                                        As I prepare to spend more time on the
Port of Tauranga is now the only port that           These two projects are made possible through
                                                                                                        water and less time in the office, I am
can handle the large 9,500-container ships           Port of Tauranga’s strong relationships with
                                                                                                        pleased to be leaving behind a company in
calling here weekly. These larger ships are          our customers and our suppliers. These
                                                                                                        excellent shape. I’m incredibly proud of the
also much more environmentally efficient,            relationships help us plan for the future with
                                                                                                        positive outcomes we have achieved for our
offering nearly a third lower carbon                 confidence and have seen us grow Port of
                                                                                                        customers and our community.
emissions per container. If we are serious as a      Tauranga from a regional bulk export port into
country about meeting our decarbonisation            New Zealand’s international cargo hub.             I am excited to see where the company
objectives, then we must continue to provide                                                            goes next. There is a creative and innovative
                                                     Of course, success is nothing without the
infrastructure for vessels of this scale.                                                               team to take the port into the future. Port
                                                     ability to send our people home healthy. Our
                                                                                                        of Tauranga is, and will continue to be, New
The need to relentlessly pursue a more               strong focus on safety has intensified even
                                                                                                        Zealand’s Port for the Future.
efficient supply chain has never been more           further in the past year, as we have had to

                                                                                                      LOGISTIC AND TRANSPORT’S
The PR Company                                                                                        NEWEST MAGAZINE EDITORS
ESTABLISHED by Daniel Paul, The PR                   StraitRunner. He was responsible for all the       James Paul (Daniel’s son) is a shareholder in
Company has been in existence in various             PR planning, media interaction, government         the business, and has experience working on
guises for over 30 years.                            relations (regulatory requirements) and            advocacy and promotional/media campaigns
                                                     stakeholder relations needed to establish          for various clients.
Daniel is a Fellow of the Public Relations
                                                     the service, and the subsequent branding           He is a former journalist who worked on both
Institute of New Zealand and has
                                                     and marketing. In doing so, he reported to         a provincial newspaper and for New Zealand’s
nearly 40 years’ experience in strategic
                                                     the company’s three owners who disagreed           largest online news platform, Stuff.
communications and PR roles.
                                                     on virtually every element of the company’s
He has worked in senior positions in both the        operations, differences Daniel was expected        James is directly responsible for the public
public and private sectors, including                to “manage”, but which eventually led to the       relations and communications activities of
managing projects with some of New                   company’s collapse.                                clients including the Crane Association of NZ,
Zealand’s higher profile companies.                                                                     the NZ Institute of Building Surveyors, and
                                                     And he was used by NZ Red Cross to manage          Gas NZ.
Interestingly, he managed the launch of one          the media around the release of information
of the first inter-Island fast ferry services, the   relating to abducted nurse Louisa Akavi.
Nz Logistics & Transport - Our rising stars The trillion-dollar supply chain question What He Pou a Rangi report means for freight - The Chartered ...
4   Logistics & Transport NZ

 YOUNG PROFESSIONALS

Our rising stars                                                                                                       BY JAMES PAUL
THE CILT NZ 2020 AWARDS recognised a number of outstanding Kiwis working in the transport and logistics sector – including two young people
who have been recognised for their progress to date and ambition for the future.

Bradley Rose, the CILT NZ Rising Star Young Employee          Megan Crow, winner of the CILT NZ Rising Star Young Employee of the Year Award 2020,
of the Year Award 2020 Runner-up. Photos: Mel Waite           with C3 Transport Manager Kevin Bird.

Rising Star Young Employee of                          As C3 Transport driver, Von Moore, put               So, what are Megan’s thoughts on receiving
the Year                                               it in his support of her nomination, Megan           such accolades, including the award?
The Rising Star Young Employee of the year             joined the company as “the young lady in
                                                                                                            “I was surprised, as I did not know I had been
recognises a young employee (under 35)                 the office”.
                                                                                                            nominated. But it’s great to know what I am
in the transport and logistics sectors who             But as each day passed, Mr Moore and other           doing is making an impact.
embodies the mission of their employer,                colleagues watched her workload grow,
consistently produces quality work, and                                                                     “I’m passionate about running things well and
                                                       soaking up as much knowledge as she could
displays characteristics that are valued                                                                    making a difference. Helping change our day-
                                                       with each new job, and finetuned it to “make
by their peers and colleagues, as well as                                                                   to-day business processes from a paper-based
                                                       it easier for us the drivers”.
managers.                                                                                                   operation to fully electronic was a highlight.
                                                       “As our transport department grows, so too
No one has epitomised this better than                                                                      “I helped manage the project from the initial
                                                       does ‘the young lady in the office’. She has
Megan Crow, the recipient of the 2020 award,                                                                idea through to implementation. It’s
                                                       become a very capable and respected young
of C3 Ltd Transport Branch.                                                                                 completely changed with way we operate,
                                                       leader.”
Nz Logistics & Transport - Our rising stars The trillion-dollar supply chain question What He Pou a Rangi report means for freight - The Chartered ...
March 2021               5

