Kiwirail is confident it'll survive despite the state-owned operator is losing 15 percent of its staff to job cuts.

Although Kiwirail runs at an annual loss, CEO Peter Reidy told Mike Hosking stakeholders are now seeing the true value it offers.

He says Kiwirail delivers 30 percent of New Zealand's exports, and says without heavy rail in this country, our ports could not continue.

LISTEN TO THE FULL INTERVIEW ABOVE