Coastal shipping across New Zealand
NZ's longest-established coastal shipping brokerage — independent, multi-carrier, multi-modal.
Coastal shipping is the backbone of New Zealand freight — the sea leg that connects our main ports and the fastest, cheapest way to move containers, vehicles and heavy machinery between the North and South Islands. Transport Logistics has been broking coastal sailings longer than any other agent in the country, and we're not tied to any single carrier.
That independence matters. We tender every job across the carriers running the route you need, so you get the sailing that actually fits your cargo, your port pair and your deadline — not whichever ship the carrier happens to want to fill.
Independent brokerage
Not tied to any shipping line — we tender every job across the carrier network.
All main NZ ports
Auckland, Tauranga, Napier, Wellington, Nelson, Lyttelton, Timaru, Bluff.
Container, RoRo & break-bulk
FCL, LCL, reefer, hazardous, flat-rack, machinery and oversized cargo.
Multi-modal drayage
Road and rail linehaul to and from port — one point of contact end-to-end.
Full-vessel charter
For large or time-critical volumes we arrange part or full vessel charter.
Trans-Tasman & international
Same brokerage model extends to Australia and worldwide export/import.
Coastal container shipping
Container coastal shipping between Auckland, Tauranga, Wellington, Lyttelton, Nelson, Timaru and Bluff is our biggest volume. FCL is priced per box; LCL is priced per cubic metre when you don't have enough cargo to justify a full container. See the current container schedule.
Machinery and RoRo
Excavators, tractors, cranes and other heavy plant usually ship RoRo (roll-on roll-off) — the cheapest option when the machine can drive on and off under its own power. For non-driveable or oversized items we arrange break-bulk lift-on/lift-off. Current sailings are on the machinery schedule.
Vehicles
Cars, vans and light commercial vehicles move on the same coastal services — usually containerised for protection, or RoRo when volumes justify it. See motor vehicle shipping.
Getting a coastal shipping quote
Send us the origin and destination ports (or door addresses), the cargo description with dimensions and weight — or the container size and count — and the timeframe you're working to. We'll come back with options and pricing across the carriers running that lane. Request a quote.
Frequently asked
- What is coastal shipping in New Zealand?
- Coastal shipping is the movement of freight by ship between New Zealand ports — the domestic sea-freight leg that connects Auckland, Tauranga, Napier, Wellington, Nelson, Lyttelton, Timaru and Bluff. It's usually the cheapest way to move containers, vehicles and heavy machinery between the North and South Islands.
- Which NZ ports do you cover for coastal shipping?
- All main ports: Auckland, Tauranga, Napier, New Plymouth, Wellington, Nelson, Picton, Lyttelton (Christchurch), Timaru, Dunedin (Port Chalmers) and Bluff.
- Coastal shipping vs the Cook Strait ferry — which is cheaper?
- For unaccompanied containers, machinery or vehicles that don't need to move overnight, coastal shipping is almost always cheaper per tonne than the ferry. The ferry wins when you need a driver + truck combo across on a tight timeframe.
- How long does coastal shipping take between Auckland and Lyttelton?
- Typically 3–5 days port-to-port depending on the sailing and any Wellington or Napier calls. We can share the current schedule when you request a quote.
- Can you handle full vessel charter?
- Yes. For large or time-critical volumes we arrange full or part-vessel charter across our carrier network — including reefer, hazardous, flat-rack and out-of-gauge cargo.
Get a coastal shipping quote
Independent, multi-carrier — the sailing that fits your cargo, not ours.