It’s here! The official opening of a new 110-tonne Cimolai travel lift at Nelson Marina on 21 September is good news for marine biosecurity and boat owners wanting more maintenance options. The new lift doubles the marina's previous lifting capacity and can accommodate vessels with a beam of up to 8.5 metres, including larger boats and multihulls.
Nelson is a gateway to the Abel Tasman National Park, Tasman Bay and Marlborough Sounds, iconic destinations vulnerable to the spread of invasive marine pests, which can be transported between regions on the hulls and underwater surfaces of vessels.
Accessible haulout facilities make it easier for boat owners to remove biofouling and maintain antifouling coatings before travelling to sensitive coastal areas, reducing the risk of spreading unwanted marine pests.
The new lift is part of a wider development at Nelson Marina that includes an expanded boatyard and improved facilities for capturing and treating washdown wastewater, preventing marine pests and contaminants from entering the harbour.
It complements Port Nelson's Calwell Marine Maintenance facility, which opened in April with a 550-tonne travel lift and 7,000 m² of hardstand space.