In an event hosted by NZ Marine, one of New Zealand’s biggest marine travel lifts has opened at Oceania Marine’s South Shipyard at Port Whangārei, New Zealand. It increases the size of yachts the shipyard can service from 100 to 560 tonnes, further boosting the South Pacific's refit capacity.

Oceania Marine opened in 2009 as a refit and repair shipyard at the North Shipyard in Port Whangarei New Zealand. Subsequently, the infrastructure works have expanded to include an 800-tonne railway slipway, 4 hectares of hardstand and associated buildings, and extensive refit shed space. 

“With both the 100T and 560T machines in operation, the extensive hardstand and undercover refit facilities available at South Shipyard will be an attractive option for yachts. With this new marine lift, we have the ability for multiple ships to be worked on at one time, it opens the potential for new jobs and apprenticeships, and it creates jobs in support industries. COVID-19 played havoc with our schedule, but this has been worth the wait and we are on track to have everything ready for the return of the superyacht fleet and southern summer season”, says Oceania Marine Managing Director, Martin Gleeson

In 2019, Oceania Marine was approved for a loan of up to $5.84 million (NZD) from the Government’s Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) to buy the 560-tonne capability travel lift and complete the supporting civil works.

Head of Kanoa – Regional Economic Development & Investment Unit, Robert Pigou, says that the marine travel lift is an example of a PGF investment that helps grow businesses and strengthen communities: “The boat and ship maintenance, repair, and overhaul market are highly lucrative, so our investment in this sector has the potential to be transformational for the region’s economy, as well as providing high pay, highly skilled apprenticeship and employment opportunities for Whangārei.”

This event was also hosted by NZ Marine, the New Zealand marine industry association, and marked the opening of Oceania Marine’s Business Hub for use by other marine industry colleagues as well as the launch of the Oceania Yacht Agency.

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