Multimillion dollar marina opens

A $30 million state of the art marina is almost ready to be officially opened.

After a decade of planning the Waikawa North West Marina build is finished- offering an extra 251 berths, taking the total to 850.

The milestone move means more berths available to boaties - some of whom have been on the waiting list for years.

And a special ceremony will see the new addition officially declared open soon.

Announcing the marina’s completion, Port Marlborough's CEO Rhys Welbourn says hurdles had to be overcome along the way.

He says he is delighted to see the opening happen just in time for summer.

“… It’s just in time for the boating season, and for what is shaping up to be another beautiful summer in the Sounds.”

Started just as the global pandemic unfolded in March 2020, the build dealt with Covid-19 lockdowns and disruptions to the supply chain.

Predictions estimate an annual $2 million boost to the local economy.

Support businesses like mechanical repairs, hospitality and maintenance services are anticipating a surge in demand.

Marlborough Sounds Marinas’ customer service manager Louise Collier says while many berths are already spoken for there are some still available.

“The team have put a lot of heart into making this place special, and it's wonderful to see that effort paying off.”

The Port’s Manager of Infrastructure and Environment Gavin Beattie says the marina’s design is cutting edge.

New to the country, the infrastructure team have used steel piles with precast concrete panels fixed onto the piles to form the breakwater.

Manawhenua iwi of Waikawa, Te Ātiawa o te Waka a Maui, worked with the port’s infrastructure team to bring various contextual cultural elements into the design.

“It’s an exciting moment for the community,” says Rhys.

We are so pleased to deliver this important asset to our boating community, and we would like to extend our gratitude to the residents of Waikawa, the marina’s neighbouring residents, existing berth holders, marinas team, engineers, contractors, and all who contributed to this project.”