Lyttelton port volumes up 15pc

Lyttelton Port of Christchurch says total import and export volumes remain at growth levels of 15 per cent year on year even though quake-related, imported replacement materials are yet to ramp up.

Chief executive Peter Davie said there was confidence, particularly in the agricultural sector, that good volumes would continue, though obviously commodity prices were down significantly.

The growth of 15 per cent was in the 2011-12 year to date versus the prior corresponding period.

"I think we said at the half year [to December 31] we're up about 15 per cent, and that's continuing. So we're seeing very good volumes through the port, particularly in the container market."

Exports were the major leader in the growth, with the company expecting to see quake-related imports start as residents replaced houses destroyed by the earthquakes.

Those imports had started slowly with the delivery of a couple of boatloads of steel.

"[But] we're not seeing what I would call a significant uplift at this stage ... you're going to have a split of things like cement and steel, and then the remainder will be containerised," Davie said.

"There's a lot of office and household goods that have to come in. When you think about rebuilding a house, it's often about appliances and all those other things as well."

- © Fairfax NZ News