2022 January February Marina World

Marina 

www.marinaworld.com 

World 

January/February 2022 

Issue 129 

Essential reading for marina and waterfront developers, planners and operators

WHAT LIES 

BELOW 

WHEN MOTHER NATURE HITS YOU WITH A WINTER STORM, 

WHAT LIES BELOW THE SURFACE CAN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE 

SF Marina is a world-renowned expert in the development of new or 

existing premium marinas. We provide state-of-the-art floating breakwaters 

and concrete pontoons to anyone, anywhere, who is planning to 

build a marina. And who wants it to still be there after the storm. 

W W W . S F M A R I N A . C O M



January/February 2022 Vol. 22, No. 3 

17 

CONTENTS 

World News 7 

Cover Story 17 

Jeddah Yacht Club Marina soft opens for the inaugural 

Saudi Arabia F1 Grand Prix 

Marina Planning & Design 21 

One Works’ projects in Liguria and Tuscany; Elements of 

marina design (Marina Projects); Planning for successful 

construction (SmithGroup); Decades of design (ATM) 

21 

Environmental Management 42 

BR Marinas of Brazil focuses on a range of eco-friendly 

investments at its eight marinas 

Global Review 2021 45 

Charlotte Niemiec sums up regional industry highlights 

over the past 12 months 

45 

Industry Events 53 

Metstrade 2021 – a successful live event 

Product Focus 55 

Southport Yacht Club installs the largest superyacht berth 

in Australia 

Products, Services & People 56 

On the cover: Superyachts arrived 

in force at the brand new JYC 

Marina in Saudi Arabia for prime 

position at the F1 Grand Prix. The 

marina has capacity for over 100 

yachts and can accommodate 

vessels up to 120m (390ft) in 

length. See Cover Story p.17. 

Photo: Jeddah Yacht Club 

www.marinaworld.com – January/February 2022 3

BUILDING 

BLOCKS 

As our product range has evolved, it now has many applications. Together 

with our clients, we have the luxury of choosing the right pontoon, in the right 

materials, for the right job. By developing the heavy-duty end of our portfolio to 

always be a step stronger, we’ve also become experts in floating breakwaters, 

able to incorporate the strongest of building blocks when designing and 

engineering a marina that will withstand the test of time. Marinetek.net



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Buying 

and selling 

Every new year is flush with announcements of buy-outs, and the start of 

2022 reinforces this trend significantly. The final quarter of 2021 was evidently 

a time for concluding a flurry of negotiations that underline the value-driven 

nature of the marina sector. 

Brand building continues in the USA with yet more marinas added to the giant 

Suntex portfolio. Clever acquisitions have added well-positioned Florida marinas 

– one apiece on the west coast, east coast and Keys – and an inland marina in 

California on the destination Lake Tahoe. Expansion and improvement are always 

on the Suntex agenda, where practicable, and Tahoe Keys Marina is envisaged as 

becoming “a world-class trophy asset” when redeveloped. 

The purchasing power of Southern Marinas II also reached dizzy heights during 

2021 and included several end-of-year announcements. Having sold one marina 

portfolio (as Southern Marinas), Southern Marinas Holdings II set out to create a 

second, and amassed a group of ten assets in just seven months last year. In total, 

the marinas offer over 5,650 slips. 

Additional news came in from Port 32 Marinas, with its purchase of The Marina at 

Ortega Landing in Jacksonville, Florida – and the addition of 11 marinas to the UKbased 

Aquavista group. More details on this in March/April. 

Other significant investment was made in Marinetek, one of the world’s leading 

suppliers of floating marinas. Nordic private asset specialist CapMan Special 

Solutions has become the majority shareholder with a view to growing the business 

to the next level. “With the order books of the boating and superyacht industry 

currently on an all-time high, we expect the infrastructure spending on marina 

projects to stay elevated for years to come,” commented Marinetek CEO Mika 

Parviainen. 

The heightened interest in boating is further confirmed by BR Marinas, the largest 

network of marinas in Brazil, and spurs its decision to expand beyond the Rio 

de Janeiro region. BR has grown by an average of 17% during the period of the 

COVID-19 pandemic to date, with some of its members registering a 30% increase 

in membership. The network is confident that this trend will not only continue but 

actually increase in coming years. 

In this issue, in addition to the emergence of the exciting new Jeddah Yacht Club 

Marina in Saudi Arabia, we give coverage to significant investment projects designed 

to expand and enhance existing infrastructure. Highlights include: Premier Marinas’ 

expansion of Noss-on-Dart Marina in the UK; far-reaching projects in Porto di 

Ventimiglia and Livorno Porta a Mare in Italy; further expansion of Marina Port Vell 

Barcelona, Spain; and special dock projects at Southport Yacht Club, Gold Coast, 

Australia and Spring Point Marina in Maine, USA. 

It’s a bustling start to 2022. 

Happy New Year! 

© 2022 Loud & Clear Publishing Ltd 

Views expressed by individual contributors in this issue 

are not necessarily those of Loud & Clear Publishing 

Ltd. Equally, the inclusion of advertisements in this 

magazine does not constitute endorsement of the 

companies, products and services concerned by Loud & 

Clear Publishing Ltd. The publisher reserves the right to 

refuse advertising. 

Carol Fulford 

Editor 


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FERGUSON’S MARINA 

MOSMAN, NSW, AUSTRALIA 

WORLD NEWS 

CapMan invests in 

Marinetek 

FINLAND: CapMan Special Situations, a leading Nordic private asset expert, 

has become the majority owner of Marinetek Group. It will recapitalise the 

group, and Marinetek’s senior loans have been transferred to CapMan Fund 

ownership. 

“Marinetek is the preferred brand in 

premium marinas and floating solutions 

with an unparalleled global reach 

across Europe, Middle East, Asia and 

North America,” stated Antti Uusitalo, 

partner at CapMan Special Situations. 

“This transaction enables complete 

restructuring of Marinetek’s balance 

sheet, and the company will receive 

necessary financing to strengthen its 

capabilities and drive future growth.” 

Ilkka Seppälä, founder of Marinetek 

Group, reinforced this: “Marinetek has 

come a long way since it was founded 

in 1994. This transaction provides 

a strong financing backbone for the 

company to embark on the next wave 

of expansion after a few difficult years. 

I am confident that the transaction will 

enable Marinetek to succeed in its 

growth plans.” 

“I am pleased that the company’s 

financing now rests on a very solid 

foundation,” added Marinetek CEO 

Mika Parviainen. “With the order books 

of the boating and superyacht industry 

currently on an all-time high, we expect 

the infrastructure spending on marina 

projects to stay elevated for years to 

come. With CapMan’s support, we are 

well equipped to grow the business to 

the next level.” 