and we’ve gained a lot of efficiencies within        ever the same – and you need to be able to          Born in the Manawatu, but growing up in
our organisation and the way we work with            think on your feet and always have plans A, B       Hawkes Bay, he moved to Christchurch in
customers.”                                          and C ready to go.                                  2006 where some of his career highlights
                                                                                                         include launching a new transport
Growing up near Wellington, Megan was                “The logistics industry is also one that changes
lucky enough to be selected for a 12-month                                                               management system, launching a digital
                                                     as the world changes. In the current and
AFS Intercultural Program student exchange           uncertain COVID-19 climate, logistics has been      “Cross Dock” system, the building and opening
to Belgium.                                          an essential service offering job security.”        of both the new Ambient Temperature
                                                                                                         Controlled facilities on Foodstuff’s Hornby
Always having an interest in business, her time      Young Employee of the Year Award                    Site, and the IBOD Deployment into Hornby
in Europe opened her eyes to the possibilities       Runner-up                                           Ambient DC – a machine for automatically
of international business and marketing.                                                                 removing the lids off cartons.
                                                     Such was the calibre of talent submitted for
That led her to study at Massey University           the awards, it was hard for judges – including      Bradley likes coming into work each day
towards obtaining a Bachelor of Business             last year’s winner, Isabella Bennich-Wolter – to    because every day is different; there are
Studies (International Business), during which       pick a runner-up.                                   always newer technologies or approaches
time Megan joined the Tauranga-based C3                                                                  to be developed and implemented. The role
front office to undertake administrative tasks.      Nevertheless, judges agreed that Bradley Rose
                                                     not only demonstrates wide technical                also offers the perfect balance of interaction
Ten months later, and a degree to boot, she          knowledge but also excellent presentation and       between IT and supply chain people, he says.
was promoted to Transport Coordinator                change management skills with an ability to         “I like computers, but I like even more the
where she was in charge of labour allocation,        communicate with people at all levels.              opportunity to get out on site and see all of
dispatch, account management and reporting
                                                     The 27-year-old joined Foodstuffs South Island      our supply chain operation in action while
tools for nearly two years.
                                                     10 years ago as a part time employee working        being there to support and guide people
As C3 moved to computerised dispatch                 16 hours a week in the Temperature Controlled       using those computers. The greatest part is
systems – such as ICOST, Container Chain,            Distribution Centre, at a time when it was          seeing somebody’s reaction when they finally
E-Road logbooks and vehicle checks – Megan           operating out of two small chillers and             click to a new process or function I have
must stay two or three steps ahead of staff in       freezers (it now boasts four chillers and three     explained, and you know they will then be
her understanding of these applications.             freezers).                                          empowered to use it for themselves and to
As problems arose, she was able to                   After learning a variety of roles and gaining       their benefit.”
troubleshoot and find a work around and do           experience in all the systems, Bradley joined       As for the future, Bradley is focused on
what she does best – work with drivers to            the support office to help with testing of new      sinking his teeth into more developments
educate them on the new systems.                     system developments.                                and projects, while Foodstuffs wants to
That was no mean feat, according to Mr               This transformed into a full-time role focusing     invest in his future as he is a highly valued
Moore, when dealing with 20 or so older              on system support, and further evolved into         member of the supply chain team.
drivers who aren’t as adept at dealing with          his role today, Supply Chain Systems and            He will be looking to expand his knowledge
new technology.                                      Process Support.                                    of project management to help understand
“In many cases Megan achieved this by not            It is Bradley’s day-to-day responsibility to        and appreciate all roles of this area, as
taking ‘no’, ‘I can’t do this’ or ‘this damn thing   ensure that all of the business’s operational       well as continue his Foodstuffs leadership
won’t work’ as an acceptable answer,” Mr             Distribution Centre and Transport South Island      development by completing the
Moore says.                                          staff have the required knowledge and support       Management Academy.
                                                     needed to effectively use Foodstuffs systems.
“Her constantly positive attitude and pure                                                               Following that there is the Executive
zest for our department is contagious to say         From warehouse management to SAP transport          Development and Advanced Leadership
the least. Inspiring even the grumpiest of us        management and additional third-party               programs, and Bradley will be a strong
to strive for betterment of our department           systems, Bradley handles queries on how to          candidate to begin the CILT programme of
and C3 as a whole, while no health and safety        use current systems, write user documentation       education, via the certificate and/or diploma
issue is left behind.                                for it and lead the training for when new           in logistics.
                                                     systems are launched, or existing ones are
“Megan has been seen many a time, after                                                                  “Our technology is always on the move and
                                                     enhanced.
work, helping someone with their own                                                                     we have some exciting plans around driver
personal problems or helping them with               It seems a lot to have on one’s plate, and with     mobility. I’m also interested to see what
the new-fangled dispatch/logbook tablets.            so many people in the business, Bradley says        comes our way in terms of automation as I
Megan is able to do all of this while not            he was grateful to be recognised for his efforts.   think that’s a huge area we will see a lot of
losing sight of the job in hand and is always                                                            growth in a small amount of time.
willing to listen to new ideas, then support         “I felt very grateful and honoured to have not
them should they be of benefit to our tasks          only been considered for an award but then          “But I wouldn’t be where I am today, or able
or wellbeing.”                                       to receive one, it was a fantastic feeling. With    to think about the future, without the long
                                                     there being so many people in our business it       list of people who have helped me including
As for being a young woman in a male-                is great to know somebody has been looking          family, friends, managers, and leaders
dominated industry, Megan says she doesn’t           out and my efforts are being recognised.
                                                                                                         throughout.
give it much thought as the logistics industry
is a fast-paced environment which recognises         “The next week a photo had been launched on
                                                                                                         “Also, thank you to those who contributed to
people for their expertise and commitment.           our company intranet and I had to field
                                                                                                         the nomination and to the panel for selecting
                                                     more than a few congratulations, but it
“Any young person wanting to make a big                                                                  me as a recipient. Thank you to everybody in
                                                     was extremely encouraging to receive this
difference to the New Zealand economy                                                                    our supply chain that keeps me in a job and
                                                     from departments all over the building and
should look closely at logistics. It is an                                                               thank you to all our retail shoppers that keep
                                                     it created a good sense of community and
industry with great variety – no two days are        belonging within our company.”                      our business alive.”
Nz Logistics & Transport - Our rising stars The trillion-dollar supply chain question What He Pou a Rangi report means for freight - The Chartered ...
6   Logistics & Transport NZ

Dr Margaret Harris says there is an imbalance of boxes in New Zealand as ContainerCo can’t match what they require.
For example, New Zealand needs a lot of refrigerated boxes but the country imports mostly plastic in dry boxes.
Photos: ContainerCo

The trillion-dollar supply chain question
                                                                                                                                   BY JAMES PAUL

