Port of Tauranga has asked for the need to carry on port rationalization in New Zealand under the given economic scenario.

Chairman John Parker, at the annual general meeting, informed that decline in trading activities in the world has left a number of surplus container ships idle and the outlook for remaining year is not healthy as well.

John Parker said, "The move to newer and bigger ships was happening anyway but is accelerated by the surplus of tonnage and the obvious desire of ship-owners to idle their older, smaller and less efficient container ships."

Mr. Parker said that the firm may save as much as $2 billion to $3b a year but it would depend over bigger container ships to come in New Zealand.

However, he declined the need of governmental intervention and said, "Simply insisting that ports meet the criteria laid out in the Port Companies' Act whereby ports are required to operate `a successful business' would give some focus."

Port of Tauranga reported 7.7 percent decline in trade for the first quarter of 2010 while container trade too declined 24.6 per cent during the period.