CapMan Special Situations invests 

in event-driven opportunities across 

economic cycles and industry sectors. 

It specialises in demanding corporate 

restructurings and operational 

transformations. 

CapMan will actively contribute to 

Marinetek’s development, together with 

its co-investors Karri Kaitue and Heikki 

Westerlund. 

66 MAJOR ACTIVE 

PROJECTS IN 

AUSTRALIA IN 2021 

A SAMPLE OF THE PROJECTS 

• SHELL COVE MARINA 

• PERTH FLYING SQUADRON YACHT CLUB 

• FERGUSONS MARINA 

• BELLERIVE YACHT CLUB AND MARINA 

• MARLIN MARINA 

• COFFS HARBOR 

• PORT COOGEE MARINA 

• WIRRINA MARINA 

• SPINNAKER SOUNDS MARINA 

UK: Gillingham Marina, a 490 berth facility on a 19.3 acre (7.8ha) site in Kent, England 

was sold by Savills to a private buyer in December. Kay Griffiths of Savills commented: 

“Gillingham Marina offered an exciting opportunity for investors to acquire a wellestablished 

marina. We received strong interest in the sale as the marina has extensive 

facilities and opportunities to add value, and we are delighted to find an experienced leisure 

operator that intends to invest and develop the site further to the benefit of the users.” 

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HALF MOON BAY MARINA EXTENSION 

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND 

WORLD NEWS 

New-look Noss on 

Dart readies for opening 

UK: Premier Marinas’ ambitious £75 million regeneration of Noss on Dart 

Marina in the west of England will make giant strides forward in the first 

quarter of this year as the new floating marina system completes and the new 

drystack opens. 

Work on the 232-berth marina 

system, undertaken by Walcon Marine, 

commenced in winter 2020/21 when all 

original infrastructure was removed and 

new piles driven. Due to the density of 

the shillet rock that lies under the river, 

the Walcon Wizard piling barge had 

to use a vibratory piling technique to 

insert 102 new mooring piles. This task 

took eight months as the installation 

team also had to work with strong 

currents and deep waters in places. 

Walkways and finger pontoons are 

of System 21 type with special features 

that include premium fendering and 

extra wide central ducting along the 

back walkway for heavy duty cabling. 

The layout follows the line of the river. 

Walcon’s heavy-duty Waliflote 

pontoons with reinforced guides and 

frames have been used at the upper 

end of the marina to protect it from 

debris coming downstream, while the 

outer pier at the downstream end of the 

marina comprises five 20m x 3m (66ft x 

10ft) concrete pontoons, each weighing 

32 tonnes. 

In addition to the marina, Walcon 

also built and installed two access 

bridges, one for the main part of the 

marina and the other for the alongside 

berths adjacent to the shoreside 

facilities. Additional pontoons have 

also been installed to serve the new 

boat hoist built by Teignmouth Maritime 

Services. 

Over the winter of 2021/22 Walcon 

will complete the marina with the 

addition of the remaining pontoons and 

the supply and installation of a new 

bridgehead and a fuel pontoon. 

The new drystack, which opens in 

March, will accommodate around 100 

boats up to 9m (29ft). It is expected to 

be popular with RIB and motor boat 

owners. 

Other elements of the regeneration 

plan include a hotel, commercial 

buildings and a number of residential 

units. 

18 MAJOR ACTIVE 

PROJECTS IN NEW 

ZEALAND IN 2021 


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• HALF MOON BAY MARINA 

• WAIKAWA MARINA 

• WHITIANGA FUEL DOCK 

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solution, which is easy to operate and allows bilge water or black 

water to be pumped directly into the sewage system. The integrated 

rotary lobe pump means that the PierPump is resistant to foreign 

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if the wastewater contains foreign matter. Wastewater tanks are 

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STOCK ISLAND MARINA 

KEY WEST, FLORIDA, USA 

WORLD NEWS 

Geosyntec 

buys ATM 

USA: Applied Technology & Management (ATM), a waterfront engineering and 

consulting firm that has handled many global marina projects (see article 

on p.37) has joined consulting engineers Geosyntec. The buy-out took place 

towards the end of the third quarter last year. 

“The addition of ATM’s specialised 

expertise in the coastal and waterfront 

disciplines complements Geosyntec’s 

core capabilities,” said Geosyntec 

president and CEO Peter Zeeb. “The 

combined team’s capabilities offer 

preferred-provider solutions for resiliency 

and adaptation of natural and built 

environments in the vicinity of coastal 

and inland water bodies for our clients 

in the USA and internationally. Very 

importantly, ATM and Geosyntec have 

Go-ahead given for 

Larnaca Marina 

CYPRUS: Construction is due to start on the long-awaited €1.2 billion 

redevelopment of Larnaca marina and port. The environmental impact study 

was approved in December 2021. 

Developer, Kition Ocean Holdings, 

plans a four-phase project over a 12 to 

15 year timeframe. The Build-Operate- 

Transfer (BOT) project will see the 

government receiving fixed rent and 

a percentage of the revenue through 

a 40-year concession agreement with 

the marina. A further 125-year property 

lease has also been acquired. 

The 650-berth marina will cater for 

vessels of 5 to 150m (16 to 490ft) with 

vessel repair facilities, a club house, 

event venues, sailing and diving schools. 

Transport Ministry Permanent 

Secretary, Stavros Michael, said that 

the project will be the island’s biggest 

to date and the goal is to utilise all 

available means and renewable energy 

sources for the project while also 

protecting the biodiversity of the area. 

Bids to open for 

marina concessions 

GREECE: At least four marina concessions are likely to be made available 

within the next six months under the state privatisation fund TAIPED’s Asset 

Development Plan. 

Bids for Pylos Marina are now open, 

and a deadline for submissions for 

Aretsou Marina in Thessaloniki has 

been set at 24th February. 

Further bids will be invited for Spilias 

shared values and company cultures, 

and are unwavering in our commitment 

to practice leadership and client service.” 

ATM’s Sam Phlegar added: 

“Geosyntec and ATM are aligned in 

culture and we are excited about the 

possibility of leveraging the established 

reputations of both our firms, delivering 

coastal and marina engineering 

services to a wider geographic footprint 

and expanding our service skillsets to 

our clients.” 

Marina in Corfu as well as for the port 

and marina of Mykonos. 

Dozens of further marinas and 

property assets also form part of a new 

TAIPED investment programme. 

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Made in Italy

Suntex further 

broadens market reach 

USA: Suntex Marina Investors bolstered its property ownership in the fourth 

quarter of 2021 with the acquisition of more marinas in Florida and California. 

