The owner of Lyttelton Port has confirmed it has received a proposal from a consortium seeking to lease port operations.
Reports of the proposed deal, believed to involve Dubai-based multinational logistics company DP World, have been circulating for several weeks.
In a statement to RNZ, the port's owner Christchurch City Holdings Limited said it had received an unsolicited proposal from a consortium, which related to Lyttelton Port, but did not name the source.
"The proposal was sent via email, late on Wednesday (17 June)," CCHL chief executive Matthew Slater said.
CCHL's statement said any proposal related to interest in the parent company's assets was reviewed as a matter of course.
"In this case, a review of the proposal will be completed in the context of council's letter of expectation and specific direction related to leasing of port operations," Slater said.
Fears over port privatisation
Unions representing port workers have raised concerns about the incoming proposal, releasing a statement asking Christchurch City councillors and other decison-makers to shut the door on any deal.
"If a multinational network operator like DP World captures Lyttelton Port, it will mean skyrocketing costs for local businesses, the systematic stripping of community wealth, the degradation of critical safety standards and widespread job losses on the waterfront," Rail and Maritime Transport Union Lyttelton Branch secretary Mark Wilson said.
The unions have suggested that Lyttelton Port Company executives informed staff of the proposal ahead of its arrival, but both LPC and its parent CCHL rejected the claims.
"LPC has had no involvement in any deal with DP World," a statement released to RNZ on behalf of LPC chief executive Graeme Sumner and chair Barry Bragg said.
"LPC has not entered into any negotiations, agreements or discussions with DP World regarding the ownership or operation of the port."
CCHL has also rejected union claims that directors of the company have been touring wharf infrastructure, in connection with the proposed deal.
"CCHL's board meeting at LPC [on Thursday] is unrelated to the proposal.
"This was a pre-arranged meeting to engage with LPC and give due consideration to LPC's resilience and expansion project at Te Awaparahi Bay," CCHL's Slater said.
RNZ has contacted DP World for comment on its potential involvement in the proposal.
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