We've long reported the on-going development of the Yard 37 Marine Industry Precinct (MIP) in the upper Waitemata Harbour, now in to its second decade. 20 hectares of land was set aside with consents in place and firm commitments required from three marine companies to trigger the next stage of investment and development.
These three significant land sales have unfortunately not been achieved, despite strong levels of interest upon launch, with only one commitment past the post by the closing date at the end of March 2013.
A strategic planning review has now determined two potential ways ahead: one is to reduce the marine footprint, with a 10 hectare MIP site and 10 hectares for residential development; the second sees the loss of the MIP with 20 hectares of residential development.
Work is in hand to secure consents for the revised plans for the smaller MIP. Both options will remain on the table until March 2016, but if the required levels of pre-commitment from the marine sector cannot be achieved, then the MIP would be forfeited for solely-residential development.
The good news is that a launch road to meet MIP specifications for large and heavy loads will be constructed regardless, on the basis that it will be needed for the MIP and the costs of putting in an 'either/or' solution are prohibitive. This should be completed by April 2014. If the MIP subsequently fails to proceed, the higher cost of the MIP-spec. launch road will be recovered by the higher land values achieved for residential - rather than marine commercial - development. Such a road/ramp will substantially enhance launch and recovery facilities in Hobsonville, regardless of the final outcome.
So, what we need now is for two further marine companies to commit investment to the MIP; the Yard 37 facility will have a future and substantially enhance the marine capabilities, not just of Auckland but of New Zealand overall.
(Reported from an update issued by Auckland Council Property Ltd, 29-May-2013)
Alloy Yachts team wins Marine Trades Challenge 2013
Congratulations to the Overall Winner of the Harken Trophy: Alloy Yachts International – Team 9 - Travis Page, Jac Hebson, Luc Whitehouse and Theo Finlayson, managed by Mike Lee.
Other Category Winners were:
Best Built Boat: 1st Alloy Yachts International - Team 9 2nd Holton Marine 3rd Alloy Yachts International - Team 10
Health & Safety 1st Alloy Yachts International - Team 10 2nd Southern Spars – Team 7 3rd Alloy Yachts International – Team 9
Innovation 1st Alloy Yachts International – Team 9 2nd Holton Marine 3rd Riviera
Team Support & Presentation 1st = Southern Spars – Team 6 and Team 7 3rd = Alloy Yachts International – Team 9 and Team 10
The Best Performance for first time entrants was also a tie between General Marine Services and Holton Marine
TheFirst Non-Boat Builder Team was Southern Spars – Team 6
The Managers Award went to Andy Marshall of General Marine Services.
Secondary Schools Division this year resulted in a win for Tamatea High School – Team 4 - Victoria Lowe, Shyla Haimona, Jamie-Lee Grace and Alicia Baldwin, managed by Dana Berquest.
Once again we thank our major sponsor Boating New Zealand and all the other event sponsors: Boating NZ, KIA, Makita, Yamaha, NZ Sailing Trust, Diversified Products, North Sails, Burnsco, Harken, Survitec Group, Nuplex, Bailey Marine, International Paints, FixTech, BBS Timbers, Southern Spars, Adhesive Technologies, Gurit, NZ Marine.
NZ Marine Trades Challenge 2013 held Saturday 16th February was a great success and we congratulate the winners and all companies for their participation in this exciting industry event.
Peter Busfield NZ Marine Executive Director
(taken from NZ Marine Member Fastmail - 18-Feb-2013 See also www.nzmarine.com)
Zefiro wins New Zealand Millennium Cup 2013 The NZ Millennium Cup 2013 was another great success with the fleet of 5 superyachts enjoying three competitive races on the Hauraki Gulf on 15 to 17 February. The final results are:
NZ Marine congratulates all owners and crew for their participation in this prestigious event.
(taken from NZ Marine Member Fastmail - 18-Feb-2013 See also www.nzmarine.com)
'Current and future spending totalling over NZ$70m is planned by Auckland to enhance its super yacht capability over the next three to five years.
According to reports, this spend will involve both public and private funds, and the largest part of the plans will be a new complex of facilities for new build, refit and berths at Yard 18, a 16,000m² site adjacent to Silo Park.
This long-term project is set to cost NZ$43.5m using both public and private money but as yet the capital mix has not been decided.
Waterfront Auckland (WA) owns this land and will be the lead player in the development. At the centre of the complex will be a 2,500t capacity synchrolift repair and refit centre, which will be operated by Orams Marine Services, who have their existing repair/refit centre next door.
The synchrolift will allow much larger super yachts to be hauled out than previously and it will also provide a launch option for any new build yachts. In addition to the synchrolift there will be a range of sheds for all of the support services, a dedicated paint hall and new build sheds.
The need to handle larger super yachts led WA to put in six new berths at Silo Park last year for yachts up to 90m (295ft). These supplemented the 150 berths in Viaduct Harbour, which can moor vessels up to 60m (197ft). These berths were fully booked during the Rugby World event and are well booked for the upcoming season.
Alongside at present are the 61m (200ft) White Rabbit Echo, which is the biggest refit project yet for Integrated Marine Group, and 77m (252ft) Weta. She is being fitted out by Specialist Marine Interiors and Nautical Contracting, following the hull and superstructure having been built at the Marco shipyard in Chile. Weta is the new yacht for Graeme Hart, one of New Zealand's wealthiest businessmen.
