Christopher Luxon opens new $40m freight apron at Christchurch Airport

It also has high-speed X-ray screening capabilities.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said Christchurch Airport’s new $40 million DHL freight apron facility was “truly world-class”. Photo / Anna Heath.

Located at the Dakota Park freight and logistics precinct, it replaces an older service point and gateway facility at Christchurch Airport.

Luxon described the facility as “truly world-class”.

“This is an outstanding and critical piece of infrastructure for New Zealand,” he said.

“We need this airport to unlock the growth that sits in the South Island.

“This region is doing exceptionally well. It’s got massive amounts of momentum

“Having a gateway like this that actually connects the South Island out to the world is just so critically important to New Zealand.

“If we could turn the rest of New Zealand into Canterbury, it’d be fantastic.”

Christopher Luxon called the new facility a “critical piece of infrastructure for New Zealand”. Photo / Anna Heath.

Christchurch Airport chief executive Justin Watson said the project was about much more than infrastructure.

“This isn’t just a new piece of concrete. It’s an investment in the future of Christchurch and the South Island,” he said.

“The way businesses move products around the world is changing rapidly. Exporters need fast, reliable connections to global markets.

“This apron gives us the capacity and flexibility to support that growth for decades to come.”

Located at the Dakota Park freight and logistics precinct, the facility replaces an older service point and gateway facility at Christchurch Airport. Photo / Anna Heath.

The facility was first announced in December 2024.

Christchurch and the wider South Island was one of the fastest-growing regions for DHL over the last five years, the company’s New Zealand and Pacific Islands managing director Mark Foy said at the time.

“DHL has supported that strong growth with a daily Boeing 767 operation connecting New Zealand’s South Island to the world,” he added.

“The new DHL gateway will have direct access to the tarmac which enables us to significantly improve shipment processing speed and help more Kiwi exporters and importers get their products to international markets.”

DHL also said the facility would achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions over its entire lifecycle.

The facility would have a solar photovoltaic system, electric vehicle charging stations, advanced energy metering, and integration with Christchurch Airport’s campus-wide rainwater harvesting system.