Marina owner seeks international buyers

By WAYNE THOMPSON

The Ports of Auckland will seek overseas buyers for its marinas at Westhaven and Hobson West on the Waitemata Harbour.

Port company chairman Neville Darrow said yesterday the publicly owned company was starting an international tender process.

Mr Darrow said Westhaven, believed to be the largest marina in the southern hemisphere with 1800 boats, was a healthy business, but the company was now concentrating on its container operations at the eastern end of the waterfront.

Hobson West marina was the glamour centre of the America's Cup, hosting up to 22 superyachts.

The company last night refused to put a value on the two marinas.

It holds 17ha in the reclamation around Westhaven after a 1998 sale to developer Viaduct Harbour Holdings.

The company, other landowners and Auckland City Council are looking at potential residential development of the area from the Viaduct Harbour to west of the Harbour Bridge.

In June, the company sold 6000sq m of the Eastern Viaduct, to the Auckland City Council for $5.1 million.

Berth occupation rights for both marinas are restricted to September 2026, when the berths must be surrendered to the marina company for $1.

Further reading: nzherald.co.nz/marine