New Zealand Harbor Repurposed With SF Marina
Once the site of a working commercial harbor, Port Nikau is a planned urban waterfront community located 160km north of Auckland, New Zealand, on picturesque Whangãrei Harbor. The dockage is being completely transformed by Heron Marinas, an official SF Marina agent in New Zealand and the Pacific. The multifaceted project includes installing a wide range of SF Marina concrete floating docks with superyacht capacities.
The first phase of the Port Nikau project included the installation of two SF Marina SF1840 floating concrete docks, each measuring 4m W x 25m L and connected via an 8m L sister dock with a golf cart-accessible gangway ramp landing. Yachts up to 60m tie up aft-first in a Mediterranean style. With a 1m freeboard, it’s easy for passengers to walk off the vessel using a passerelle. Bow and forward lines are held by a high-performance anchor system.
Heron Marinas used a proprietary pile system to secure the dock array. Known as Armourpile, they’re made of a composite steel with an outer casing of UHMWPR (ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene) heat shrunk onto the longitudinal submerged arc welded steel pipe. These are attached by Dixon Marine Engineering stainless steel pile guides and held in place by Halfen tracks.
”Due to a change in refit policy at CBD Marinas in Auckland, an opportunity arose for the developers of the Port Nikau project to accommodate superyachts,” said Heron Marinas CEO Tom Warren, CMM. ”With our factory in close proximity to the site and being the region’s SF Marina agent, it was natural that we were requested to be the principal supplier of dock pontoons.” A certified marina manager, Warren is on the board of directors for the NZ Boating Industries Association, was a marina manager and advisor to the 2000 America’s Cup (AC) facility, and past New Zealand representative for the International Council of Marine Industry Associations (ICOMIA) International Marinas Group. A retired professional yachtsman, he has participated in various aspects of AC, Whitbread Round the World and other maxi sailboat racing throughout his career.
The next phase of the Port Nikau project will include Heron Marinas supplying numerous smaller docks using SF Marina floating concrete pontoons. It manufactures SF products at its Whangãrei, New Zealand facility.
Port Nikau is a combination of residential and commercial space brimming with green space and walkable access to recreational and entertainment opportunities. Its deep water access marina has multiple berths for commercial vessels up to 175m. Its website is www.portnikau.co.nz.
