Plan announced for new boat haul-out facility at Auckland's Wynyard Quarter

The boat haul-out facility is proposed to be built at Site 18 at the corner of Jellicoe and Beaumont Sts in Auckland's Wynyard Quarter. Map / Google

New Zealand's marine industry expects to be better placed to cash in on America's Cup fever with the construction of a new facility planned in Auckland for pulling boats out of the water.

The facility is proposed for construction at the so-called Site 18 at the corner of Beaumont and Jellicoe Sts in the city's waterfront Wynyard Quarter and is expected to create 500 new jobs.

The plan features a marine haul-out and refit facility, commercial buildings and a residential tower at the northern end. It will cater for boats of up to 620 tonnes, which is the majority of the international marine market.

The development is also intended to add to existing maintenance facilities for Auckland's ferries, fishing boats and other commercial vessels.

The America's Cup regatta is expected to bring an influx of commercial and spectator vessels.

A plan of the boat haul-out facility proposed for a site at the corner of Jellicoe and Beaumont Sts in Auckland's Wynyard Quarter.

Orams Marine and Auckland Council's Panuku redevelopment organisation announced the proposal after they reached an initial agreement on it.

They will now negotiate a development deal. They said the existing seawall will be replaced and contamination remediation works will be done.

Panuku chief executive Roger MacDonald said the scheme could deliver significant economic benefits for Auckland and the rest of the country.

"Only last week Queensland launched a five-year superyacht strategy with the intention to become a key superyacht hub in the Asia-Pacific region by 2023."

Orams intends to complete the marine elements of the scheme before the residential development so the facility is running for the America's Cup in Auckland in 2021.

The boat haul-out facility is proposed to be built at Site 18, to the left Orams Marine's existing Beaumont St premises at Auckland's Wynyard Quarter.

Orams managing director Craig Park said, "The marine refit facility will create more than 500 jobs and generate significant income for the marine and tourism industries."

Creating the facility "will ensure the opportunity for wider industry and economic benefits will not be lost to offshore competitors".

Site 18 was considered to be the only marine-zoned site of significant scale in Auckland for such a facility, Park said.

"The Orams Site 18 project will further enhance our capability of providing quality refits and maintenance on the world luxury yacht market."

"The latest 620-tonne travel hoist will allow us to triple our capacity for vessels out of the water."

The Marine Industry Association welcomed the signing of the heads-of-agreement by Orams and Panuku, saying the scheme's new jobs would include apprenticeships and it would enable New Zealand "to take full advantage of having the America's Cup in local waters".

"Limited facilities in New Zealand for adequately hauling out vessels of this size means local companies are regularly turning away work."

The association's executive director, Peter Busfield, said, "This move is a step towards a long-term strategy the marine industry has held dating back to 2000."