Relevant documents and publications
Economic impact
We are New Zealand’s most significant port, handling 38% of the entire country’s imports and 23% of its exports by value in 2009.
Overall, Ports of Auckland handles 36% of New Zealand’s total annual trade by value – representing nearly 15% of national GDP. As well as our role as a facilitator of trade, Ports of Auckland also has a direct impact on the regional economy.
In 2008, Ports of Auckland commissioned an updated economic impact analysis. This report, by economics consultancy Covec, follows the port impact framework established by the Australian Bureau of Transport Economics.
Ports of Auckland handles approximately $23 billion worth of New Zealand imports and exports each year.
It found that, for the year ended 30 June 2008, the overall impact of Ports of Auckland on the Auckland region was $270 million of output, $144 million of GDP, 1,002 full time equivalent (FTE) jobs and $60 million of household incomes.
Our port-related activities generated $169 million of direct output, $100 million of GDP, 568 FTE jobs and $38 million of household incomes – translating to nearly $67,000 per FTE, which is well above the national average.
Ports of Auckland also generated flow-on output of $101 million, GDP of $44 million, employment for 434 FTEs, and household incomes of $22 million.
In the 12 months to June 2008 each of the nearly 1,700 freight-related ship calls to Ports of Auckland had an average impact on the Auckland regional economy of $159,000 of output, $85,000 of GDP, employment to 0.6 FTE jobs, and $35,000 of household incomes.
Auckland’s growing cruise industry provides valuable tourism revenue to the region.
We also provide significant funding to the Auckland region for major public infrastructure improvements, via dividends to our shareholder, Auckland Regional Holdings (ARH). Between June 2005 and December 2008, Ports of Auckland paid $513.9m in dividends and in-specie distributions to ARH.
New Zealand’s tourism industry also benefits from the 70 or so annual cruise ship visits facilitated by the Port, with each visit generating an average economic benefit of $1.1 million.
