Staff at Northland's port labelled absolute heroes by their boss

Major congestion at Ports of Auckland saw twelve hundred shipping containers arrive further north.

But operations were brought to a stop at Northport yesterday, with forklift drivers reaching their maximum number of working hours.

Chief Executive Jon Moore says handling the extra containers has been a logistical challenge - and forklift drivers cannot work any more hours this weekend, under the company's fatigue management policy.

He says staff have pulled very long hours in order to get the mammoth job done.

The company says the truckies that turned up yesterday expecting to transport goods back to Auckland, were told on Wednesday of the planned break.