Next finalists revealed
Judges faced difficult decisions in the Outstanding Initiative category for Marina and Boatyard Members. Today we name four finalists in this highly competitive category which recognises special projects, innovations, and developments that are worthy of commendation. The finalists are:
Port Nikau for connecting Whangarei's marine industry to the Superyacht market
Port Nikau, in Whangārei Harbour, supports a wide range of vessels. Port Nikau has developed a quality marketing program for its operation that aims not only to promote its own services, but also to strategically promote the wider Whangārei marine industry. The Port Nikau Marine marketing hub enables captains and crew to find all the marine services and information they need to successfully undergo a refit in Whangārei. In time, Port Nikau’s objective is that a steady influx of overseas superyachts and their crews to transform Port Nikau into a bustling hub of activity, and help to strengthen the local Whangārei economy.
Whangārei Marina for the Whangārei Maritime Festival
Inspired by the Black Ball Yacht Club, a group of international cruisers who wanted to ‘give back’ to the Whangarei community, and delivered by the small team at Whangarei Marina, the Whangarei Maritime Festival is a huge free community event that was enjoyed by around 13,000 people in its first year. The event welcomed people of all ages and demographics, exposed Whangarei Marina as a destination, built staff pride and satisfaction, and created all-round good will.
Judges said that this event did an exceptional job of promoting boating and the marine industry, outside of a boat show context. It was part of an innovative partnership with marina customers designed to celebrate boating.
All Aboard - Marina Customers Digital Onboarding
"All Aboard," is the first online and integrated induction system in a New Zealand marina, offering comprehensive digital workflows that deliver video content, manage administrative tasks, and automate customer communications. All content is tailored to meet the specific needs of customers at Marlborough Marinas based on their facility, vessel, and personal requirements. Judges said this is a significant step forward, for a large company which handles myriad sets of data related to health and safety, operations and administration, often coming from a range of sources. It will help to streamline and improve the customer experience, ensures health and safety information is ready to hand, and will reduce the time and cost burden of administration for the marinas.
Waiheke Marina’s floating carpark and office - a New Zealand first
Waiheke Marina is New Zealand’s newest marina, sensitively designed to reflect the significance of the location, the desire to ensure high environmental standards, and to be commercially successful with a niche market of luxury boat owners.
Remarkably, the 180-berth marina was built without dredging or reclamation. This means its construction has been achieved without creating permanent changes to seabeds or coastal currents. The marina developers teamed up with SF Floats and Whangārei’s Heron Construction to create the 2,100sqm of floating pontoons, each 20 x 5m long and built in Whangarei and towed to the site in Auckland, that are now home to its carpark and marina complex.
Congratulations!
Tomorrow, NZMOA will announce finalists in the Boatyard of the Year, with the Marina of the Year announcement taking place on Thursday. All winners will be announced at the celebratory Awards dinner, part of the New Zealand Marinas and Boatyard Conference in Wellington on 12 September, where all finalists will also receive a certificate.
NZMOA thanks its family of sponsors for their support, including:
GOFuel, BoatsmartHQ, Dixon Manufacturing, Heron Construction Company, Gallagher Insurance, Bellingham Marine, Hesketh Henry, Marinaquip, Butchart Marine Services, Poralu Marine, Shorewise, Pacsoft, Cimolai Technology, Biosecurity NZ, Reid Technology, Marathon Products, Superior Jetties, and Dredging NZ.