End of commercial shipping suffers weather delays

No cement tankers have visited Onehunga over the last 3 weeks, leading to speculation that Holcim has already ceased shipping cement from Westport to Auckland. This is due to end in June.
However the lack of sailings is apparently due to the weather and the effect of shifting sands on the harbour entrance bars of both the Manukau and Westport.
Soundings are due to be taken at the Manukau Bar later this week and it is hoped that deliveries will resume, abeit for a short time until the service ends.
As long time shipping observers, we were unaware that sea coditions and the harbour bars had such an influence on these ships. Who knew?