  THERE IS A PINCH in New Zealand’s supply                 Several industry stakeholders have reported                perfect storm in terms of disrupting various
  chain; the locales storing containers are full,          sea freight import and export delays with                  parts of the supply chain.
  containers aren’t being taken away, and the              vessels arriving five to seven days late to New
                                                                                                                      According to Dr Harris, containers are arriving
  containers the country needs are not landing.            Zealand.
                                                                                                                      in New Zealand filled with plastic and
  So says current CILT NZ Vice President Dr                This may have flow on delays for exporters to              finished goods. The company then readies
  Margaret Harris, who is also ContainerCo                 move goods offshore, according to MFAT.                    them to export food, mostly milk powder
  Manager - Strategy and Innovation. It is a               The delays have been attributed to multiple                and other food products.
  situation befalling many ports and freighting            causes including deferred import activity
                                                                                                                      Therefore, there is an imbalance of boxes in
  companies, she adds.                                     from earlier in the year due to COVID-19
                                                                                                                      the country as the company can’t match
                                                           shutdowns in trading partners, the death of a
  According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs                                                                        what they require. For example, New Zealand
                                                           worker at the Port of Auckland, and industrial
  and Trade’s (MFAT) October 2020 report –                                                                            needs a lot of refrigerated boxes but the
                                                           action in Australian ports delaying vessel
  Monitoring the Operation of International                                                                           country imports mostly plastic in dry boxes.
                                                           flows.
  Supply Chains – there is a reported fall in
                                                                                                                      “What usually happens is the shipping
  imports of nearly $1 billion in August, which led        “These developments are occurring at a time
                                                                                                                      company often has a few extra spots on
  to the largest annual trade surplus since 2014.          when New Zealand typically enters peak
                                                                                                                      the ship, and they pick up what they call
                                                           import and export season and an inter-
  The report states that the $1.3 billion annual                                                                      evacuation boxes. They take a bunch of boxes
                                                           governmental group of officials led by the
  goods trade surplus was the result of a rise                                                                        that they don’t need away, and drop off a
                                                           Ministry of Transport [MOT] is following
  in exports, particularly of kiwifruit and dairy                                                                     bunch of boxes that can be used which we
                                                           developments closely,” the report states.
  products, and a decline in imports during the                                                                       fill up – matching the loads.”
  national lockdown, notably of crude oil, cars            What does this mean for companies like
                                                                                                                      Not only is this a mix and match problem in
  and other vehicles.                                      ContainerCo on the ground? Dr Harris says
                                                                                                                      New Zealand, but one experienced around
                                                           they’ve “got way too many containers”.
  While COVID-19 has disrupted global sea                                                                             the world, Dr Harris says.
  freight to a lesser extent than air freight,             The company stores, repairs, accepts and
                                                                                                                      “The real problem is that when COVID-19 hit,
  some sea freight supply chain pressures have             releases containers on behalf of major
                                                                                                                      the shipping companies assumed that global
  emerged recently.                                        shipping lines, and this year has been the
Nz Logistics & Transport - Our rising stars The trillion-dollar supply chain question What He Pou a Rangi report means for freight - The Chartered ...
March 2021             7

demand would fall because there would be
a recession. To be fair to them, that is what
happened in the initial stages of the early
lockdown, and the economy kind of tanked
all over the world.
“The shipping companies accelerated their
retirement scheme for some of their older
vessels and cut routes, doing all sorts of
things that are very sensible in a crisis of
that kind. But the thing was, people who
were trapped in their houses, looked at their
kitchens and realised they hated it.
“They had all this extra money because they
weren’t eating out at restaurants, and hired
a kitchen designer, and everyone renovated
their kitchen at once. Suddenly demand for
all those products boomed and needed to
come from overseas.”
There were constraints, however, as shipping
rates “went through the roof”, which Dr Harris
puts down to the various complex factors             Hundreds of containers are trapped inside New Zealand and choking up the system, as there is only a
involved.                                            limited capacity to hold all of them.
She says if you’ve got an empty slot on a
boat, the shipping company has the option
of either taking an empty container – which
isn’t going to make them money – or they
can take a box which can. Therefore, the
shipping companies, says Dr Harris, have been
prioritising full boxes over the empties being
evacuated from New Zealand.
That has led to hundreds of containers being
trapped inside New Zealand and choking up
the system, as there is only a limited capacity
to hold all of them.
“We’re at 130% capacity in one of our yards in
Auckland and 240% in another. We got to
that level of capacity asking our neighbours if
we could stack our containers on their land,
which they kindly agreed to,” Dr Harris says.
“We process all these containers in a batch.
So, how we get above 100% is cutting into
our working space, and the batches become
smaller. Therefore, the container supply – the
repair and upgrade – becomes much more
constrained because you can’t make so many           The pandemic provided all the right ingredients for the disruption of various parts of New Zealand’s
containers available per hour.                       supply chain.
“It’s a really tricky problem for us, which we’re
managing as best we can. My staff and
                                                    already excellent, let’s not get ourselves              “But I would say if it’s going to get better,
colleagues are amazing.”
                                                    wrong.                                                  it’ll get better over the wintertime because
Luckily, MOT has been cognisant of the                                                                      we import and export less during the
                                                    “But I just think the level of their
problem, and Dr Harris applauds their                                                                       winter.
                                                    understanding has taken a quantum leap
strength of conviction to try and fix the
                                                    in maybe the last year. The fact that these             “If we export less during the winter, we
problems.
                                                    guys are ringing us up and telling us they              should be able to remove some of the
“I think the lockdown taught them an awful          understand what the problems are and                    excess containers from the system using the
lot about the supply chain in an awfully short      asking how they can work with us to fix                 slots that come free on the ship.
space of time. And now they understand how          it, is not different from the norm but very
                                                                                                            “But potentially, the ships might not call
it all fits together, they can see what levers      encouraging.”
                                                                                                            into New Zealand because they’ll be
to pull, which is really fascinating. They’re
                                                    As for the supply chain’s pinch being                   desperately needed elsewhere, between
bloody clever.”
                                                    relinquished anytime soon, Dr Harris isn’t sure         China and America, China and Europe.
“I would say that the quality of MOT policy         or confident. She can’t say if the supply chain         These ships might just be re-routed and
that results from this fiasco will improve          will get better or worse, because COVID-19 is           we won’t have so many call, and I'm a bit
greatly. I mean, the quality of the policy was      such a complex and evolving situation.                  worried about that.”
Nz Logistics & Transport - Our rising stars The trillion-dollar supply chain question What He Pou a Rangi report means for freight - The Chartered ...
8   Logistics & Transport NZ

Eastland Port – Paving the
Way in Future and Environment
Aerial shot of the wharf-side log yard, and the Training Wall at Eastland Port. Photos: Eastland Port

ROBYNN HYDE LOOKS INTO WHAT MAKES EASTLAND PORT A MAJOR
CONTRIBUTOR TO THE NATION’S EXPORTS, THE GROWTH OF ITS WHARF,
AND ITS FIRST MAJOR DEVELOPMENT IN OVER A CENTURY.