At the end of October, the company 

announced its purchase of the Marinas 

at Little Harbor (East Marina and West 

Marina). Located in Ruskin, Florida and 

formerly known as Antigua Cove and 

Village Marina, they offer wet and dry 

Fast-track portfolio building 

WORLD NEWS 

slips and fill a portfolio gap for Suntex 

in the Tampa Bay area. Dry storage 

facilities are up for expansion. 

On the eastern seaboard, Suntex 

turned its attention to further building 

its presence in the all-important Fort 

Lauderdale area with the acquisition 

of Seahaven Marina (left), a discreet 

superyacht marina that complements 

its other megayacht destinations. It is 

the company’s third asset in Broward 

County and its tenth in South Florida. 

Suntex likewise boosted its hold 

on the Florida Keys market by buying 

Caloosa Marina in Islamorada. Situated 

east of Key West and two hours south of 

Miami, Caloosa is a destination marina 

with 32 wet slips and 88 dry slips. 

In a final move to close 2021, Suntex 

announced the buy-out of Tahoe Keys 

Marina, the largest protected inland 

marina on Lake Tahoe, California. Lake 

Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in North 

America and one of the deepest in the 

USA. 

“This acquisition gives Suntex an 

opportunity to manage and eventually 

redevelop Tahoe Keys Marina, the 

premier marina on lake Tahoe, into a 

world-class trophy asset that all of the 

stakeholders in the South Lake Tahoe 

community deserve,” said David Filler, 

head of investments for Suntex Marinas. 

USA: In November/December 

2021, Southern Marinas Holdings 

II announced a flurry of portfolio 

additions: 

• Grand Harbor Condominiums and 

Marina, Pickwick Lake, Tennessee: 

a full-service marina and resort with 

wet slips and condominium rentals 

that is a popular stop-over for boaters 

navigating America’s Great Loop – a 

6,000 mile (9,700km) trip along the 

Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. 

• Tims Ford Marina and Resort, 

Winchester, Tennessee: located on 

Tims Ford Lake, a picturesque 10,700 

acre (4,300ha) lake with over 265 

miles (426.5km) of shoreline, and 

offering cabin and boat rentals and 

the popular Hard Dock Café. 

• Harbortown Marina (right), Merritt 

Island, Florida: situated in a naturally 

protected harbour on the Space Coast 

with an extensive wet slip marina, 

covered and uncovered dry storage 

and a wealth of amenities. 

• Four Corners Yacht Club and RV Park, 

Antioch, Tennessee and Cedar Creek 

Marina, Mt Juliet, Tennessee: popular 

marinas located on two prominent 

lakes in the greater Nashville area. 

Both offer a wealth of amenities and 

are in the process of expanding. 

New slips will be added for the 2022 

boating season. 

The Southern Marinas portfolio, 

amassed in just seven months last 

year, stood at ten assets as of 28th 

December 2021. 

The properties offer a total of 5,670 

boat slips and 275 RV sites located 

across the USA in Florida, Idaho, 

Missouri, North Carolina, Tennessee 

and Washington. 


An adventurer. A navigator. 

A protector of the sea. 

It is he who knows its power 

And the wonder it can be. 

Not the winds nor the waves 

Will propel him where he’s bound. 

For not another port he craves 

But the future to be found. 

Now to this destination 

He is taking you and I. 

There’s no need for locomotion 

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So join him on this journey. 

To the sea we set sail. 

Ahoy we sing in harmony, 

Something big will soon unveil. 

© 2022 King Features Syndicate 

COMING SOON 

popeyesail.club

JYC Marina soft opens 

for Saudi Grand Prix 

Jeddah Yacht Club (JYC) Marina, the first marina on the Red Sea coast to offer 

berthing for vessels up to 120m (390ft) in length, welcomed yachts in early 

December 2021 to mark the inaugural Saudi Arabia F1 Grand Prix. The official 

grand opening of Jeddah Yacht Club will be celebrated in late March 2022. 

With berthing for over 100 yachts 

of all sizes, JYC Marina epitomises 

the future of superyachting on Saudi 

Arabia’s Red Sea coastline. It is the first 

step in a ten year plan to launch major 

yachting developments from Neom in 

the north to Amaala and the Red Sea 

Project further south, in Jeddah and 

beyond. 

Developed by SELA, the national 

company behind some of the most 

ambitious lifestyle projects in the 

country, the marina offers berthing in 

a safe and secure environment with 

private helipad, gated entry and easy 

access for guests, service providers 

and ship chandlers. All berths either 

have electricity supply via Rolec 

Quantum service pedestals, a stylish 

and slender design that is a popular 

option in Middle East marinas, or via 

Rolec MegaMaster units. Rolec also 

supplied LED deck lighting and a 

mobile Fire Caddy. 

JYC Marina, situated in the northern 

part of Jeddah, only a few kilometres 

Above: JYC Marina sits beside the new 

Saudi Arabian F1 racetrack. Right: the 

marina’s 100+ berths have access to power 

via Rolec pedestals. 

Photo: JYC 

from the new King Abdulaziz airport 

and the city centre, is recognised by 

the Saudi authorities as a port of entry 

into the kingdom. As such, it provides 

customs clearance and immigration 

services to all vessels, including 

foreign-flagged superyachts that will 

charter in the area or stop off to visit 

this fast-developing destination on 

their way to the newly opened cruising 

grounds of the East Indian Ocean 

and Southeast Asia. In addition, once 

Photo: JYC 

COVER STORY 

fully operational by the end of March, 

JYC Marina will provide repair and 

maintenance facilities within the marina 

precinct. 

With this highly strategic location, 

JYC Marina is ready to welcome 

permanent and seasonal yachts coming 

from the Mediterranean, the GCC, the 

Indian Ocean, Asia and beyond. 

JYC Marina operates in association 

with Jeddah Yacht Club, an exclusive 

members-only establishment. The Club 

was founded to grow the maritime 

spirit and lifestyle in Saudi Arabia 

by providing diverse, world-class 

experiences across a full spectrum of 

social, sports and leisure activities. 

It aims to provide a major new 

platform in the kingdom for the 

development of sailing, boating 

and every facet of on-water and 

sporting lifestyle. It also intends 

to raise awareness of the need 

to protect marine biodiversity and 

ensure the preservation of the Red 

Sea environment for the younger 

generations and the local community to 

enjoy and take care of in their turn. 

Jeddah Yacht Club’s architecture has 

been carefully designed to stimulate the 

senses and offer its members a rich, 

marine-inspired atmosphere where 

they can enjoy the numerous social and 

nautical activities available. Its mastand-sail 

themed 5,000m² (53,800ft²) 

club house, located by the entrance 

channel of the marina, is a beacon of 

welcome to Jeddah’s shores. 

