CONGESTION at New Zealand north island Port of Tauranga has eased as the Ports of Auckland returns to full operating capacity with the end of strikes and labour disruptions.

Tauranga has stopped docking ships that want to divert from Auckland, with MetroPort utilisation peaking at 220 per cent and the Tauranga Container Terminal handling a record 20,200 TEU a week compared to its normal 11,000-13,000 TEU.

Tauranga Container Terminal (TCT) and MetroPort Auckland operations have continued at more than 100 per cent capacity during the past fortnight, reports the UK's Port Strategy, but this is expected to ease shortly.