"The project review has been completed and we are expecting to have works completed so that facilities are available for this Southern Hemisphere summer," says Richard Aitken, WA's general manager of property and assets. "We'll be using local resources and services and it is our intention to operate the marina facility in perpetuity."
"The total area of consist of land and water space and includes an additional 90m pontoon plus a 15m extension of our existing Silo Park marina berths."
This refers to Yard 18, which is currently being used as a base for Team Prada in the America's Cup. The 15m extension will allow two yachts up to 110m (360ft) to be berthed. The extra two 90m berths will make eight in all at the Silo Park marina plus the alongside cement berth.
Just north of Silo Park, a NZ$20m project is planned by the Sanford Group, a leading fishing business, which wants to make better use of its land holding. In what will be the largest private investment by a marine company for a number of years, two 57m (187ft), 200t capacity slipways are planned as well as an 11 berth marina for vessels between 70-75m (230-246ft).
"We are currently working through the planning consent and hope, if we get approval, to start work by the end of 2012 with a 12 month build period,' says Peter Rourke, the Sanford executive overseeing this development. 'We hope to be ready for the start of the 2013 summer."
Cruise liner facilities too are part of the larger scheme. Design plans have been revealed for the proposed conversion of a heritage building on Auckland’s waterfront into a world-class multi-use cruise and events facility.
Shed 10 on Queen’s Wharf, dates back to 1910 and was used for much of its life as a cargo shed for export and import goods. More recently, it formed a key part of the festivities for the Rugby World Cup 2011 Fanzone on Queen’s Wharf.
As a key economic development project in the Auckland Council 10 year budget (Long Term Plan) an innovative and adaptive refurbishment is planned at a revised cost of $14.6m, compared with an initial budget of $25m including gangway, design and preparation costs.
The upgrade will transform Shed 10 into a unique venue for major and community events and offers improved processing facilities to capitalise on Auckland’s growing reputation as a hub port for visiting international cruise ships in the South Pacific.
Forecast numbers for the 2012/2013 cruise season indicate a further 25 per cent increase in passenger numbers to approximately 214,000. In 2011/12 the cruise industry generated approximately $268m in direct spend into Auckland alone and provided around 1,550 jobs.
Shed 10 will be over 50% larger than the current cruise facility on Princes Wharf and is being designed to cater for cruise ships carrying up to 3,000 passengers and for events of up to 3,000 people.'
- Prix du Design - Monaco Yacht Show - Vertigo - Alloy Yachts
Congratulations to both Lloyd Stevenson Boatbuilders and Alloy Yachts for being finalists in the 2012 Showboats Design Awards in the following categories:
- Recreational Space Designed for Guest Use - Vertigo - Alloy Yachts
(Source: NZ Marine Industry Association, April & September 2012)
SY Vertigo, from the board of Philippe Briand, is 67.2m (220') and grosses 837 tonnes; nicknamed 'The Big One' in build, she is the largest luxury sailing yacht to be built in the Southern Hemisphere to date.
Go to http://www.alloyyachts.co.nz/our+fleet/Vertigo.html for more information and some stunning shots of Vertigo's launch, as well as details of three more vessels currently in build and due for completion in 2012.
Congratulations also to Yachting Developments, confirmed as a finalist in the Naval Architecture category for Antares III.
Refits One of the jewels in the crown of the NZ marine scene, the Refit sector continues to be busy. Auckland capabilities have been augmented by ongoing improvements in facilities at the Orams yard, with a rebuild of the 600 tonne slipway and a new 90m work berth.
(Based on material published by the NZ Ministry of Economic Development, updated to reflect Marine Industry statistics published in May 2012)
'Solving unique problems, or just coming up with a unique way of doing something has given New Zealand a manufacturing sector that involves more than 20,000 companies and employs a quarter of a million people.
Around 14,000 of these enterprises employ fewer than five people; NZ manufacturers rely less on scale, than they do on being more canny in business, innovative in the way they work, quicker on their feet. Better ways of doing things'
The marine sector comprises of hundreds of companies and about 8,000 jobs, including over 400 apprentices currently completing trade studies of between 3-5 years. Despite the impact of the global recession, which has seen the sector shrink by 10% every year for the last three years, forecasts remain bullish.
Almost half the population is associated in some way with boating and nearly a third fish recreationally. Best estimates indicate that there are 300,000 boats in NZ, with an average of 5,000 new ones sold every year, 80% of which are manufactured locally.
Kiwi employers will often expect more of their staff than similar businesses in other countries. The ability to turn your hand to a wide range of duties and to 'think outside the square' are rightly valued as being central to the 'can do' attitude to life and work in New Zealand. The NZ brand of boat building is synonymous with achievement, flexibility, technology and innovation.
Nowhere is this better exemplified than when Bill Hamilton emerged from his shed in Irishman's Creek in 1954 with the first Hamilton Waterjet engine, to go blasting up the McKenzie Country rivers. Today, the company he founded employs around 300 people in Christchurch, and their jet propulsion units are found in craft all over the world.
Marine manufacturing and support is something New Zealand can be truly proud of, and you might say that Kiwi DNA has salt water in it!
