The commercial use of Oamaru Harbour - perhaps bringing back a coastal shipping service - will be explored in a port business development plan, if the Waitaki District Council decides to contribute up to $10,000 for a study.
The corporate service committee yesterday recommended a port business plan be prepared. The council will have the final say on May 19 as to whether it will allocate the money from the dividend from Whitestone Contracting Ltd, which it owns.
A harbourside development plan has already been prepared by the council and is being incorporated into its district plan. It looks at heritage, tourism and other opportunities at the harbour.
The port business plan would look at port-related activities, including the opportunities for reviving coastal shipping, which stopped visiting Oamaru in the mid-1980s.
The council already had an offer of help from a neighbouring port company and an approach from a "small coastal trader".
Corporate services group manager Stephen Halliwell said yesterday the study was about using the harbour as a business.
Increases in fuel prices and an intent by the previous government, including setting up a contestable fund of $19 million, could lead to a revival in coastal trade.
A study had shown it cost about $1300 to move a container from Auckland to Christchurch by coastal shipping, compared with about $3000 by road.
"There is a potential for coastal shipping to come back to the port," he said.
