CLEARING CUSTOMS IN WESTHAVEN
Panuku Development Auckland has established a new Port of First Arrival (PoFA) berth that enables vessels under 25m to clear in and out of customs from Westhaven Marina.
Westhaven manager Kevin Lidgard says the service will enable vessels visiting New Zealand to sail directly to Auckland to undertake refit, maintenance, and provisioning.
Around 600 boats visit New Zealand each year, including boats owned by New Zealanders returning to the country, a number expected to grow with the upcoming America’s Cup.
Vessels over 25m in length are catered for by facilities at nearby Viaduct and Silo Marinas but since the closure of the ‘Admiralty Steps’ several years ago, smaller boats arriving in the country have been required to arrive in Opua or Marsden Point – both many hours from Auckland by water.
“Yachts clearing into Westhaven will support the industry of marine services that are based in the area,” Lidgard says. “This includes major refits and small touch ups that need to be undertaken while visiting New Zealand.”
The marina has also just established a new berth for commercial vessels such as ferries to load passengers at its commercial base at Z Pier.
