From Wednesday, MSC — the world’s largest container shipping company — will include Port Chalmers as a stop on its shipping route linking New Zealand and China via Australia. Port Otago customer general manager Craig Usher said the news was "big" and represented new export and import capacity for Otago and Southland. Port Chalmers’ inclusion in MSC’s Asia-Oceania network meant Dunedin would now have a direct flow of products to and from North Asia, Mr Usher said. Port Otago previously had access to a CMA CGM-operated service, which was withdrawn in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. For the past two years, MSC serviced Port Chalmers via a trans-ship service to Tauranga, utilising its Oceania 2 loop service.

Source: Otago Daily Times January 30, 2026 23:15 UTC