21 Aug 2013

Growth in shipping trade prompts multi-million dollar development

9:53 pm on 21 August 2013

Lyttelton Port near Christchurch says a multi million dollar development there is due to the rapid growth in shipping trade.

The port, a subsidiary of the Christchurch City Council, has unveiled the latest step in its $21 million infrastructure investment.

It has set to work four new straddle carriers on Wednesday which lift containers from ships and transfer them around the port.

The fleet of carriers now stands at 22.

Chief executive Peter Davie says container trade has increased by more than 20% in the past two years and is expected to double in the next eight years.