Originally named Tu- ranga, the city of                    The commodities of trade were flax, muskets,         played an important role of directing the
Gisborne with a current population of 37,000               blankets and tobacco. Not long after Captain         river run so that the flow deviates away from
(recorded June 2020) is characterised by its               Read erected jetties on east and west sides          the port in efforts to stop levels of sediment
water gateway.                                             of the river. It is on the Kaiti side of the river   accumulation.
                                                           in 1852 where a public wharf was established;        With a swell in local growth in early 1960 and
Renowned as New Zealand’s second largest
                                                           prompting the commencement of wharfage               a population of 23,000, Gisborne was known
export port of the nation’s log produce, it is
                                                           fees. The port’s debut harbourmaster and             as an extensive market hub and a city that
also a thriving commercial shipping port. Last
                                                           pilot arrived in 1874.
year the Taira-whiti-Gisborne region recorded                                                                   prospered from local agricultural exports
2.8 million tonnes of cargo exported, a                    With the facilitation by the Gisborne                such as dairy, cattle and pigs, freezing works
sizeable effort considering the pandemic                   Harbour Board, the breakwater was built in           and agriculture, wheat, and peach trees.
impact of 2020 that challenged the resilience              the early 1900’s. It was in 1909 that Gisborne       With further development to the port
of the port.                                               Port handled 574 vessels (majority steam with        including excavation for diversion channel
                                                           smaller portion sail) made possible due to           and the inner harbour work, it was in 1967
Trading dates back to the 1820’s when
                                                           the dredging, blasting and the breakwater            when overseas vessels commenced berthing
European flax was traded by Ma-ori from ships
                                                           development.                                         at Gisborne at Wharf 7.
in the south-west of the bay. One of the first
shore traders along the river was John Harris              The slipway was erected in 1926 as an area for       “Eastland Port’s operations have been at the
in 1831 who set up along the western side of               the repair-work and reconditioning of craft.         heart of Taira-whiti since 1872, enabling our
the Tu- ranganui River.                                    The river training wall built also in the 1920’s     region’s most significant growth industries,”
Nz Logistics & Transport - Our rising stars The trillion-dollar supply chain question What He Pou a Rangi report means for freight - The Chartered ...
March 2021               9

Eastland Group Chief Operating Officer            Examples of this are the $1.8 million             ISO Stevedore office and facility provides a
Andrew Gaddum reflects.                           invested in high grade mooring system and         unified stevedore and marshalling service.
                                                  a navigational safety upgrade.                    The ISO team also run a bespoke workshop
Diversification is the key                                                                          on the harbour to facilitate the repairs to
                                                  Fishing boat berthage is carried out at the
A new trade chapter opened with the                                                                 machinery used for loading vessels.
                                                  inner harbour Wharf 6 (numbers 4 and and
diversification of Gisborne’s industries:
                                                  5 now removed for future upgrade) and the         Investing in enviro-aware initiatives
forestry, agriculture, fisheries, horticulture.
                                                  Marina is available for casual and permanent
With this diversification, the supply chain of                                                      Two storm water treatment systems operate
                                                  hire for small vessels not exceeding 20m.
Eastland Port and the Taira-whiti-Gisborne                                                          at the port; one in the Upper Log Yard and
region responded by providing future centric      Storage facilities: log, dry, break-              the other at the new wharf-side storage yard.
and environment friendly facilities to meet                                                         These are able to treat 50 cubic metres of
                                                  bulk, cool room
the demands of the export chain.                                                                    water per hour each. The Upper Log Yard also
                                                  The Upper Log Yard is a 2.84 hectares storage     has the added feature of two rain gardens
“By exporting more and building capability to     space allocated to suppliers of harvested         which filter storm water, a compliment to
ship more diverse products, local                 logs from the regions and surrounding forest      the storm water treatment system optimising
producers have a cheaper, easier and more         plantations. The Upper Log Yard has a muster      removal of sediment and further cleanliness
environmentally friendly way to export their      point and an underpass for access from the        to sea water. They also plan to install a third
goods to market,” Mr Gaddum says.                 Upper Log Yard to the wharf-side log yard.        water treatment system as part of the twin
Primary commodities and trades                    The Southern Log Yard is the largest storage      berth project which will sit in the Southern
                                                  yard on port at over 9 ha and operates the        Log Yard and complete the treatment of all
The major trading commodities of the region                                                         stormwater across port.
are identified as agricultural outputs            same as the Upper Log Yard. This on port
including beef, sheep, grain farming, while       storage site provides efficiencies for outgoing   There are also two Seabins installed in the
horticulture produces big yields in kiwifruit,    exports due to its close proximity to point of    inner harbour to clean the water and collect
squash, apples, citrus, macadamias, and pip       loading onto vessel on Wharf 8. The wharf-        hazard and waste material.
fruit. Gisborne is the third largest producer     side storage yard is designed for multitasking,
                                                  currently operating as a log storage area but     The port’s eco-friendly head office sits just
of wine in New Zealand. It is the abundant
                                                  is forecasted to be the future parking spot       outside of the port boundaries and runs
forest plantation industry that underpins
                                                  for full container loads.                         on solar energy, and also features charging
Gisborne as an exporter for log and wood
                                                                                                    stations for electric cars. The port also boasts
products. Case in point being the overall         The zero-store chilled storage facility is a      the largest electric vehicle in the country
performance of 2020 which records exports         notable feature of the port providing the         with the recent procurement of an electric
of 2,873,621 tonnes of logs and 17,109 tonnes     benefits of temperature-controlled storage        water truck for dust suppression.
collectively of squash, kiwifruit, apples, and    of fresh kiwifruit produce that is packed
fish.                                                                                               The slipway will be refurbished to create a
                                                  on pallets and shipped. There are two cool
                                                                                                    habitat for juvenile crayfish.
It is the 2018/19 year that recorded exports      storage facilities that has a total cool room
from Eastland Port at just beneath 3 million      capacity of 12,000 tonnes.                        Infrastructure and redevelopment
tonnes, the majority of that being logs.                                                            opportunities
                                                  Matawhero Log Yard is another storage area
The shape of today                                of 5.7 ha which is located off port and           Developing the Twin Berth is the long-time
                                                  provides capacity for the overflow from           goal that has been taking shape and
Eastland Port of Gisborne is a thriving port,     the on-port storage yard and also for new         formation. The result of the development
operating as an export hub providing              suppliers to Eastland Port.                       will see two 185-200 metre vessels
wharfage services, berthing, pilotage,
                                                                                                    berthing concurrently. This will be a pivotal
mooring, towage, vessel hire, space               The export efficiency of logs is bolstered by
                                                                                                    achievement and will open up multiple lines
facilities for customers to carry out storage,    Eastland Port’s own debarking station. The
                                                                                                    of benefits, from jobs, improved productivity,
marshalling and warehousing of cargo.             debarking machines remove bark from logs
                                                                                                    and the ability to expand cargo exports via
                                                  before export on site at the port which
The port has regulated biosecurity-controlled                                                       containers shipping.
                                                  elevates the overall performance of output
zones and log debarking and anti-sap stain
                                                  efficiencies with the added benefit of adding     Actualising the shift to containers will be a
facilities are also features of the port.
                                                  to jobs and economy. Logs shipped in this         game changer as the current export methods
Eastland Port makes up part of the operation
                                                  clean condition have another benefit – the        are restricted to log vessels, breakbulk, and
arm of Eastland Group with their shareholder
                                                  elimination of harsh treatments that are felt     road transport to alternate ports.
being Trust Taira-whiti.
                                                  by other countries exporting wood products,
                                                                                                    “While logs are our primary export today, we
Land side features and wharf                      especially during the brown marmorated
                                                                                                    want to create a coastal container terminal
                                                  stink bug season each year.
Eastland Port has a river basin harbour with a                                                      to expand the options for exporters, enabling
channel depth of 9-10 metres. The port’s          In addition to the aforementioned land            more types of goods to be exported and
Wharf 7 and 8, equipped for berthing cargo        features, Eastland Port boasts a primary          imported via the blue highway,” Mr Gaddum
and cruise vessels have a joint length of         muster station, trailer hoists, port workshop,    said.
364m. The swing basin of the port is 255m         paint locker, scaling yard, and un-chaining       Having the ability to unload or load two
in diameter. The mean tide is 0.3m and            area. Secured areas include Customs               vessels concurrently will bring significant a
anchorage is between 15-18m.                      bonded area, Quarantine bonded area, and          boost to port capacity, export volumes, and
                                                  International Ship and Ports Facility Security    revenue.
Live tracking, shipping schedules,
                                                  bonded area.
environment monitoring, tidal measurements
and vessel pre-arrival planning are an integral   A dry store shed, office, meeting room,
part of the operations and the port has           security hut and secondary muster station
                                                                                                                             Cont. on page 10
invested in latest technologies for accuracy      also feature.
and safety.
Nz Logistics & Transport - Our rising stars The trillion-dollar supply chain question What He Pou a Rangi report means for freight - The Chartered ...
10   Logistics & Transport NZ

