Whitianga Marina has taken both major facility titles in the 2026 NZMOA Awards, while Auckland’s Silo Marina received specialist recognition for superyacht operations.
The New Zealand Marina Operators Association has named Whitianga Marina both Marina of the Year and Boatyard of the Year in its 2026 awards. The results also recognise Auckland’s Silo Marina, an eight-berth specialist superyacht facility for vessels up to 145 metres, with a Specialist Distinction Award for its particular role in the city’s marine economy.
Whitianga was selected as Marina of the Year from a finalist group that also included Gulf Harbour Marina, Marsden Cove Marina and Silo Marina. Judges highlighted operational consistency, community engagement and recent infrastructure work including a new fuel dock and seawall.
The Coromandel facility also won Boatyard of the Year ahead of Gulf Harbour, Marsden Cove and Titan Marine Engineering. Its boatyard operates eighteen cradle stands, two enclosed work sheds and a 35-tonne travel lift capable of handling vessels with beams up to 5.1 metres.
Silo Marina was recognised separately for the unusual role it plays in central Auckland’s large-yacht market. NZMOA describes the facility as an eight-berth marina serving superyachts up to 145 metres, giving it a substantially different operating profile from conventional regional marinas.
That distinction is relevant to the international fleet because Auckland is both a destination and a technical stop for yachts moving through the South Pacific. A small number of berths can still have outsized economic importance when they are designed around very large vessels and long-stay support.
Marsden Cove Marina received highly commended recognition in both the marina and boatyard categories. The award structure therefore reflects several types of facility rather than using a single size or commercial model as the benchmark for operational quality.
Guest judge Callum Gillespie of NZ Marine noted the difficulty of comparing purpose-built superyacht infrastructure with destination marinas serving regional communities. The final results put management quality, environmental practice, staff development and community contribution alongside physical scale in the judging criteria.
The awards also recognised operational innovation, including marine-biosecurity work and an in-house staff application for marina safety and compliance. Westhaven Marina’s cadet programme was highly commended for creating a structured entry route into marina operations and professional development.
Brett Colby of Half Moon Bay Marina received the individual contribution award after more than three decades in the sector. Together, the categories show an industry focus extending beyond berths and lifting equipment to biosecurity, training, environmental management and the people who keep marina systems operating safely.
Official sources: www.nzmoa.com.
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