Minister Jones: Ōpōtiki Harbor completion unlocks opportunities

Work on a new harbor servicing the eastern Bay of Plenty is complete, unlocking opportunities for aquaculture and marine industry growth, new local jobs and regional prosperity, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones said.

The extensive work on Ōpōtiki Harbor over a number of years includes the construction of two 350m long harbor walls and dredging of the channel.

“This is the first major harbor built in New Zealand in decades. The new walls and dredging have created safe access for mussel boats and other seacraft, as well as enabling greater capacity for future marine expansion in the area,” Mr. Jones said.

The construction stage created around 200 jobs, as well as indirect employment in related industries, including the establishment of two rock quarries and an expanded local cement operation.

Following the completion of dredging in September, the Ōpōtiki Harbor project is now operational. 

The harbor was developed with $95.2m of government funding from the Regional Investment Opportunities Fund and $20m from Bay of Plenty Regional Council.

Government also invested just over $52m from 2019 to 2025 in the local mussel-processing business Whakatōhea Mussels (Ōpōtiki) Ltd from the former Provincial Growth Fund.