THE New Zealand Government has announced plans to double the volume of inter-regional freight carried by coastal shipping from 15% to at least 30% by 2040.
Announcing details of the plan, called Sea Change, Transport Minister Annette King said coastal shipping had been the “poor cousin” of the transport sector for too long, instead of being interconnected with rail and road.
“At present about 15 percent of freight is carried by coastal services, including the Cook Strait ferries,” King said.
“In the next 10 years, the amount of freight that must be moved around New Zealand is expected to double, putting pressure on the existing transportation system and network.