The overall development plan will work in                Stage two will involve extending Wharf 8,                  halt. Fortunately, exports have recovered
alignment with protecting the wellbeing of               and dredging the harbour and channel, as                   strongly and the port is humming.”
marine life and upholding the integrity of               well as the reclamation and refurbishment of
                                                                                                                    In December 2020, Eastland Port exported
the sacred rock, Te-Toka-a-Taiau – as well               1.5ha of the existing breakwaters.
                                                                                                                    262,000 Japanese Agricultural Standard or
as respecting iwi and hapu- of Tu- ranganui-a-
                                                         The challenges                                             tonnes via 11 vessels. Despite the challenges,
Kiwa.
                                                                                                                    the port still concluded the 2020 year with
                                                         The COVID-19 pandemic impacted the
The upgrade to the infrastructure will see                                                                          strong figures.
                                                         export trade out of Eastland Port and the
two consecutive stages of development.
                                                         Taira-whiti region, affecting jobs and the                 There will be expected minor disturbance to
Stage one involves redeveloping the slipway
                                                         economy, but the port’s activity has already               movement and berthing at the wharf during
and Wharf 7, with construction beginning in
                                                         shown its willingness to recover.                          Stage one of the site’s redevelopment. This
mid-2021. This is an integral stage to rebuild
                                                                                                                    is due to the necessity to divert vessels to
this section of the wharf so that it can have            Mr Gaddum says: “Our place in the
                                                                                                                    Wharf 8 causing some congestion due to the
the support and durability to accommodate                community was starkly highlighted when
                                                                                                                    kiwi, squash, and log vessels. The port will
mobile cranes. Reducing and redeveloping                 COVID-19 first started impacting our major
                                                                                                                    manage this period by proactive planning and
the slipway will allow for the critical                  export market, China. Seemingly overnight,
                                                                                                                    organisation.
manoeuvre room for two vessels.                          the entire forestry supply chain came to a

           Key Benefits from the Infrastructure                                            2020 outcomes for Eastland Port
           Developments                                                                    Loaded 2.8 million tonnes of Taira-whiti exports onto
           Container shipping will mean mass reduction in                                  129 cargo ships.
           carbon emissions
                                                                                           2,873,621 tonnes of logs exported on 118 ships
           3,000 new jobs created*
                                                                                           11,262 tonnes of squash exported on 6 ships.
           Increase to local economy by $250 million
                                                                                           5,098 tonnes of kiwifruit exported on 5 ships
           Boost to exports of commodities via container
           *includes direct and indirect jobs such as forestry and
           horticulture industry

   Aerial shot of the Southern Log Yard, a log ship berthed at Wharf 7, the slipway, and the outer breakwater at Eastland Port.
March 2021            11

 Are drones the key to
 future-proof conservation?
 Co-founders of Envico Technologies, Samuel Vye (left) and Cameron Baker. Photos: Envico Technologies

 SAMUEL VYE, CO-FOUNDER OF TAURANGA’S ENVICO TECHNOLOGIES
 (FORMERLY ENVIRONMENT & CONSERVATION TECHNOLOGIES), DISCUSSES
 WITH DANIEL DUNT THE FUTURE OF DRONES IN CONSERVATION EFFORTS,
 PROBLEMS FACING THE INDUSTRY, AND WHY THIS INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY IS
 NOT ONLY FOR BIG BUSINESS.

SAMUEL VYE AND CAMERON BAKER                             completing deliveries far faster than ground     impact means that they are not suitable for
founded Envico in 2018. The company was                  delivery. Plus, with drones, you don’t have      heavy-lift drone usage. Additionally, battery
quickly recognised for its leading drone                 people on the ground scrambling through          drones typically have short flight times of
technology and automated ground devices                  dangerous territory, or flying helicopters in    10-20 minutes, so are unviable for many
for invasive pest management. Interest in                turbulent wind, which can cause accidents.       drone delivery or heavy payload applications.
Envico surged in 2019 which led to rapid                 If a drone goes down, it can be irritating and   As a result, Envico is moving towards the
internal expansion, including bringing several           there are financial repercussions, but there’s   petrol combustion engine to power its
engineers on board, to develop technology                no risk to the pilot.”                           drones. “They can fly for much longer and
for other areas of conservation, including                                                                carry more payload. Obviously, petrol
drones for thermal mapping and seed pod                  Despite the array of benefits of using drones    powered drones do emit carbon, however
delivery – a fast and efficient way to conduct           for conservation, as well as for transport       based on calculations comparing our heavy
native reforestation.                                    and logistics long-term, there are               lift drones to helicopters for agricultural/
                                                         some issues standing in the way of the           forestry applications, for example, because
But how do drones compare to more
                                                         technology’s growth.                             our drones are lightweight and the specialist
traditional methods? Mr Vye explains:
                                                                                                          technology used, we do in fact have 85%
“It really comes down to cost efficiency,                First, battery technology. According to Mr
                                                                                                          reduction in carbon emissions compared to a
practicality and safety. Drones are easy to              Vye, until we have a robust battery recycling
                                                                                                          manned helicopter,” Mr Vye clarifies.
get up and running and they’re fast – they do            method, and a renewable energy source
what they need to do and then they return,               for charging batteries, the environmental                                Cont. on page 12
12   Logistics & Transport NZ

Despite the array of benefits of using drones for conservation, as well as for transport and logistics long-term, there are some issues
standing in the way of the technology’s growth.

