The site was chosen due to the deepwater access, allowing a port to be built in 1884.
Raw sugar came from Fiji, Cuba, Australia, Indonesia, and Peru for refining, and until the building of the Auckland Harbour Bridge, the finished products were shipped out from the wharf.
All other commodities, such as coal, food, and mail, were also handled by Chelsea Wharf.

This port continues to accept ships, generally handysize bulk carriers, delivering up to 30,000 tons of raw sugar.
It remains private, but arrivals at the port are recorded by the Ports of Auckland and subject to Customs and MAF regulations.
 As the ships generally exceed 500 gross register tons (GRT), the ships require pilotage, managed by the Ports of Auckland's Harbour Control.

Some of the land was in the ownership of the Ports of Auckland, and leased to Chelsea.
 In 1997, approval was granted for Chelsea to purchase the land, a total of nine hectares.

The port is located up-harbour from the Harbour Bridge, thus enforcing a large central span (243.8 m) and height (43.27 m at high tide).
The site was chosen due to the deepwater access, allowing a port to be built in 1884. Raw sugar came from Fiji, Cuba, Australia, Indonesia, and Peru for refining, and until the building of the Auckland Harbour Bridge, the finished products were shipped out from the wharf. All other commodities, such as coal, food, and mail, were also handled by Chelsea Wharf.
This port continues to accept ships, generally handysize bulk carriers, delivering up to 30,000 tons of raw sugar. It remains private, but arrivals at the port are recorded by the Ports of Auckland and subject to Customs and MAF regulations.  As the ships generally exceed 500 gross register tons (GRT), the ships require pilotage, managed by the Ports of Auckland's Harbour Control.
Some of the land was in the ownership of the Ports of Auckland, and leased to Chelsea.  In 1997, approval was granted for Chelsea to purchase the land, a total of nine hectares.
The port is located up-harbour from the Harbour Bridge, thus enforcing a large central span (243.8 m) and height (43.27 m at high tide).
Chelsea Sugar Refinery