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A set of new marine service buildings has been officially "launched" with a traditional champagne bottle at West Park Marina.
The new buildings, which had committed tenants three months before they were completed, bring to 11 the number of marine-related companies now located at the marina. Les Rassie, West Park general manager, says a further three companies would like to move to the marina if space were available.
The new buildings now house five new tenants: Benseman Marine, Yanpower, Maritimo Services, Westpark Shades & Covers and W. H. Electrical. Rassie says these will complement the long-established boatbuilding, boat painting, chandlery, general engineering and travel lift businesses already based on the marina.
He says the increasing popularity of the marina as a service centre is due largely to Kevin Lidgard, who runs the marina's travel lift services.
"Kevin has been attracting refitting and maintenance business from throughout the Pacific," he says.
"This business is growing every year, creating local employment and injecting export dollars in to the local economy."
Lidgard runs a 75 tonne travel lift alongside a hardstand area of about 2ha. This can accommodate up to 60 boats.
Westpark Marina has 592 berths, which are now 95 per cent occupied. This is in stark contrast to the situation two years ago. Then the occupancy was below 80 per cent and the value of the berths was dropping, due to major problems with silting in the marina. The marina has since invested in equipment to undertake dredging and has worked with the ARC and Waitakere City Council to find an appropriate place to deposit the silt.
Rassie says the result is the sharp increase in occupancy rates, an increase in berth value of 40 per cent over the last year and a booming marine service industry.
The marina also has a retail centre with 13 shops and a water taxi service between the marina and downtown Auckland.