So, while some environmentalists may be                   commercially viable for everyone involved,                 is an attractive investment prospect for
concerned with the idea of burning fuel, it               which is an ongoing conversation.                          investors – it’s shiny and futuristic in
may well be the best of a bad situation right                                                                        ways conservation or utility drones are
                                                          Thankfully, these concerns are mostly
now, until battery technology improves.                                                                              not. However, that’s changing and Envico
                                                          pertinent when you begin looking at long-
Mr Vye is convinced it will be another                                                                               Technologies are ready to step up. “Passenger
                                                          distance drone operation, beyond visual
decade or more before we can seriously                                                                               drones are an exciting prospect, but the
                                                          line of sight, or in areas of heavy air traffic.
begin comparing the combustion engine to                                                                             technology required for a viable and
                                                          So, while long-haul transportation might
electrically powered for heavy-lift drones,                                                                          cost-efficient system fit for widespread
                                                          be a while away yet, using drones as a
but he’s positive that batteries will get there                                                                      deployment is way off in the future, whereas
                                                          conservation tool as well in agriculture, is
eventually.                                                                                                          we’re ready to start using heavy-lift drones
                                                          something we can benefit from right here
                                                                                                                     for commercial and utility applications right
Regulations are the other major problem                   and now. And it’s not only feasible for big
                                                                                                                     now, particularly as we can conduct BVLOS
facing drones right now: “Regulators are not              business, either.
                                                                                                                     operations in rural environments.”
managing to keep up with technological                    According to Mr Vye, there are many options
developments. New Zealand is still at a point                                                                        Envico has ruled out passenger drones for
                                                          when buying drones, because you can tailor
where, commercially, it is complex to gain                                                                           now and is focusing its attention on heavy lift
                                                          the technology to exactly what it is you
approval to fly beyond visual line of sight                                                                          drones for product carrying, which can carry
                                                          need, including size and type. At the same
(BVLOS),” explains Mr Vye, which of course                                                                           weights of up to 200kg, for two hours and
                                                          time, it’s not even necessary for businesses
severely limits applications. The fix? “A robust                                                                     with a 100km range. To support its efforts,
                                                          to buy their own drones – small drones
structure for regulatory approval, including                                                                         in the coming months it will announce a
                                                          perhaps, but large drones simply can be too
beyond visual line of sight. But first, you need                                                                     sister company which will focus on the
                                                          complex to manage and operate, let alone
to think about safety implications, like how a                                                                       manufacture and supply of these heavy-lift
                                                          gain the certification and approvals required.
manned aircraft would not have an accident                                                                           drones.
                                                          “Partnerships, going to suppliers ... that’s how
with a drone.” Aircraft need to be able to see            small- to medium-sized businesses can truly                “The last couple of years has been a bit of a
each other, so an idea could be like airplanes,           benefit from heavy-lift drone technology.                  whirlwind, with requests from other
drones could use Automatic Dependent                      That way you benefit from the expertise of                 countries and organisations who want our
Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B).                           another organisation, their certifications,                advice or services. And we are looking
                                                          approvals and insurance. There is a whole                  forward to working closely with those
In New Zealand, like other countries, the
                                                          host of factors to consider if purchasing a                interested parties while continuing to push
Government is running an air-space
                                                          heavy-lift drone, far more than a small toy                our innovations forward.”
integration programme, which is all about
                                                          drone, so working with drone specialists can
how we put drones and manned aircraft in                                                                             In a matter of years, drones could be the
                                                          greatly reduce the risk.”
the same space without exclusion zones.                                                                              go-to for time and cost-efficient
This is a promising step towards setting up an            Much of the investment in drone technology                 conservation, and it looks like Envico could
infrastructure for drones, however all parties            and start-ups is currently toward passenger                very well be leading the way – particularly in
need to be happy and the setup must be                    carriers which, much like the space sector,                New Zealand.
March 2021               13

What He Pou a Rangi report means for freight
THE HE POU A RANGI CLIMATE CHANGE COMMISSION’S REPORT
SIGNALS SIGNIFICANT CHANGE TO THE WAY KIWIS GO ABOUT THEIR
LIVES, BUT QUESTIONS REMAIN ABOUT HOW THE GOVERNMENT WILL
GUIDE US TO OUR NEW ZERO-EMISSIONS DESTINATION BY 2050.

                                                                                                                         BY JAMES PAUL

CALLING FOR “transformational and lasting
change across society and the economy”
in response to the climate crisis, the
Commission found New Zealand will miss
its emissions reduction targets if it doesn’t
engage in “strong and decisive action now”.
Therefore, the report recommended
ambitious limits on the amount of
greenhouse gases the country should be
allowed to release over the next 15 years.
Three new targets for the country were set:
an average reduction of 2% each year
between 2022 and 2025, 17% each year
between 2025 and 2030 and 36% each year
between 2030 and 2035.
“Our carbon dioxide emissions per capita are
higher than the global average. Aotearoa
has made less progress reducing carbon
dioxide emissions compared to many other            New Plymouth-based company Hiringa Energy is developing a nationwide green hydrogen
developed countries,” the report stated.            refuelling network. Photo: Hiringa Energy
“Since 1990, our carbon dioxide emissions
have reduced by 5.2%. These reductions
                                                 “In 1990, Aotearoa was ranked 16th out of            This means changing the way we travel and
are slower than 32 out of 43 other Annex 1
                                                 43 Annex 1 countries for lowest carbon               move goods; Kiwis should walk and cycle
countries.”
                                                 dioxide emissions per capita. In 2018, we            more and, more tellingly, freight will need to
Annex 1 countries are defined as the             had fallen to 25th out of 43, just below             come off the road and onto rail and shipping.
industrialised countries that were members       average.”
                                                                                                      The Commission recommends an integrated
of the Organisation for Economic
                                                 That is just snapshot of the hundreds of             national transport network to encourage
Co-operation and Development in 1992
                                                 pages the Commission released in its                 greater public transport patronage, the wide
and countries with economies in transition
                                                 advice to the Government about what and              adoption of electric vehicles, and the use
including Russia, Scandinavia and several
                                                 how to drastically reduce our greenhouse             of low carbon fuels such as biofuels and
other European states.
                                                 gas emissions to meet the Paris Agreement            hydrogen needs to increase in heavy trucks,
The report highlights our transport emissions    targets.                                             trains, planes, and ships.
per capita were high in 1990 and have
                                                 The Commission’s analysis shows that                 While tackling the “low hanging fruit” of
remained high; at 3.4 tCO2 (total carbon
                                                 reducing transport emissions is crucial to           decarbonising the country’s bus fleet by 2035
dioxide) per person in 2018, our transport
                                                 meeting New Zealand’s emissions budgets              is a relatively easy initiative to achieve, it is a
emissions per capita are higher than all but 4
                                                 and reaching net zero by 2050: this will             different story for the trucking industry, Road
of 43 Annex 1 countries.
                                                 have an immediate and lasting impact, the            Transport Forum (RTF) Chief Executive Nick
While worldwide emissions intensity of           report states.                                       Leggett says.
transport increased substantially between
                                                 Transport emissions made up 36.3 percent             “The first thing to say is that, as an industry,
1990 and 2018, our transport emissions rose                                                           we support the Government’s aim of reaching
                                                 of total long-lived gases in 2018, which
more than other developed countries.             is 16.6 Mt CO2-e, with most transport                net zero emissions by 2050. It’s going to take
The Commission found that overall, New           emissions coming by way of fossil fuels              myriad industries and individuals working
Zealand is no longer ahead of comparable         used to power vehicles: petrol and diesel            together with government to even get close
countries in carbon dioxide emissions per        used by cars, SUVs and trucks (91%),                 to that point.
capita as high transport emissions have more     domestic flights (7%) and rail and coastal
than offset low electricity emissions.           shipping (2%).                                                                  Cont. on page 14
14   Logistics & Transport NZ