In addition to panoramic views of the 

city, the club boasts a feast of facilities 

for its members, including restaurants, 

a wellness centre, business centre, 

lounges, concierge services, sailing 

and nautical activities. Its Beach 


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Eaton also has the engineering 

expertise to design and manufacture 

custom pedestals that need to 

meet unique power and footprint 

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COVER STORY 

The mast-and-sail themed Jeddah Yacht 

Club nears completion and 

will open in March. 

Club, operated by a team from worldrenowned 

Omnia Club, features an 

infinity pool with glorious views over the 

Red Sea. 

The entire project – JYC Marina, the 

Jeddah Yacht Club and a collection of 

retail and food and beverage outlets 

on the marina boardwalk – was built in 

record time; an incredible six months 

from breaking ground on an inland 

site to welcoming some of the biggest 

yachts in the world. 

The combined marina and club 

are anchored in the kingdom’s Vision 

2030 plan aimed at contributing to 

its economic growth and creating 

career opportunities for Saudi Arabian 

nationals while promoting culture, 

entertainment and sport participation. 

“We’re delighted that the world 

of yachting now has its first home 

address on Saudi Arabia’s Red Coast. 

All the teams have worked very hard 

to give birth to this great marina and 

magnificent club house in record time,” 

Image: JYC 

said Mohideen Nazer, director parks 

and resorts for SELA. “This is a small 

step in our contribution to the realisation 

of Vision 2030 for the kingdom but it is 

nonetheless a major first step to turn 

the Red Sea Coast into a compelling 

destination for yachting aficionados to 

enjoy our amazing cruising grounds.” 

Oliver Rees, general manager 

Jeddah Yacht Club and Marina added: 

“JYC Marina and the Jeddah Yacht 

Club will be a perfect home port for 

private yachts but also a great place 

to meet, enjoy sailing and water sports 

and revel in the quality of services we 

have on offer. It will also be a gateway 

to the wonders of the Red Sea, and 

we are confident that this fantastic new 

facility will rapidly become a prime 

waypoint on the global yachting map.” 

Since 1963 Walcon has proven itself 

to be a worldwide leader in the design, 

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MARINA PLANNING & DESIGN 

Italian marinas in the 

broader context 

Design studio One Works has been commissioned to undertake two new urban 

waterfront regeneration projects in different parts of Italy. The contracts are 

just two of many awarded for wide-ranging infrastructure in recent years to a 

firm with an increasingly global reach. Donatella Zucca reports 

Based in Milan, with offices in Venice, 

Rome, Dubai, London, Singapore, 

Chennai and Bangkok, One Works 

is an architecture and engineering 

firm specialising in master planning 

and design of well populated urban 

spaces. The company’s team of over 

150 people has worked on planning 

and design for airports, ports, railway 

stations, subways, shopping centres, 

and varied buildings in both public and 

private sectors. 

Recent work includes the 

redevelopment of the Marco Polo 

airport terminal in Venice, the Tre Torri 

City Life Square in Milan, the Transport 

Education Centre in Qatari capital 

Doha, a luxury outlet in San Marino 

and the King Abdul Aziz Boulevard in 

Mecca. 

The new marina projects are located 

in Liguria (Porto di Ventimiglia) and 

Tuscany (Livorno Porta a Mare). The 

former project was awarded by Marina 

Development Corporation (MDC) and 

the latter by listed company IGD SiiQ. 

Above: Livorno Porta a Mare is designed 

to revitalise redundant port space. Right: 

Marina Cala del Forte is the hub for a high 

level tourist attraction. 

“Marinas are a tool for urban 

regeneration,” says Leonardo Cavalli, 

founder and managing partner of One 

Works. He explains that in a highly 

urbanised country like Italy, where 

around 30% of the population lives 

in coastal cities, marinas regenerate 

areas and 

boost tourism. 

“Our work in 

Ventimiglia 

and Livorno 

focuses on 

these aspects, 

leveraging the 

opportunity Leonardo Cavalli 

that maritime 

infrastructures offer and on the 

regeneration of the areas that host or 

overlook the marinas so as to integrate 

the specific function of the marina with 

a general enhancement of the overall 

context.” 

Porto di Ventimiglia and MDC 

For Porto di Ventimiglia, also known as 

Marina Cala del Forte, One Works has 


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Porto di Ventimiglio will have 

extensive landside facilities. 

provided a masterplan for urban/ 

environmental procedures, which 

was presented to the municipality 

in April 2021. MDC, advisor to the 

BDF investment fund managed 

by Narmia SGR, will deliver €200 

million in urban and residential 

developments around the marina, 

which was officially inaugurated in 

July last year. 

Marina Cala del Forte sits within 

the Ports de Monaco group (a 

joint-stock company 100% owned 

by the state of Monaco) and is 

owned by the Société Monégasque 

Internationale Portuaire, created in 

2016 to find ways to provide berths 

close to Monaco’s fully subscribed 

marinas. 

The work covers an area of 5.7ha 

(14 acres) and, like the marina, is 

directed at creating a high level tourist/ 

accommodation destination of benefit 

to the entire city. The main focus will 

be on the Borgo del Forte area, which 

will have 70 branded apartments and a 

5-star hotel that will manage a further 

60. La Roca restaurant, west of the 

residential complex, and the former 

Automobile Club Italia (ACI) building, 

will be transformed into a Club Italia 

food and beverage outlet. 

The developers will build a campus 

known as Borgo del Forte set back 

behind the Nervia waterway. This will 

comprise an international school, 

with space for events, tennis courts, 

an Olympic sized swimming pool and 

accommodation for students, athletes 

and teachers. 

Founded in 2020, MDC provides 

consultancy and property management 

services for destinations related to 

Mediterranean marinas. Key players 

involved include the Dutch tycoon 

Rob Thielen, founder of the Waterland 

Private Equity Investments Group and 

special advisor to MDC. 

MDC is also currently working with 

the Pisa in Progress property fund 

on an urban regeneration masterplan 

for areas around the tourist port. The 

project aims to create a high-level 

tourist destination, bring economic 

growth to the area and take advantage 

of the city’s global connection via the 

Galileo Galilei International Airport. 

The areas of work will cover 16ha (39.5 

acres) along the delta of the River Arno 

and will integrate well with the tourist 

port. It will enrich the urban fabric of 

Marina di Pisa with greenery, renovated 

buildings and new structures. 

“The Ventimiglia project – in a border 

city – aims to redefine the positioning 

of a stretch of coastline that is popular 

with tourists,” Cavalli explains. He 

says that the new marina has created 

opportunities to rethink development of 

areas not just connected to the marina 

but in the underdeveloped local urban 

catchment. 

