Ramdin was dismissed just before the close for 107 to end a sixth-wicket stand that lifted the score to respectability after another Calypso collapse had seen the team slump to 86-5 soon after lunch.
Chanderpaul was not out 94 at the close, with Darren Sammy yet to score as the West Indies fight to win the Test in a bid to level the three-match series.
After just 142 runs were scored in the first two sessions, the post-tea session of play yielded a further 147 runs.
New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum won the toss and with hindsight he may regret his decision to bowl first as rewards were hard to come by except for a brief period after lunch.
After the West Indies had progressed cautiously to 77-1, they collapsed to 86-5 in the space of 34 deliveries before Ramdin joined Chanderpaul to put them back on track.