Fonterra says it is as surprised as anyone that container shipping line Maersk has dumped Port Taranaki from its New Zealand service.

Port industry sources had told the Taranaki Daily News they understood the decision was because Maersk had lost a significant portion of its Fonterra exports in the latest tendering round between the dairy company and shippers.

But last night a Maersk spokesman said that was not true. “It’s total container volumes that we’re concerned with – not just any one company,” he said.

Taranaki Daily News