“The value generated will thus be 

redistributed not only for strictly tourist 

purposes but to serve the collective 

interests of the city more generally,” 

he adds. “The project will actually be 

an economic and social accelerator 

as the impact on the local economy 

is expected to be three to five times 

greater than the investment in addition 

to generating long term value.” 

The areas involved and the plans 

for each are very different but are all 

guided by three fundamental principles 

of sustainability: environment, economy 

and social sphere. Borgo del Forte, built 

behind the marina, will consolidate the 

land with the water and boost tourist 

accommodation. It will increase the 

service offering to marina users while 

also boosting the city’s tourism offering. 

Construction of this new residential/ 

reception area will be accompanied by 

the restoration of the former Campasso 

railway station as well as the education 

and social functions of the Borgo del 

Forte campus. All will be achieved by 

enhancing existing buildings, especially 

those in disuse, and adding just two 

new buildings, green public spaces and 

community sports facilities. 

MDC’s general programme also 

provides for other intervention in the 

existing urban area so as to start a 

process of general redevelopment of 

the city’s fabric and facilities. To facilitate 

the reconciliation and integration of 

new port infrastructure with the rest of 

the city, Borgo del Forte will complete 

regeneration of the urban waterfront 

to the west. A mechanised walkway 

will connect the latter and the marina 

with the old city on the hill behind. The 

sports and landscaped areas will close 

the circle of recreational spaces offered 

in the city’s eastern section, interacting 

with the Nervia river and with cycle 

paths beside the waterway and along 

the coast.” 

Livorno Porta a Mare and IDG 

Livorno Porta a Mare in the Porto 

Mediceo area of Livorno in Tuscany 

covers an area of 4.5ha (11 acres) 

and will incorporate residential and 

hospitality buildings. The project is 

funded by IGD SiiQ, one of the first 

Italian groups in the property retail 

sector to be listed on the Euronext 

STAR Milan segment of the Italian 

Stock Exchange. 

“The proposal for a complete 

transformation of the Porto Medicco 

area in Livorno stems from a joint 

public and private interest and the 

determination of the project promoter 

IDG,” Cavalli says. “It is being developed 

around a stretch of water that will host 

the Porta a Mare marina.” 



Developed around a new 800-berth marina, 

Livorno Porta a Mare is set to attract 

vessels of all sizes. 

With a history of over ten years, the 

project has already achieved several 

transformations, with the construction 

of a commercial and residential 

destination in the Piazza Mazzini area. 

More recently, One Works has been 

involved in the revision of the general 

masterplan and of other areas not yet 

realised. 

“The aim of the project is the 

redevelopment of an abandoned area 

that was once occupied by shipyards,” 

Cavalli explains. This will help the city 

reposition itself along the tourist stretch 

of the Tyrrhenian coast and better 

attract leisure boats and cruise ships. 

The programme includes the 

establishment of hotel, hospitality and 

leisure businesses and will enable the 

city to regain its access to the sea. An 

idea has also been mooted to create 

a sealife museum in collaboration with 

the city’s university given the proximity 

to the Cetacean Sanctuary that covers 

the stretch of sea between Livorno, 

Corsica and Liguria. 

Everything will be developed around 

the construction of a new 800-berth 

marina, which will include berths for 

large vessels. The latter will benefit 

from the close proximity of the Azimut 

Benetti shipyard for repair and 

maintenance services. 

The result will thus be an urban 

marina where a stretch of water used 

a century ago as a seaside destination 

once again becomes a new public 

space. The development of new 

surrounding functions and services, 

such as pedestrian and cycle paths, 

will reinforce the connection with the 

historic city and the rest of the coast. 

Livorno Porta a Mare is also another 

example of the bid to transform and 

enhance abandoned industrial areas 

to boost economies and reclaim 

waterfront land for public use. It will 

respond to all key environmental, 

economic and social principles and 

be consistent with the PRNN National 

Recovery and Resilience Plan, 

which was launched by the Italian 

Government in response to the COVID 

pandemic. 

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Considering all the elements 

by Simon Goodhead 

A marina is often a single component in 

a much wider development scheme that 

involves extensive urban planning and 

infrastructure. 

Marina designs are complex and informed by several considerations. 

They require thorough research and planning to ensure all design and 

environmental matters are realised at an early stage. It is important to consider 

many aspects including the technical feasibility, the market opportunity, 

marina operational requirements and commercial viability when designing a 

new marina. 

Let’s highlight some of the elements 

that need to be considered with new 

marina designs, and the evolving detail 

that comes forward as part of the 

design process. 

The design process 

It is important to recognise that every 

marina is different from another and 

that there are a multitude of factors 

that influence the scale and type of 

marina development that is delivered. 

Notwithstanding the range of different 

outcomes, the process is relatively 

consistent, whether we are designing a 

marina development on the east coast 

of England or a marina development 

associated with a new mega-project in 

the Red Sea. 

Each and every site is assessed on 

its own merits. For example, in terms of 

the boating opportunities that the site 

provides access to, and the user groups 

that will be attracted to the marina 

and any associated development. 

This is typically identified through a 

market study, tailored to the location to 

Hotspots in the Bahamas: consideration of 

extreme design conditions, such as climate 

and Sea Level Rise, are key components to 

the engineering of a marina structure. 

determine the opportunities for boating 

activity. In addition, the proposed site is 

assessed to establish the physical site 

constraints and opportunities for the 

potential introduction (or enhancement 

in the case of a redevelopment) of 

marine leisure activity. The factors to 

consider are varied but site exposure 

and creating an acceptable wave 

climate and good navigable access are 

often prominent. 

A key consideration of any scheme is 

the clear understanding of the client’s 

vision, aspiration 

and objectives 

for a site. This 

essentially 

provides the 

cornerstone for 

the marina design 

and helps to 

define some of 

the main design 

parameters in 

terms of market Simon Goodhead 

positioning. 

The initial stage of any marina design 

process is the marriage and balancing 

of the following critical factors: the 

market opportunities; the physical site 

constraints and opportunities; and, 

of course, the vision and aspiration 

for the development. This provides a 

clear understanding of the objective 

and establishes a sound basis for 

progressing a design that is well 

considered and appropriate for the 

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Layout and design 

considerations 

Robust market intelligence and 

bankable data is extremely important to 

help inform the design of new marina 

developments and the redevelopment 

of existing sites. The outputs of the 

studies are used to identify gaps 

in the market that can be ‘targeted’ 

through design development, as 

well as identifying the potential user 

groups and type of marina operation 

that is most suitable for the site. The 

superyacht sector is often an area of 

interest and through fleet tracking it 

is possible to establish the regional 

and local superyacht fleet, the nature 

of activity, seasonality etc. A detailed 

understanding of fleet activity and 

industry trends from closely monitoring 

and tracking the global fleet provides 

unparalleled market intelligence to help 

inform market sector opportunities in 

any location. 

