Inland port enhances regional trade

Marlborough’s first inland port has officially opened, marking a significant milestone in regional trade and transport infrastructure.

Operated by QuayConnect, Port Nelson’s logistics division, the facility is strategically located in Riverlands to support the growing freight demands of the region, reducing transport costs, supporting economic growth and streamlining supply chains.

Centred in a 5000 sq metre modern high-stud warehouse, its services include product storage, unloading imports, and loading export containers. The facility also has a container yard with empty and full container capacity.

With about 80 per cent of New Zealand’s wine grown and produced in Marlborough, the facility is a game changer for regional exporters, importers and logistics suppliers.

That’s according to QuayConnect general manager Jaron McLeod, who says it also supports the established QuayConnect model of utilising empty truck capacity to move packaging across to Marlborough and full trucks of wine back to Nelson.

“This facility is set to transform the way goods move in and out of Marlborough, offering businesses greater efficiency, reduced carbon emissions, and a strengthened supply chain,” he says.

The facility is located immediately next to New Zealand’s largest wine bottler, WineWorks Marlborough.

WineWorks chief executive Peter Crowe says this will help his firm reduce emissions, enabling use of electric tugs to take packaging to its bottling plant and full wine bottles back for storage or trucking to port for export.

Transport partner Central Express will be a tenant at the facility.

Managing director Jason Millar is excited the facility is now open, increasing customer choices in terms of meeting supply chain requirements.

In 2020, wine was estimated to make up 18 per cent of the Marlborough economy and contribute $570 million to the region.