“We know that the technology to                      The aim is to have efficient and effective        stations across the North and South Islands,”
decarbonise buses is available and coming            movement of freight, and continue to              Mr Cowley says.
on strong – look at all the cities around the        improve that so we don’t let the economy
                                                                                                       “This ready to execute project will deliver
country running fully electric buses. However,       slip and reduce people’s ability to earn a
                                                                                                       the infrastructure to enable the adoption
it’s far less certain for heavy transport,           living throughout our country, he says.
                                                                                                       of zero emission fuel solutions that are
particularly for line haul operators, because
                                                     “If you look at the Climate Change                operationally efficient, practical, sustainable
the distance travelled is so much greater.
                                                     Commission’s own estimates, they think we         and convenient.”
“That is exacerbated by a lack of                    could get a modal shift of about 4 percent
                                                                                                       The company believes its hydrogen FCEVs
infrastructure throughout the country’s              by 2030. While I think that’s ambitious, it is
                                                                                                       can achieve range between 500-700kms,
transport routes. And should the                     within the realm of possibility. But how many
                                                                                                       payload capabilities comparable to Euro 6
infrastructure then be made available,               billions of dollars do we have to spend to
                                                                                                       models and refuelling times as conventional
outfitting trucks with batteries or the              get that?
                                                                                                       vehicles.
necessary charging apparatuses is likely to
                                                     “Rail cannot, and will never be able to,
reduce businesses’ payloads.”                                                                          Additionally, they believe their technology is
                                                     deliver for New Zealand’s freight task. Rail is
                                                                                                       carbon emissions-free, has reduced noise,
RTF members include the Road Transport               just not a contestable mode for doing most
                                                                                                       and high performance with instant torque
Association New Zealand, National Road               of what we need to do. It doesn’t back up to
                                                                                                       and acceleration, with no degradation.
Carriers, and the New Zealand Trucking               a farm gate, it doesn’t go to the supermarket,
Association.                                         and those are the things that people have got     The Motor Industry Association (MIA)
                                                     to remember in this discussion.                   welcomed the report into required pathways
The affiliated representation of RTF is about
                                                                                                       to reduce New Zealand’s greenhouse
3,000 individual transport companies which           “But people get very hung up on the means,
                                                                                                       gas emissions, stating it is a significant
in turn operate between 16,000-18,000                and the means doesn’t exist for our portion
                                                                                                       contribution to the debate and documents
truckers involved in road freight transport as       of the transport industry at this point.
                                                                                                       the challenge ahead for all New Zealanders.
well as companies that provide services allied       Hopefully, they will emerge but, in the
to road freight transport.                           meantime, we’ve got some stuff that we can        Chief Executive, David Crawford, says the
                                                     do to start that journey.”                        MIA has stated on many occasions that it
Employing about 53,000 people, representing
                                                                                                       supports well thought out and constructive
2% of the workforce, the road transport              However, some in the private sector are
                                                                                                       policies that will lead to an increased rate in
industry has a gross annual turnover of              following the Government’s lead in taking
                                                                                                       the reduction of CO2 emissions from New
$6 billion and transports 70% of the New             advantage of what they say is a gap in the
                                                                                                       Zealand’s vehicle fleet.
Zealand’s land-based freight every year,             market.
measured on a tonne/kilometre basis.                                                                   “None of the policies suggested by the
                                                     Take New Plymouth-based company Hiringa
                                                                                                       Climate Change Commission are unexpected
“For us, it’s about making incremental steps.        Energy for example; it is the first company
                                                                                                       other than the timelines for electric vehicle
That’s why the biofuel decision is positive.         in New Zealand dedicated to the supply
                                                                                                       uptake and banning pure petrol or diesel
We might get a 3-4% emissions reduction              of green hydrogen, and provide hydrogen
                                                                                                       vehicles. The task required to decarbonise
throughout our diesel-using vehicles in our          solutions for the transport industry, the
                                                                                                       our transport is monumental.”
fleet. That’s meaningful, that’s practical, that’s   public sector, and transport operators.
real today.                                                                                            Dr Jean-Paul Thull – past senior academic
                                                     They are currently developing a nationwide
                                                                                                       and transport advisor – believes that
“It’s not some future projection based on            green hydrogen refuelling network to offer a
                                                                                                       decreasing carbon dioxide will benefit overall
technology that doesn’t work. And so, it’s the       zero-emission fuel supply chain as a service
                                                                                                       air quality but not necessarily change the
incremental, it’s preparing the industry, it’s       for businesses and public transport operators
                                                                                                       climate as there is evidence of higher-than-
the industry being sustainable in its business       across New Zealand.
                                                                                                       normal temperatures in the past, prior to
practices today to get meaningful reductions
                                                     Fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) combine air   heavy industry.
in CO2 emissions, and continuing that as the
                                                     and hydrogen to make water and electricity,
technology develops.”                                                                                  “Taking the debate about electric or
                                                     while using the same drivetrains as electric
                                                                                                       Hydrogen power trains aside, decarbonisation
Another avenue that Mr Leggett suggests the          vehicles but have a smaller battery.
                                                                                                       can be embraced by applying external and
Government could pursue is producing
                                                     Hydrogen storage is lighter than batteries so     internal accessibility planning principles.
policy that incentivises the use of the Euro 6
                                                     FCEVs carry more payload and drive further,
standards for exhaust emissions, like that of                                                          “We need a strong focus on reducing traffic
                                                     and energy is stored as compressed hydrogen
the European Union’s sixth incarnation of the                                                          congestion associated with modern vehicle
                                                     gas at 350 bar.
directive to reduce vehicle pollutants in both                                                         technology and ensuring a mix of appropriate
petrol and diesel cars.                              Hiringa Public Sector Advisor, Dion Cowley,       modes and intelligent transportation system
                                                     says decarbonising heavy transport and            including pricing models to our congested
A more widespread use of the highest quality
                                                     public transport using hydrogen fuel cell         transport corridors in regard to external
diesel engines would encourage businesses
                                                     vehicles is “low hanging fruit”, and the          accessibility.
to replace their existing fleet with the best
                                                     technology to do so is available now.
possible diesel emission engine on the                                                                 “The toolbox for increased free flow
market, he says.                                     “New Zealand has excellent resources to           can include options like introducing
                                                     generate green hydrogen right now and we          combined bus and heavy vehicle lanes, able
Methods such as fuel-efficient driving, better
                                                     see it playing a key role in New Zealand’s        to be used by private vehicles as a toll lane,
training around how to drive to reduce
                                                     future energy mix.                                shifting expensive sector public transport
fuel consumption, better roads, and less
                                                                                                       fares to time-based fares (e.g., 2 hours, 24
congestion are all incremental changes that          “We begin the introduction of our refuelling
                                                                                                       hours) and including public transport annual
could contribute, too.                               network to New Zealand later this year. Phase
                                                                                                       passes into salary packages by removing
                                                     one of the network roll-out includes eight
                                                                                                       fringe benefit taxes.”
March 2021             15

