Lyttelton Port Company (LPC), New Zealand, exchanged a record-breaking half a million TEU – the first time in the port’s history.
The total throughput for the port’s financial year 2022 was 502,210 TEU, a 15 per cent increase from last year.
Net Profit after Tax for FY2022 was NZ$18.9m ($10.8 million), an increase of 18 per cent on the previous year.
“This significant milestone was only possible thanks to the hard work, dedication and innovation from our teams at Lyttelton Port, CityDepot and MidlandPort, as well as our customers,” commented LPC Chief Executive, Kirstie Gardener.
“It’s been a year of great highs, but one tragic low for the port with the loss of Cargo Handler, Don Grant, on ANZAC Day. Don’s passing was deeply shocking for the LPC whānau and this loss is felt by us all, but most of all by Don’s family.”
External investigations into the death continue with LPC’s cooperation.
The year also brought a major change in leadership at LPC as former Chief Executive, Roger Gray, resigned to move to Ports of Auckland and Gardener took the port’s helm.
Gardener is the first female Chief Executive of LPC and has been part of the executive team as General Manager People and Safety since February 2019, after first moving to the port from ANZCO Foods Ltd.
“I’m committed to building on LPC’s momentum this year and ensuring that we continue to play our role in delivering positive outcomes for Canterbury and the wider South Island,” said Gardener.
“People are at the core of what we do and I’m proud to lead the LPC whānau and am excited about what we can achieve together in the future.”
LPC is the South Island’s largest international trade gateway that facilitates the movement of billions of dollars’ worth of imports and exports each year.
The company saw a 37.5 per cent rise in the value of exports through the port this year to NZ$8.61 billion ($4.93 billion) – a NZ$2 billion ($1.15 billion) increase from the previous year.
The value of imports into Lyttelton also jumped by 44.5 per cent to just under NZ$6 billion ($3.44 billion).
This significant growth highlighted the need for an Eastern Development programme, which will expand the Lyttelton Container Terminal on the Te Awaparahi Bay reclamation and boost capacity from 500,000 to 620,000 TEU per year.
“We have completed some major upgrades to our Dry Dock facilities this year and we’re also adding a new container yard, four new reefer towers, new truck receival and dispatch lanes, and a new straddle workshop facility,” said Gardener.