It is often the case that the delivery 

of a marina is a single component in 

a much wider development scheme 

that involves extensive urban 

planning and infrastructure. In this 

regard, it is important to have a clear 

understanding of the landside uses 

and allocations so that the ‘on water’ 

activity and anticipated set of user 

groups are matched appropriately, 

creating synergies across the marina 

development. Commercial viability is 

enhanced where premium value uses 

on the water and on the land can be 

married together. 

The marina zoning becomes an 

important aspect of the concept 

design process of new facilities but 

is also very relevant for existing sites 

where landside activity is already well 

established. An example of this might 

include an area of the marina waterfront 

which is vibrant and activated through 

the presence of commercial activity 

such as retail and food and beverage 

operators. In this situation, it may be 

more appropriate to align adjacent 

berths for more active marina use, such 

as day boats or commercial vessels as 

opposed to, say, superyachts. 

The marina design must respond 

to the wider development masterplan 

and/or existing land uses, particularly 

with regards to any elements that 

may influence and impact on berthing 

arrangements. The presence and 

location of operational facilities, 

residential properties, amenities, 

yacht clubs or sailing clubs, hotels 

etc., all have the potential to affect the 

nature of activity within the marina and 

surrounding areas. 

Design development 

As a marina scheme is taken through 

the design process, consideration of 

‘the look and feel’ of the development 

starts to take shape, as well as 

consideration of detailed operations 

and environmental initiatives. From a 

masterplanning perspective, the design 

stages can be aligned to the RIBA 

plan of work, which provides a notable 

benefit to a marina scheme that is 

developed as part of a wider large scale 

mixed-use development. 

Integration with primary architectural 

principles, marine engineering, 

landscape design, critical infrastructure, 

mechanical and electrical (M&E) etc, 

are all areas of design development 

where the marina design requires 

careful consideration to ensure the 

interfaces with each of the various 

disciplines are appropriately managed. 

A good example of this would be 

the design of marina basin quay walls. 

This relatively ‘simple’ element of 

marina infrastructure requires detailed 

consideration of a number of elements 

which often requires multidisciplinary 

coordination: 

Operational requirements: The height 

or level of the quay wall is extremely 

important for berthing operations. In a 

scenario where vessels berth directly 

alongside or stern-to a ‘fixed’ structure, 

The height or level of the quay wall 

is extremely important for berthing 

operations. When vessels moor stern-to a 

‘fixed’ structure, the level must relate to the 

design berth mix. 

the finished level (relative to water 

levels) must be related to the design 

berth mix otherwise access to vessels 

will be potentially compromised. A 

floating pontoon could be introduced 

as part of the design evolution, but that 

too requires consideration in terms of 

berthing operations, design interfaces 

and access arrangements (gangway or 

similar). 

Marine engineering: Consideration 

of extreme design conditions and, in 

particular, Sea Level Rise (SLR) is a 

key component to the engineering. 

Establishing the design requirements 

and their potential impact on operations 

is a significant and important aspect of 

the process. Likewise, the engineering 

design parameters need to be 

established in the context of the likely 

berthing scenarios, particularly when 

proposals for superyacht berthing are 

promoted. 

Infrastructure: The access and 

movement strategy around the marina 

basin needs to be understood at an 

early stage due to the influence on the 

wider scheme. It may be the case that 

certain marina user groups require 

vehicular access to their berth, whether 

that be for deliveries, refuelling, 

emergency access etc. Other users 

may only require pedestrian access 

but that could be complemented with 

golf cart access. In all situations, the 



Creating marina zones where vessels of 

similar size are moored is an important 

aspect of the design process. 

design of quayside structures will 

need to accommodate the potential 

for varying requirements, as well as 

security around the marina (software 

and hardware). This too is an important 

element to the design process and 

will require integration into the wider 

development requirements. 

Landscape design: Working 

with landscape design architects, 

the process requires a detailed 

understanding of the spatial 

requirements and ‘set back’ for the 

operational equipment and layout along 

the quayside. Extending the look and 

feel of the landscaping out onto the 

marina to create a smooth transition 

can ensure the marina feels truly 

integrated as part of the development. 

For areas where berthing is promoted 

this is likely to include mooring 

bollards (and ancillary equipment), 

utilities equipment (power and water), 

wastewater management systems, 

lighting etc. Ensuring the operational 

elements are identified and properly 

integrated into the landscape design 

is an important element in the design 

process. 

M&E design: The infrastructure 

requirements are relative to the berth 

layout and vessel requirements. In the 

situation where superyacht berthing is 

promoted, supplies for utilities are often 

significant and need to be realised 

at an early stage so that they can be 

incorporated into the landside design 

requirements for electrical capacity. 

Furthermore, routing for services and 

drainage through quayside structures 

is important from an engineering and 

infrastructure perspective, as well as 

landscape design. 

These capture just a few of the 

common design issues that can occur 

within a single element of the marina 

design. Taking the marina from concept 

design, through a developed design 

process requires understanding of 

the operational requirements and, of 

course, the needs and demands of the 

end user. 

Designing the right marina 

Each site presents its own set of unique 

and complex design challenges that 

will impact the layout and design of the 

marina. 

In addition to the ‘on water’ berthing 

arrangements, the marina will require 

various landside components to assist 

with the operation of the marina. In all 

areas of the design, the nature and 

type of boating activity expected at the 

site is a key point of reference through 

the design process. 

As a minimum, the marina design 

should give due consideration to the 

following: 

Berthing arrangements: With 

reference to industry design standards, 

‘good practice’, knowledge and 

experience, the marina layout should 

promote a berthing arrangement that 

is relative to the design berth mix 

(identified through concept stages). 

Berth dimensions should be based 

upon current industry trends and 

incorporate a degree of future proofing. 

Berthing equipment: The 

fundamental decision between ‘fixed’ 

or ‘floating’ berthing equipment is 

determined by a range of factors, 

not least site conditions, change 

in water levels, vessel types and 

berthing configurations. Additionally, 

environmental influences can play 

an important factor in areas where 

extreme weather events can occur. 

Further consideration of vessel mooring 

equipment is also a key component. 

Ancillary equipment: The type, layout 

and specification of equipment must 

be developed with the operator and 

end user in mind. Consideration of 

the interaction between operator and 

user is critical and the opportunity 

to introduce convenient and ‘Smart’ 

solutions can be considered. 

