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Water Freight Transport in New Zealand Industry Data and Analysis
The Water Freight Transport industry has been highly volatile but has grown an anticipated 6.4% over the five years through 2026-27, including an 11.7% oil price-driven surge in the current year, to $1.0 billion. Pandemic-induced supply disruptions and rising fuel prices, owing to the onset of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, enabled shipping companies to drive up prices, which, alongside recovering economic activity, caused industry revenue to surge between 2021-22 and 2022-23. However, between 2023-24 and 2024-25, water freight transport revenue slumped with falling world crude oil prices leading to declining fuel surcharges, normalising global supply chains limiting pricing power, weakening economic conditions reducing freight volumes and fleet breakdowns and retiring vessels disrupting coastal shipping and ferry activity. Industry revenue is expected to rebound over the two years through to 2026-27, as recovering economic activity spurs volume growth and shipping companies pass on soaring oil prices, especially in 2026-27 following the outbreak of the Iran-United States conflict.
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What's included in this industry analysis
IBISWorld's research coverage on the Water Freight Transport industry in New Zealand includes market sizing, forecasting, data and analysis from 2016-2031. The most recent publication was released September 2026.
About this industry
What's this industry report about?
The Water Freight Transport industry in New Zealand operates under the ANZSIC industry code I4810NZ. Companies in the Water Freight Transport primarily operate vessels that transport freight by water. Freight ferry and harbour freight transport services are also included in the industry. Related terms covered in the Water Freight Transport industry in New Zealand include break bulk cargo, stevedoring and tanker.
What's included in this industry?
Products and services covered in Water Freight Transport industry in New Zealand include Container ships, General cargo ships and Bulk cargo ships.
What companies are included in this industry?
Companies covered in the Water Freight Transport industry in New Zealand include KiwiRail, StraitNZ and Swire Shipping.
Performance
What's included in the Performance chapter?
The Performance chapter covers detailed analysis, datasets, detailed current performance, sources of volatility and an outlook with forecasts for the Water Freight Transport industry in New Zealand.
Questions answered in this chapter include what's driving current industry performance, what influences industry volatility, how do successful businesses overcome volatility, what's driving the industry outlook. This analysis is supported with data and statistics on industry revenues, costs, profits, businesses and employees.
Products & Markets
What's included in the Products and Markets chapter?
The Products and Markets chapter covers detailed products and service segmentation and analysis of major markets for the for the Water Freight Transport industry in New Zealand.
Questions answered in this chapter include how are the industry's products and services performing, what are innovations in industry products and services, what products or services do successful businesses offer and what's influencing demand from the industry's markets. This includes data and statistics on industry revenues by product and service segmentation and major markets.
Geographic Breakdown
What's included in the Geographic Breakdown chapter?
The Geographic Breakdown chapter covers detailed analysis and datasets on regional performance of the Water Freight Transport industry in New Zealand.
Questions answered in this chapter include where are industry businesses located and how do businesses use location to their advantage. This includes data and statistics on industry revenues by location.
Competitive Forces
What's included in the Competitive Forces chapter?
The Competitive Forces chapter covers the concentration, barriers to entry and supplier and buyer profiles in the Water Freight Transport industry in New Zealand. This includes data and statistics on industry market share concentration, barriers to entry, substitute products and buyer & supplier power.
Questions answered in this chapter include what impacts the industry's market share concentration, how do successful businesses handle concentration, what challenges do potential industry entrants face, how can potential entrants overcome barriers to entry, what are substitutes for industry services, how do successful businesses compete with substitutes and what power do buyers and suppliers have over the industry and how do successful businesses manage buyer & supplier power.
Companies
What's included in the Companies chapter?
The Companies chapter covers Key Takeaways, Market Share and Companies in the Water Freight Transport industry in New Zealand. This includes data and analysis on companies operating in the industry that hold a market share greater than 5%.
Questions answered in this chapter include what companies have a meaningful market share and how each company is performing.
External Environment
What's included in the External Environment chapter?
The External Environment chapter covers Key Takeaways, External Drivers, Regulation & Policy and Assistance in the Water Freight Transport industry in New Zealand. This includes data and statistics on factors impacting industry revenue such as economic indicators, regulation, policy and assistance programs.
Questions answered in this chapter include what demographic and macroeconomic factors impact the industry, what regulations impact the industry, what assistance is available to this industry.
Financial Benchmarks
What's included in the Financial Benchmarks chapter?
The Financial Benchmarks chapter covers Key Takeaways, Cost Structure, Financial Ratios, Valuation Multiples and Key Ratios in the Water Freight Transport industry in New Zealand. This includes financial data and statistics on industry performance including key cost inputs, profitability, key financial ratios and enterprise value multiples.
Questions answered in this chapter include what trends impact industry costs and how financial ratios have changed overtime.
Industry Data
What's included in the Industry Data chapter?
The Industry Data chapter includes 10 years of historical data with 5 years of forecast data covering statistics like revenue, industry value add, establishments, enterprises, employment and wages in the Water Freight Transport industry in New Zealand.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the market size of the Water Freight Transport industry in New Zealand in 2026?
The market size of the Water Freight Transport industry in New Zealand is $1.0bn in 2026.
How many businesses are there in the Water Freight Transport industry in New Zealand in 2026?
There are 142 businesses in the Water Freight Transport industry in New Zealand, which has grown at a CAGR of 5.0 % between 2021 and 2026.
How may import tariffs affect the Water Freight Transport industry in New Zealand?
The Water Freight Transport industry in New Zealand is unlikely to be materially impacted by import tariffs with imports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
How may export tariffs affect the Water Freight Transport industry in New Zealand?
The Water Freight Transport industry in New Zealand is unlikely to be materially impacted by export tariffs with exports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
Has the Water Freight Transport industry in New Zealand grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Water Freight Transport industry in New Zealand has been growing at a CAGR of 6.4 % between 2021 and 2026.
What is the forecast growth of the Water Freight Transport industry in New Zealand over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Water Freight Transport industry in New Zealand is expected to decline.
What are the biggest companies in the Water Freight Transport industry in New Zealand?
The biggest companies operating in the Water Freight Transport industry in New Zealand are KiwiRail, StraitNZ and Swire Shipping
What does the Water Freight Transport industry in New Zealand include?
Container ships and General cargo ships are part of the Water Freight Transport industry in New Zealand.
Which companies have the highest market share in the Water Freight Transport industry in New Zealand?
The company holding the most market share in the Water Freight Transport industry in New Zealand is KiwiRail.
How competitive is the Water Freight Transport industry in New Zealand?
The level of competition is moderate and increasing in the Water Freight Transport industry in New Zealand.
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