Welcome to Stark Bros Group
Stark Bros no longer provides ship repair, marine engineering, dry docking, boat building or Transport & Logistics services. The information below is preserved as a record of our history.
Stark Bros is a proudly family-owned and operated business, founded by the late Frank Stark in 1958.
Our Legacy
We take immense pride in what Frank Stark began as F. Stark Contracting in 1958, which became Stark Bros Ltd in 1963.
Through hard work and dedication, Stark Bros Ltd became:
- one of the largest commercial ship repair operations in New Zealand
- provided full service to ships in the Lyttelton dry dock and afloat
- designed and built a large number of commercial fishing vessels in timber and steel
- also operated a fleet of trucks including some of the largest crane trucks available at the time.
We also recognise the significant contributions of Frank’s brothers — Jim Stark, David Stark, and particularly Ralph Stark — along with the more than 1,100 staff employed by Stark Bros Ltd since 1958.
Frank’s three sons — Andrew, Cam, and Tim — all joined the business in the late 1980s, developing experience and in time managing operations across the Group.
The Frank Stark Family Trust purchased all shares across the Stark Group of Companies in 2004, Frank Stark passed away in 2008.
A New Chapter
In 2021, Stark Bros was offered for sale, but with no offers received, the decision was made in 2022 to sell the trucks and then to close the Ship Repair, Marine Engineering, Dry Docking, and Boat Building divisions, with only the Transport, Storage & Logistics function remaining.
In 2023, the three fishing vessels (FV Frontier, FV Legacy, FV Endeavour) operated by Ocean Fisheries Ltd, along with fish quota assets, were sold to United Fisheries Ltd.
In November 2025, the Transport, Storage & Logistics division was sold and now operates as Vessel Services Ltd.
The Future
As of November 2025, Stark Bros Ltd has ceased its historical operational activities and successfully transitioned into a diversified investment company.
This new direction allows Andrew, Cam, and Tim to enjoy quality time away from the constant demands of running a group of challenging businesses. Thank you for being part of our journey. We look forward to this new chapter and the opportunities it brings.
If we can be of any assistance — or perhaps just a catch-up over coffee — please don’t hesitate to reach out.
