Dom Kalasih: Transporting New Zealand CEO on the increase of fees at Port of Auckland

Transporting New Zealand warns increases in Auckland port fees will be passed on to consumers.  

Fees per container at peak times will increase from $130 to $180 in January 2026.  

They'll then jump to $350 in January 2027.  

Transporting New Zealand CEO Dom Kalasih told Mike Hosking that it would be one thing if the port was seeing productivity gains from the increases, but they’re not. 

He says there comes a point in time where you have to wonder if this is just a case of robbing Peter to pay Paul. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
More trouble around costs and fees and as a result inflation,
Port of Auckland are upping their fees. As I'm sure
you're well aware, freight companies currently charged one hundred and
thirty a container. This is at peak times. This is
going to rise to three hundred and fifty by twenty
twenty seven. Now Donkalisi is the Transporting New Zealand CEO
and as well, there's morning to you, morning Mike. So
this isn't new, is it. I mean, we're aware of this,

(00:20):
we know it's coming. Is this about adjusting times or
you know, have the trucks arrive at times that are
more convenient to the port.

Speaker 2 (00:28):
Look, I think that was the intent of container booking feeds, right,
But our concern would be in the first instance, that
we're not really seeing the product of the gains from
these increases, all right, And frankly we'd argue it comes
a point in time where you have to think, hey,

(00:48):
is this just a case of robbing Peter to pay Paul?

Speaker 1 (00:51):
So this is again you think this is a gouge
from the.

Speaker 2 (00:53):
Port A pretty much? Yes?

Speaker 1 (00:57):
Okay, So what more importantly, what can you do about it?
Because the port's downtown. They've got traffic problems. They're a
monopoly to an extent. Yeah, I either deal with them
or you don't.

Speaker 2 (01:10):
But that's the problem. I mean, but becomes an issue
of is this purely about a port trying to make
money or and at what stage does that start to
hurt New Zealand ink now, because these prices have to
be passed on and ultimately that shows up as an
increased cost of living.

Speaker 1 (01:32):
And and this is the conundrum because of course we've
had the head of the port on before and they go,
oh but look look what I can return to the
council and the council owners and the council want returns.
That's how it works in it done.

Speaker 2 (01:41):
Yeah, that's right, And so there's that sort of As
I said at the start, we're okay if we're seeing
a change in productivity at the port. I think people
understand that that's good investment. But that's not happening.

Speaker 1 (01:56):
Can you change freight even if you wanted to, when
they say turn up, you know, two fifteen in the
afternoon instead of five o'clock at night, can you do that? Well?

Speaker 2 (02:05):
Look not not really, And that's been shinned worldwide. I mean, look,
port congestion is an issue globally, right and also I
mean you look at that those peak times, I mean
five am to six pm, that's pretty big peak period.

Speaker 1 (02:23):
It is, Yeah, it is. But the council want their
money and the port want to make a profit, and
someone's going to pay for it. So what's your solution
other than appealing to their good nature, which you know,
at a bottom line basis, they don't have one. So
what's the young.

Speaker 3 (02:40):
I think?

Speaker 2 (02:41):
And the supplies to supply chains even broader than just containers, right,
I'll viue is that a model that looks at an
integrated supply chain and ultimately what's good for New Zealand Inc.
Is a much better model then a supply chain where

(03:01):
each of the actors across that supply chain it's just
working for themselves.

Speaker 1 (03:06):
So you want a minister involved, you're talking about central government.

Speaker 3 (03:10):
Ah, so I think I think it can be done
without central government involvement. You know, there are other supply
chains that work, that do work sort of better.

Speaker 2 (03:23):
But yeah, I suppose that's the last resort.

Speaker 1 (03:26):
Well, we'll follow it with interest. I appreciate your time
and I wish you the best of luck withither Don Kalisi,
who's the Transporting New Zealand CEO. For more from The
Mike Asking Breakfast, listen live to news talks that'd be
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