MOVe Logistics adds Newcastle call to trans-Tasman multipurpose service

MOVe Logistics has added Newcastle, Australia to its trans-Tasman multipurpose shipping service, with the 9,000 dwt vessel Brio Faith making the first call at the port's Mayfield Multipurpose Terminal on 27 October 2026 carrying containers and breakbulk cargo.

The monthly service strengthens connections between regional ports in New Zealand and Australia, and it hands businesses in New South Wales' Hunter region a direct maritime option for trade with New Zealand that does not route through Sydney's ports.

What does the new call change for shippers?

The addition of Newcastle gives Hunter region businesses an alternative to trucking international cargo south to Sydney, according to the Port of Newcastle. The port says the new connection can potentially reduce inland transportation costs and cut congestion-related delays for manufacturers, exporters and importers moving goods across the Tasman Sea.

That is a commercial shift with real weight. Cargo that previously depended on Sydney port capacity and the road corridor between the Hunter and Sydney can now load and discharge at a terminal within the region itself. For shippers of breakbulk, out-of-gauge units and project shipments, where trucking costs climb quickly with size and weight, a local port call changes the landed-cost equation.

The service is not a pure box loop. It is built for mixed cargo profiles that mainstream container lines handle poorly or price punitively.

Which ports and what capacity?

The operation is run by the multipurpose vessel Brio Faith. Key specifications:

• 9,000 dwt tonnage
• approximately 630 TEU container carrying capacity
• two 40-tonne cranes for handling breakbulk and project cargo
• monthly sailing frequency

The vessel's own lifting gear matters here. It lets the service work regional ports where shore-side crane capacity is limited, which is precisely the segment MOVe has targeted since launching its trans-Tasman shipping network in 2022.

Beyond the new Newcastle call, the service covers five New Zealand ports and four Australian ports:

• New Zealand: Marsden Point, Tauranga, Lyttelton, Dunedin and Bluff
• Australia: Bell Bay, Brisbane, Townsville and Port Alma, plus Newcastle

That footprint is deliberately regional. It avoids the mainline gateways of Auckland and Sydney in favour of ports closer to where cargo is produced and consumed.

Why does this fit MOVe's strategy?

MOVe Logistics, based in New Zealand, has operated the trans-Tasman network since 2022, focusing on regional ports and cargo types that require flexible handling arrangements. The Newcastle addition expands the service's Australian coverage and adds another maritime connection for New South Wales businesses trading with New Zealand.

The move follows the logic of the whole network: serve cargo that needs gear-equipped vessels, flexible stowage and direct regional calls, rather than competing with the big container alliances on volume lanes. Containerised shipments, breakbulk, out-of-gauge cargo and specialised project shipments all sit within the service's scope.

For forwarders and shippers, the practical consequence is a monthly, gear-capable option linking nine regional ports across the Tasman, now including the biggest coal export port's multipurpose terminal at Newcastle.

Whether the monthly frequency can absorb demand from Hunter region shippers will determine if MOVe adds capacity or a second vessel; for now, the Brio Faith and its two 40-tonne cranes carry the expansion alone.