News
CentrePort and Tū Ātea launch NZ’s first Māori‑built commercial Private 5G network
18 November 2025
Wellington’s CentrePort and Māori‑owned spectrum and digital infrastructure specialist Tū Ātea have today officially launched New Zealand’s first commercial private 5G network, marking a major advance in productivity, safety and Māori leadership in infrastructure.
Built at the heart of the port environment, the dedicated private 5G system gives CentrePort full‑site high‑performance connectivity. It replaces critical wireless dependencies, improves operational resilience and sets a new standard for national freight and logistics hubs. Key features include:
- Dedicated spectrum and wireless infrastructure designed exclusively for CentrePort operations.
- Deployment across port‑wide assets including cranes, trucks, sensors and tablets – supporting the movement of approximately 4 million tonnes of freight annually.
- Wireless architecture optimised for the challenging port environment (large metal containers, moving vehicles, vessels) and engineered to overcome coverage barriers.
- A model of partnership between Māori‑owned infrastructure innovation and national logistics leadership — reflecting Tū Ātea’s commitment to actioning Māori spectrum rights and bringing them into commercial deployment.
Pictured: Antony Royal (Left) with Anthony Delaney
“This network demonstrates what becomes possible when Māori enterprise partners with industry to build technology for the future.”
— Antony Royal, CEO, Tū Ātea
“Our port is a dynamic environment where reliable and fast communication is vital for the safety of our staff and the overall efficiency of the port.”
— Anthony Delaney, CEO, CentrePort
Why today matters:
This launch is more than a tech upgrade. It signifies Māori leadership reclaimed in digital infrastructure, opens a pathway for future private networks across industries, and delivers transformational capability for a nationally critical logistics asset.
Next steps:
With the deployment now live, CentrePort and Tū Ātea will progress further applications including advanced sensor networks, remote monitoring and smart logistics—all delivered over the dedicated 5G capability.
