Set on the edge of Timaru’s CBD, the port of Timaru operates under the banner PrimePort Timaru and is  jointly owned by Timaru District Holdings and Port of Tauranga.  The port has over 50 hectares of flat land adjacent to it, with more on site storage than most other New Zealand ports.

A range of international, national and local businesses operate from the port area which includes 100,000 tonnes of cold storage and an equivalent in dry, plus significant tank and other bulk storage.

In 2013, Port of Tauranga entered into a strategic alliance with PrimePort Timaru, as did Kotahi (Fonterra’s freight management partner) and Maersk, which has seen huge uplift in container volumes and subsequent investment.

As part of this alliance, Port of Tauranga subsidiary Timaru Container Terminal was formed, further enabling South Canterbury and South Island exporters to benefit from a large number of international services and connections not previously available.

Holcim New Zealand’s $50 million cement terminal at Timaru’s port opened in 2016, becoming PrimePort Timaru’s single largest bulk customer, building a 30,000 tonne storage dome – the first of its kind in New Zealand.

PrimePort Timaru offers a full range of cargo and marine services, and is a fishing harbour.