Northport is located at Marsden Point in Northland.
Photo: Northport

The Ministry of Transport says it is exploring the case for the government to develop a new dry dock in Northland.

The proposal for a dry dock of scale to service bigger commercial vessels has been considered for several years by local and central government.

Following a tender process last month, consulting firm Price Waterhouse Coopers has been announced as the agency to lead the business case.

PwC will identify the strategic and wider benefits of a dry dock for Northland and New Zealand, as well as consider ownership structures and financing.

The case was expected to be presented to the Minister of Transport by mid-2023, before further decisions were made.

Last year, a report commissioned by Northland Inc found a shipyard and dry dock development could create 1000 jobs.