2017 January February Marina World

GLOBAL REVIEW 2016
A 300-berth marina off the coast of
Hulhamalé is in build in the Maldives.
space to double the size of the marina
in five years if permissions are secured.
An AU$31 million plan was also
announced to rejuvenate The Royal
Geelong Yacht Club (RGYC) marina
and waterfront in Geelong, Victoria.
This features a circular floating
marina system that will boost the
current berthing capacity at the club
from 250 to 370 berths. Meanwhile,
an AU$30 million redevelopment
plan for Sydney Superyacht Marina
was approved by the NSW Planning
Assessment Commission. The plan
includes amending the existing pontoon
arrangement to accommodate a wider
range of vessels and adding two
new buildings to house superyacht
associated businesses and a
superyacht club.
The Derwent Sailing Squadron
in Hobart, Tasmania, completed an
AU$6.5 million marina expansion,
allowing it to accommodate larger
yachts and host a variety of new
sailing events. It added 145 berths
for vessels of 10 to 30m (33 to
98ft), using pontoons that are easily
modified to take boats of 15m
to 18m (49 to 59ft) in the future.
Derwent Sailing Squadron now has
280 berths, which has significantly
helped to meet a pent-up demand
for berths in the area.
Ardent Leisure, owner of d’Albora
Marinas – Australia’s largest marina
group – placed its marina portfolio of
over 1,300 berths at seven sites in
Victoria and New South Wales on the
market.
In New Zealand, Kennedy Point
Boatharbour released preliminary
conceptual design plans for a marina
of around 200 berths proposed for
Kennedy Point in Putiki Bay, on the
southwest side of Waiheke Island.
Off the coast, pre-construction
processes began for the AU$100
million Nawi Island Resort project in Fiji.
Offering 166 berths, including space for
ten superyachts, the development will
include 40 private villas and full resort
amenities.
Acquisitions abound
in the US
During a fairly quiet year for the
USA, Bellingham Marine and
Moffat & Nichol were contracted to
design and build a new marina on
Washington DC’s waterfront. To be
called The Yards Marina, the facility
is an integral part of The Yards
neighbourhood, which features a
blend of retail, dining, residential
and office space within walking
distance of Capitol Hill. The marina
was scheduled to open during the
spring and includes 50 slips ranging
from 40ft to 125ft (12 to 38m). Half
of the marina’s slips are reserved
for short-term stays of less than ten
days.
In Florida, Marina Palms Yacht Club
opened for business. A high-end, fullservice
facility on Maule Lake in North
Miami Beach, it features 112 wet slips
for boats of 40ft to 100ft (12 to 30m).
Safe Harbor made its debut as the
“largest marina owner in the United
States”, having completed acquisitions
from four separate marina owners and
operators. At the time, the company
owned or managed 31 marinas across
12 US states, collectively offering over
20,000 wet and dry slips. Later in the
year, Safe Harbor purchased Grand
Isle Marina in Grand Haven, Michigan,
which has 400 berths and a drystack
for around 150 boats.
Suntex Marina Investors also had
UK operator MDL has expanded
Chatham Marina on the River Medway
in Kent.
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