Explainer: Auckland’s Bledisloe North Wharf fast-track project
Friday, 26 September 2025
Work is about to begin on the Government’s first fast-tracked project, Bledisloe North Wharf, part of Port of Auckland’s $200 million infrastructure upgrade.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop and executives from the Port of Auckland officially kicked off construction for the new wharf in a sod turning and blessing ceremony by iwi on Friday morning.
Consent for the development, which was the first approved and started under the Fast Track programme, includes the development of Bledisloe North, a new reinforced concrete-piled wharf at the Bledisloe Terminal, an extension of the Fergusson North wharf, a cruise passenger terminal and other upgrades.
The new multi-cargo wharf will relocate roll-on/roll-off capacity and will be able to accommodate cruise ships more than 300 metres long, allowing the Princess Wharf berth to be reserved for smaller ships.
The Fergusson extension will allow more cranes to access the full length of the berth.
Bledisloe North Wharf will enable the port to berth bigger ships and cruise liners to support the cruise tourism industry. Port of Auckland is hopeful the developments will be enough to entice cruise ships back to New Zealand.
These investments in the port will enable a more resilient port, and one that would better deliver for the city and connect Auckland to the world, Roger Gray, chief executive of Port of Auckland, said.
Gray said development of the wharves would ensure that Auckland could continue to thrive as an economic hub for trade and tourism, and create hundreds of new jobs.
Gray said development of the Bledisloe wharf alone would create 250 jobs.
During the sod turning event, Luxon and Bishop each took turns operating construction machinery. Luxon operated a digger, and Bishop, a much larger vehicle, crane.
Luxon said development of the wharves would “deliver substantial economic benefits to Auckland” over the next 30 years, to the tune of $5.4 billion to the Auckland economy, and $6.6b to the broader New Zealand economy.
The Fast Track panel found that the project could sustain and facilitate 160,000 jobs nationwide by 2053.
“One of the most exciting parts of this development is this will make us big ship capable for cruise and containers, and support Auckland well into the future,” Gray told attendees.
“We’re also investing in the creation of Auckland’s newest cruise terminal. We’ll be co-designing it with iwi, customers, stakeholders, and the community to reflect the rich cultural, social, and economic diversity of our city,” Gray told attendees on Friday.
“Bledisloe North Wharf is a win for Aucklanders too - it enables the port to work with council to provide more access to the waterfront for Aucklanders and reduce the number of cruise ships needing to use the downtown ferry basin.”
Construction of Bledisloe North Wharf is expected to take between 14 and 16 months to complete, and supports both Auckland Council’s long-term plan and Port of Auckland’s long-term strategy to consolidate port operations.
The Government’s Fast Track programme was introduced in March 2024 to make it easier to obtain approvals for large and complex infrastructure, housing and development projects.
Since February 7, the 149 projects included in the Fast-Track Approvals Act have been able to apply for consideration by expert panels under the new process.
The panel approved the Port of Auckland works after 66 working days.
Another 10 projects are being considered, including five residential and retirement developments, and one mining extension in Waihi.