Marina servicing: From fuel berths 

to slipways and boatyards, due 

consideration must be given to the 

specific requirements of the marina 

users and how this might inform the 

design of related infrastructure and 

equipment. Environmental initiatives 

should be factored into the design of 

such facilities, including opportunities 

for spill prevention and response, 

‘closed-loop’ wash down when lifting 

boats to prevent particulates entering 

the water column etc. 

Landside operations: The marina 

design must extend to providing 

all aspects of operational support, 

services and facilities as necessary 

for a successful marina development. 

In addition to the primary marina 

management and operations centre 

(capitanerie building), the marina 

design includes the potential 

introduction of customer facilities 

(toilets and showers), car parking, 

security arrangements, communications 

infrastructure, refuse and waste 

disposal etc. 

The design of any marina is not just 

about creating a berth layout for boats 

or repeating the design of another 

marina. It is far more complex and 

involved, requires a site- and projectspecific 

approach and presents unique 

design issues that require forward 

thinking and a degree of specialist 

knowledge. Providing an opportunity 

to bring together industry-wide 

experience enables the design to be 

fully considered and fully integrated to 

establish the optimum solution for both 

operator and end user. 

Simon Goodhead is senior project 

manager, Marina Projects Ltd, UK. 

www.marinaprojects.com 

30 

www.marinaworld.com – January/February 2022

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Plotting a course for 

successful construction 

by Mauricio Wesson 

The long-term performance of marina facilities and infrastructure hinges 

on how well they are constructed. This requires much more than specifying 

individual products, such as docks, and assuming they will be installed 

correctly. Given continued increases in material costs and the high demand for 

experienced marine contractors, plotting a course for construction success is 

more important than ever. There are three key steps that owners and operators 

can take to manage the construction process more effectively – and maximise 

return on investment. 

Evaluating feasibility 

The lack of a proper technical study 

derails more projects than the typical 

investor knows. Whether the project 

involves planning for a new marina 

or rehabilitating an existing one, the 

first question to address is technical 

feasibility. 

This analysis is essential for new 

marina development since inadequate 

understanding of a site’s water depths, 

waves, currents, sediment transport, 

environmental constraints and 

constructability could lead to spending 

a lot of money on beautiful plans and 

renderings that can’t be built in that 

location or for the budgeted amount. 

However, it is also important to revisit 

this step for rehab or expansion 

projects since many coastal areas can 

expect shifting operating conditions 

due to water-level changes, land 

subsidence, shoreline erosion or 

navigation changes that increase the 

wake impacts of passing ships. 

The most important conditions 

to assess are water depths, wave 

climate and sedimentation. Any surfer 

knows that wave conditions along a 

coast vary substantially depending on 

water depths and exposure. Shoals 

increase incoming wave heights, while 

areas that are naturally sheltered 

by headlands, islands or bays see 

reduced wave heights. Understanding 

how the current and future wave 

climate will impact your site is critical 

to establishing the right construction 

and cost parameters. 

Along open coasts, the required size 

of a protective breakwater system can 

make or break feasibility. Wave forces 

increase almost exponentially with 

respect to their height; the difference 

between a two-meter or a six-meter 

wave height determines whether that 

breakwater requires 3-ton or 60-ton 

armour stone for stability (or more likely 

concrete armour units). Depending on 

water depths, that breakwater could 

be unrealisable unless you have the 

budget to build a pharaonic structure. 

Breakwaters are also designed for 

a given lifespan, over which they will 

begin to settle and break down. When 

rehabilitating a facility, a conditions 

assessment of the existing protection 

structures should always be part of the 

process. Inspections of a breakwater’s 

condition are also recommended on a 

yearly basis or after any large storm. 

It is extremely helpful to avoid or 

minimise dredging, both for initial 

construction and during ongoing 

operations. Maintenance dredging is 

expensive and poses many permitting 

and environmental issues. Siltation of 

the basin or the navigation channel 

(or periods of low water) can render 

a marina unusable – and is life 

threatening when you have waves 

breaking through a harbour entrance. 

Accounting for sediment impacts – or 

reanalysing them if shoreline conditions 

have changed – can head off costly 

difficulties later. 

Climate change must also be 

considered when evaluating technical 

feasibility. While sea-level rise and more 

severe storms are major concerns in 

many locations, climate change can 

pose other risks to marina operations, 

including lower water levels and upland 

fires. As sea levels increase, relatively 

minor storms can suddenly become 

damaging events. In the Great Lakes 

and historically colder regions, reduced 

ice cover allows winter storms to 

devastate areas that were protected by 

ice sheets 20 years ago. Addressing 

these emerging risks is essential for 

long-term resilience. 

The contracting/ 

delivery method 

In addition to the traditional designbid-build 

process, marina owners are 

increasingly opting for other delivery 

methods such as design/build or 

construction manager at risk (CMAR). 

There are advantages and potential 

limitations to all these approaches. 

Understanding the trade-offs and 

selecting the right one is just as 

important for the construction of a 

new megayacht facility as it is for 

the rehabilitation of a small transient 

marina. 

Given all the components that can go 



into a marina project, it is necessary 

to determine a complete design 

programme and technical basis of 

design during the initial planning 

phase – particularly if a design/build 

contract is pursued for the entire 

marina works. Establishing clearly 

defined performance expectations is 

the best way to set up a successful 

design/build outcome. 

Having one party clearly 

accountable for turnkey delivery 

is advantageous when docks, 

earthwork, dredging, water-based 

fuelling and dockside utilities are all 

involved. Hiring individual contractors to 

work on the same project in the hope 

of saving money can create chaos. 

Without a lead contractor, a quay 

contractor and a floating dock provider 

can both argue that their work meets 

specification when their components 

aren’t lining up. If the project is under 

a single general contractor umbrella 

accountable for everything, the finger 

pointing, delays and cost overruns 

that multiple independent contractors 

potentially create can be avoided. 

Unforeseeable conditions are 

common when working in a dynamic 

marine environment and one must be 

prepared for change orders. However, 

proper contract language and a 

high level of clarity in construction 

documents and specifications can 

help minimise this. In a design/bid/ 

build situation, it is especially important 

to carefully evaluate and qualify the 

low bid for a project – knowing that a 

contractor’s previous experience is the 

best predictor of future success. 

Inspection and oversight 

Qualified construction oversight and 

inspection is pivotal to getting things 

built right. An on-site administrator can 

provide real-time clarifications and 

assist the contractor and client with 

changes that benefit the project, as well 

as identify opportunities to save time 

and money along the way. 

