The port

The port is the reason Lyttelton exists. The town was laid out in 1850 to land the Canterbury settlers and their goods, and it has handled the region's trade ever since: wool and grain in the early decades, then frozen meat, and now containers, coal, fuel, cars and cruise passengers.

What you will see

From the town and the hills you can watch container ships being worked at the eastern end of the port, bulk ships loading at the coal stockpiles, tugs and pilot boats, fishing boats and, in season, cruise ships at their dedicated berth. The old graving dock, opened in the 1880s, is a reminder of the port's Victorian engineering.

Watching safely

The working wharves are not open to the public, and the harbour is a busy shipping channel. Watch from the town's public lookouts and the hillside streets, keep clear of port gates and trucks on Norwich Quay, and give way to shipping if you are on the water. Small craft should stay well clear of ships under way and of the main channel.

Official information

The port company publishes its own news and information about its projects, including the cruise berth. For anything about access, shipping or the cruise schedule, go to Lyttelton Port Company directly. We are an independent guide and have no connection with the port company.