What He Pou a Rangi                                                            Foreign aviation
report means for freight                                                       research and a
By Greg Miller, Group Chief Executive KiwiRail
KIWIRAIL IS CAREFULLY considering the Climate Change Commission’s
report and is encouraged by the commission’s support for rail, and
                                                                               proposed departure
its recognition of the part rail can play in meeting the country’s
commitment to reducing emissions.
In FY20, using rail instead of road for freight meant a saving of nearly
                                                                               tax could benefit
237,000 tonnes of CO2e emissions. The commission’s proposal is to
shift an additional 4% of New Zealand freight task from the road to rail
and coastal shipping.
                                                                               New Zealand
KiwiRail has the capacity to meet this increased demand. Improvements
to the network’s resilience are being made as a result of substantial
Government investment to address the legacy of underfunding in rail            COVID-19 BROUGHT INTERNATIONAL tourism activity in
infrastructure and rolling stock.                                              New Zealand to a halt, devastating many businesses
The commission proposes the complete electrification of Auckland to            involved directly and indirectly with the sector. James Paul
Wellington and to electrify Hamilton to Tauranga (ECMT) by 2026.               looks at the solutions the Parliamentary Commissioner for
These are not currently on KiwiRail’s workplan, but we are open to             the Environment proposes to redesign the tourism industry.
exploring all options.                                                         West Coast residents made a plea to the Government for
From Hamilton to Tauranga would require electrifying approximately             more support and a nearly $35 million wish list to keep
127 kilometres of single track of the East Coast Main Track line (and the      communities afloat.
Mission Bush branch). The biggest challenges in this section would be          Nevertheless, the pandemic provided Parliamentary
the supply of power from the grid, rather than the electrification of the      Commissioner for the Environment, Simon Upton, the
line, and the need to replace the current signalling system as it is not       opportunity to implore decisionmakers to address some
compatible with having electric traction.                                      of the long-standing environmental and social issues
Other elements which would need to be considered include the                   associated with New Zealand’s tourism industry.
availability of electric rolling stock, which would need to be bought on       In the report Not 100% – but four steps closer to
the international market, and making the necessary improvements to             sustainable tourism, Mr Upton says there is broad support
depots to accommodate that rolling stock.                                      for the idea that protecting tourism livelihoods in the
A substantial part of the cost of electrification is civil works in the rail   short-term should not morph into a slow but inexorable
corridor and installing the foundations for the traction poles. This           return to the status quo in the long-term.
could be done by New Zealand firms that have a history in rail                 According to Statistics New Zealand’s International Travel
construction. However, currently these are generally at capacity with          and Migration, the number of visitors arriving by plane has
other rail upgrade projects and the City Rail Link underway, so it could       increased steadily from 1.6 to 3.8 million between 2000 and
be difficult for this work to scale up without major offshore support.         2019. In the year ended March 2019, 98% of international
Configuring and stringing the wires is specialist work.                        visitors arrived via plane.
Completing the work by 2026 would be very ambitious but not                    The number of New Zealanders travelling overseas
impossible.                                                                    displayed similar growth, with annual departures increasing
The commission has used a figure from 2016 of $2.5 million per                 from 1.2 million to 3.1 million between 2000 and 2019.
kilometre. These estimates will need to be reviewed and reassessed             Additionally, prior to the COVID-19 disruption, tourism-
to reflect current costs, which may be as much as double that in some          related international aviation emissions had grown
parts of the network. In addition, there are other factors to consider         persistently, increasing by 25% between 2010 and 2017. In
such as the cost of improving clearances in tunnels.                           contrast, New Zealand’s gross emissions remained relatively
Separately, the introduction of two new rail-capable ferries mid-              static over the same period.
decade will have a big impact on KiwiRail’s carbon footprint. From             While the pressures of so many international tourists
day one they will reduce the Interislander’s emissions by about 40%,           arriving in New Zealand have subsided due to the collapse
supporting our goal to reduce carbon emissions by 30% by 2030                  in demand for air travel, the eventual recovery of key
and to be carbon neutral by 2050. The prospect of true low/zero-               international markets makes it likely that this respite will
emissions propulsion systems for trains, and more particularly freight         only be temporary, the report states.
locomotives, is an exciting one that KiwiRail continues to monitor
closely.                                                                       The Tourism Export Council of New Zealand (TECNZ)
                                                                               expects the industry’s recovery to return to pre-COVID-19
KiwiRail is committed to helping New Zealand meet its emission                 visitor levels by May 2024, in its 2020 New Zealand
targets, and we continue to investigate the ways in which we can do            International Tourism Recovery Roadmap (the Roadmap).
this. New energy systems and improved technology will be part of our
response.                                                                                                             Cont. on page 16
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