NZ opens sea borders
The next step in New Zealand’s border reopening: sea and air borders will be open for visitors and vessels from 1 August.
12 May 2022
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The decision to reopen sea borders has been welcomed by the superyacht industry as the final step in New Zealand’s reopening.
Superyachts, their owners and crew, can now enter easily by land and sea, enjoying access to New Zealand’s safe shores, high-quality refit services and world-renowned scenery.
Foreign flagged yachts visiting New Zealand benefit from a superyacht-friendly framework that includes newly completed refit facilities, a 24-month Temporary Import Entry (TIE) and refit services and supplies which are exempt from New Zealand’s 15 percent goods and services tax (GST).
New Zealand has spent the past two years expanding superyacht offerings across the country’s marine destinations, with additional inner city berthage in Auckland cementing its position as a city where superyachts can be moored in the heart of the CBD.
In addition, the rapid expansion of New Zealand’s superyacht refit facilities has included a multi-year, large scale development of specialised superyacht refit facilities.
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This includes a new 820-tonne travel lift in the central city, adding to existing central Auckland haul out and slipway facilities such as 1500 tonne and 600 tonne slipways and a 181-metre dry dock.
Central Auckland boasts 75 superyacht berths in close proximity to FBO airports. Steps from award-winning hospitality precincts, there are 40 berths for yachts between 25 to 40 metres LOA and 30 berths capable of accommodating yachts between 40 to 100 metres.
For the largest yachts in the international fleet – those over 100 metres – Auckland has five berths designed to cater to their needs.
In the north, the expansion of the Bay of Islands Marina, with casual berthage available to visiting cruising yachts and a new 120 metre superyacht berth, is the first in a string of new facilities.
Next along New Zealand’s coast is an expanded superyacht refit facility in Whangarei and the newly-enlarged Vessel Works haul out yard in Tauranga.
The reopening of New Zealand completes the traditional South Pacific loop for yachts, with most superyachts favouring journeys through the numerous islands of the Pacific.
There, they refit, bunker, provision, explore, charter and often create a base over several seasons, before heading back into the Pacific and onward on their journeys.
To enable visitors to fully experience New Zealand, the 24-month TIE was created so foreign flagged yachts can enter the country and cruise for two years, as well as charter for up to 65 percent of their time in New Zealand, without paying duties and GST for 24 months after entry.
Further, the world’s most-southerly superyacht regatta, the New Zealand Millennium Cup will return in 2023.
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