We are managing a complex infrastructure situation across the Inner Harbour. Updated health and safety advice has required Council to act decisively at both Nelson Quay Wharf and Meeanee Quay Piers. Public safety is our immediate priority, and we are working as quickly as possible to find safe, workable solutions for all Inner Harbour users.

FULLY CLOSED
Nelson Quay Wharf
Closed to all land and sea access since 11 February 2026. The wharf is closed to all persons, including vessel owners and berth holders. Access is not permitted by land or sea under any circumstances. One boat ramp and parking spaces nearer the street remain open.

ACCESS

Piers One and Two - Meeanee Quay
Temporary access restrictions were lifted on Friday, 6 March 2026. Vessels may resume normal berthing and land access is restored; however, walkways must be kept clear at all times, with no additional load or equipment added to the piers and all electrical cables tagged and tested.

What has happened?

Structural investigations completed in 2025 identified that Nelson Quay Wharf is unstable and at risk of failure. At that time, access was restricted to authorised users only. Updated health and safety advice received on 11 February 2026 required Council to fully close the wharf to all persons with immediate effect.

On 19 February 2026, updated health and safety advice also required Council to impose temporary access restrictions at Piers One and Two at Meeanee Quay. These restrictions were temporary in nature and enabled Council to complete immediate remediation works required to enable vessels to continue berthing at the Meeanee Quay Piers while Council works on medium- and longer-term solutions. Normal berthing and land access at Piers One and Two was restored on Friday, 6 March.

There has been no change to the previously identified structural issues. What has changed is the health and safety advice we have received and our obligation to act on it.

What are the risks?

Engineering assessments confirm there is a risk of structural failure. In the event of collapse, there is potential risk to life and property. Council is legally and morally obliged to act on the advice it has received, even when this is difficult or inconvenient for those affected.

What happens next?

Meeanee Quay

The remediation works completed at Meeanee Quay are temporary in nature and are designed to enable vessels to continue berthing safely while Council progresses medium- and longer-term solutions. The end-of-life condition of the infrastructure at Meeanee Quay remains a real and ongoing consideration, and vessel owners mooring at Piers One and Two are doing so with an understanding of these conditions and with responsibility for their vessels in that context.

As always, walkways must be kept clear, no additional load or equipment should be added to the piers, and all electrical cables must be tagged and tested. If you observe anything of concern, contact innerharbour@napier.govt.nz or the Harbour Master directly.

Nelson Quay Wharf

Good progress continues with vessel relocations from the Nelson Quay Wharf exclusion zone. Council is working through relocations on a vessel-by-vessel basis in close conjunction with the Harbour Master and is now down to six vessels remaining. The exclusion zone remains in effect and must be respected at all times.

Enabling works for the Jull Wharf extension are now also underway. This is a key enabler for progressing relocation options for the remaining vessels within the Nelson Quay exclusion zone and will increase available berthing capacity in the Inner Harbour. Updates will be provided as this work advances.

Public safety remains Council's immediate priority.

Council has commissioned a full due diligence assessment as part of the wider Inner Harbour work programme. Findings from this assessment will inform the scope and sequencing of remediation works through the Make Safe phase, and will be shared with Inner Harbour users once received and reviewed.

The Inner Harbour project is being managed in three phases:

• Risk Response (February - April 2026): Immediate health and safety response, Meeanee Quay remediation, Nelson Quay Wharf vessel relocations, and associated temporary infrastructure.
• Make Safe (~12 months): Full due diligence assessment, health and safety compliance review, and medium-term remediation works.
• Strategic Future (2026 onwards): Master Plan refresh, Three Year Plan / Long-Term Plan, and co-design of a long-term Inner Harbour vision with the community.

While the immediate situation is complex, it also creates an opening to begin a genuine community conversation about the Inner Harbour’s future. Council’s intention is to work with the communities who care about this precinct to develop an aspirational but achievable vision and to bring that to Elected Members for consideration.

Council is establishing an Inner Harbour Working Group - a collaborative forum to support Council in problem-solving and decision-making across the Inner Harbour project through the Make Safe phase and beyond.

The Working Group will provide a structured forum for Council to work alongside the organisations, businesses, and communities who use, depend on, and care about the Inner Harbour. Members will have a direct channel to contribute to short-, medium-, and long-term decisions, act as a sounding board for Council, and help identify practical solutions to the challenges facing the Inner Harbour.

Following each Working Group meeting, a brief summary of key items discussed, actions agreed, and any recommendations made to Council will be published here to keep the wider community informed.