Port Nelson Limited

Port Nelson is the maritime gateway for Te Tauihu – a vital hub for economic activity and a key facilitator of our region’s continued growth and prosperity.

Port Nelson is an international port located in the city of Nelson and is owned by Infrastructure Holdings Ltd which is in turn equally owned by both Nelson City Council and Tasman District Council. The rich history of Port Nelson has helped shape the vibrant ‘gateway to the world’. Early accounts of Wakatū (Nelson) - means a ‘standing place or shelter for canoes’- described the area’s rich history for Māori trading fish and produce. Since the establishment of the Port Nelson Harbour Board in 1901, Port Nelson has welcomed visitors and commercial traders to Te Tauihu and, to this day, continues to respond to its customers’ and community’s needs. The Port handles a wide variety of cargo, including containerised cargo and bulk cargo.

Approximately 67% of Port Nelson’s volumes are exported and 33% are imported. Major export commodities include forestry products (logs, sawn and processed timber), seafood, pip fruit and wine. Port Nelson is the largest seafood processing port in Australasia, supporting and catering to the needs of some of New Zealand’s main seafood companies and associated fishing fleets. The Port also houses one of New Zealand’s largest marine service sectors. Nelson/Tasman is the second-largest apple growing region in the country, with approximately 28% of the total apple crop being grown here and exported around the world. Approximately 70% of New Zealand’s wine is produced in Marlborough, making Port Nelson a vital link in the wine industry’s supply chain. The main import commodities to Port Nelson are fuel and vehicles, both second-hand and new.