Port of Tauranga in new Kotahi joint venture as first half sales fall

Port of Tauranga in new Kotahi joint venture as first half sales fall
By Jonathan Underhill Feb. 19 (BusinessDesk) - Port of Tauranga posted an 8.2 percent gain in first-half profit as a gain on the sale of a stake in Timaru Container Terminal to logistics group Kotahi made up for weaker sales. It doesn't expect earnings to grow in the full year because of a downturn in forestry. Profit rose to $42.6 million in the six months ended Dec. 31, from $39 million a year earlier, the Tauranga-based company said in a statement. Sales fell to $136 million from $137 million. Sales were below brokerage Forsyth Barr's...