At a time when global shipping has been buffeted by the recession and New Zealand's consumption of overseas goods has slowed dramatically, Port of Tauranga (PoT) is bucking the trend, recording a 7.6 percent rise in its export volume, the Waikato Times reported.

The port handled 13 million tonnes, or 547,000 TEUs, of imports and exports - just 0.5 percent below the previous year despite a 12 percent drop in imports over that time, PoT chief executive Mark Cairns said.

Cairns said the US$33.1 million after-tax profit for the 2008-2009 financial year had been largely due to exports through the port having grown due to international demand for logs, dairy and meat exports.

Log exports from the port have grown 27 percent, dairy 24 percent and meat exports have increased 17 percent.

"We actually increased profits during a recession," he said.