Mercury Bay, on the North Island of New Zealand, is a yachting destination with stunning coastal scenery and a gateway to world-class offshore fishing. Whitianga Marina recently completed an ambitious 16-month renovation and expansion project featuring SF Marina docks and walkways, and a unique, curved sea wall.
Whitianga Marina sees heavy ferry and yacht wakes and wind-generated waves, so the sea wall needed to be both durable and efficient. New Zealand- based Heron Construction Company removed an existing rock sea wall and replaced it with an 840-foot-long-by-6.5-foot wide arcing fixed breakwater with public walkway that terminates in a distinct curved end. With walls that include a decorative cast motif, it’s an example of how one of SF Marina’s licensed manufacturers can create custom structures that are not only practical but beautiful as well.
Just inside the breakwater is the 784-foot-long by 19.5-foot-wide dock walkway. It was built using SF Marina type 1120 floating concrete pontoons with angled ends to mirror the breakwater’s curve. The docks provide unprecedented stability and strength and include integrated utility ducts for power and water. Virtually unsinkable, they’re moored with external piles to accommodate the moderate eightfoot tidal fluctuation. The 16 fingers are each five feet wide, range from 57 feet to 64 feet in length and are comprised of type 1515 pontoons.
The project’s floating components were manufactured at SF Marina’s Whangarei, New Zealand facility. They were shipped to Whitianga Marina on a Heron Construction Company barge. Removal of the old rock seawall, dredging and installation all took place while the marina continued daily operations.
Whitianga Marina can accommodate 231 vessels ranging in length from 32 feet to 78 feet. A certified Clean Marina, it is a member of the New Zealand Marina Operators Association. More information about the marina is available at www.destinationwhitianga.co.nz.
Gothenburg, Sweden-based SF Marina engineers and manufactures floating breakwaters and concrete dock pontoons, and related marine structures.
With an international network of offices and production sites, it can transport its products anywhere in the world and has completed numerous recreational and commercial projects around the globe. For more information, visit www.sfmarina.com.
Reprinted from Marine Construction Magazine Issue IV, 2023
