National Road Carriers supports the establishment of Special Economic Zones and agrees that increasing New Zealand’s fuel and energy resilience is vital to supporting the wider economy.
Turning the Marsden Point refinery site into an energy precinct makes sense as there is existing infrastructure to build from.
New Zealand will be reliant on imported fuels for several decades until users transition to alternatives as they become commercially viable.
New Zealand is also facing increased supply chain disruptions from geopolitical conflict and natural or physical disasters that impede shipping.
Increasing the on-shore capacity to withstand disruptions is needed urgently.