The ability of inspectors to dive and 

use underwater cameras to verify that 

everything below the surface is being 

built correctly is more important than 

ever. The ongoing global shortage of 

skilled construction workers can bring 

highly varying experience levels to your 

job. Catching and correcting issues 

early on, particularly those that aren’t 

easily seen, is the best way to avoid 

redoing work and make sure what gets 

built lasts. 

The value of inspection can start 

before materials reach the site – 

especially for breakwater stone, which 

must meet specific quality and size/ 

density specifications to perform under 

extreme conditions. A quarry visit and 

inspection of stone before it ships helps 

ensure the right stone for the job shows 

up on site. 

It should also never be assumed that 

on-site stone can be reused without 

carefully inspecting and testing it first. 

In colder regions, freeze and thaw 

cycles can create fractures that allow 

stone to shatter into pieces. In saltwater 

environments, wetting and drying cause 

salt crystallisation within hairline cracks 

that can split the largest armour stones 

in just a few years. 

When managed effectively, the 

inevitable changes that occur during 

construction have the potential to be 

Quarry visits and inspection/ 

sampling help identify quality stone 

versus material that will be more 

likely to break down or readily 

degrade in saltwater. 

gains rather than setbacks. 

For the Ayia Napa Marina in 

Cyprus, a geological feature 

uncovered after construction 

started posed a challenge – as 

well as an opportunity. Because 

the design/bid process had been 

completed, we were able to 

draw on precise costs to not only 

adjust for seafloor conditions 

but to value engineer the breakwater 

profile, taking advantage of the lower 

cost of small core stone versus the large 

concrete armour units. 

While contractor mobilisation and 

development of breakwater access 

continued, we were able to physically 

model and design a lower but wider 

breakwater alternative that provided the 

same level of protection from 6 to 7m 

(20 to 23ft) waves. The reduction in the 

breakwater’s crest elevation significantly 

reduced the concrete volume required, 

saving the client millions of euros and 

improving views of the Mediterranean 

from within the marina basin. 

While having a project come in on 

time and on budget is always the goal, 

it is imperative that everything gets built 

correctly. Managing construction issues 

and goals throughout the entire process 

lays the strongest foundation for longterm 

success. 

Mauricio Wesson, PE is senior coastal 

engineer for SmithGroup, USA, 

www.smithgroup.com 

Underwater inspection of construction 

is essential to ensure things are installed 

per specifications. 

34 


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Designing Charleston City Marina in South 

Carolina, USA was an early example of 

ATM’s working with nature policy. 

Evolving design over 

the decades 

by Esteban Biondi 

The evolution of marina planning has come up a lot in recent conversations 

with my colleagues and I thought that reflecting on the changes that we have 

observed over the last three decades, and our personal milestones, could be 

interesting. This article summarises stories and general reflections by several 

of my colleagues, each with ten to 33 years of experience working with ATM in 

marina planning, design and construction. 

Three decades ago 

In the 1990s, marina design was 

driven by applying engineering and 

environmental technical knowledge, 

coupled with the facility owner/operator 

requests. Existing marinas were likely 

built by owners or contractors, but 

regulatory requirements were imposing 

a more professional involvement. This 

early approach soon evolved into 

comprehensive analyses for marina 

planning and design. 

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- Charleston City Marina 

After the “storm of the century” 

destroyed the Beaufort, SC city marina 

in 1993, “we began to rethink marina 

layout, planning and design from a 

boater’s perspective, in addition to 

regulatory and engineering issues,” 

recalls Sam Phlegar (with ATM since 

1989). This sparked ATM’s holistic 

approach to marina design. 

Not long after, ATM was retained to 

assist in preparing a redevelopment 

Photo: ATM 

plan for what later became Charleston 

City Marina. Robert Semmes (with 

ATM since 1988) recalls, “after 

we assisted our clients with their 

successful proposal for a public/private 

partnership, we had to determine the 

appropriate replacement slip mix for the 

new and emerging market, and they 

needed a financial study to help secure 

bank financing.” ATM then started 

formalising its marina market studies 

and implemented its marina financial 

models. 

The old marina was completely silted 

in due to concrete wave panel walls. 

The first phase of the project removed 

some walls to restore natural tidal 

currents and located slips out in deeper, 

naturally flushed water to minimise 

dredging. This is an early example 

of what we now call engineering (or 

working) with nature. 

Years later, a similar solution was 

implemented for the Fernandina Harbor 

Marina in Florida, when redeveloped 

after damage caused by Hurricane 

Matthew in 2016. “We completed 

studies in 1996 that were partially 

implemented in 2001, but we were 

finally able to align all of the docks and 

boats with the currents in the posthurricane 

rebuild,” recalls Semmes. 

When the right conditions are in place, 

we have seen that reconstruction allows 

for marinas to “bounce forward”, not 

only by fixing the physical defects of old 

facilities, but also by accommodating to 

new market conditions and improving 

resilience. 

The new century 

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projects in the 1960s, such as Harbor 

Town Yacht Basin in Hilton Head 

(USA) and Port Grimaud in Provence 

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Yacht Haven Grande in the US Virgin 

Islands is an early example of the 

superyacht-specific marina concept. 

(France), the approach of marinas 

integrated into complex property 

projects and the concept of recreating a 

“marina village” expanded significantly 

by the turn of the century. 

- Puerto Los Cabos 

In 2002, the master plan of Puerto 

Los Cabos (Mexico) helped us elevate 

the principles of integrated marina 

planning. After a thorough market study, 

the 500-berth marina concept was 

completely overhauled to create sectors 

that targeted different user profiles. 

“The original concept plan was largely 

a rectangular ‘boat parking lot.’ The 

synthesis of a market study, coupled 

with engineering considerations and 

coordination with the upland planner, 

allowed us to create a unique facility 

from aesthetic and functionality 

perspectives,” says Tim Mason (with 

ATM since 1993). Within a large, 

excavated basin, specifically designed 

water and land areas were planned 

to target residential boats, transient 

yachts, sportfishers and megayachts, 

while also creating a basin dedicated to 

local small fishing boats, a service yard 

and drystack area. This project had the 

first drystack facility in Mexico. 

- Yacht Haven Grande 

Another major evolution of marina 

design was the establishment of the 

superyacht as a market segment. 

In 2003, ATM was approached 

to implement the vision of a new 

superyacht-only marina in the 

Caribbean. “The lack of available 

geometrical design guidelines was a 

significant challenge, but was secondary 

Large-scale manmade boating 

infrastructure, as at Dubai Marina Yacht 

Club, is typical Dubai-style development. 

Photo: Emaar 

to developing a market study with 

sufficient justification to turn this vision 

into a plan for a thriving investment,” 

Phlegar and Semmes recall. This 

was a major undertaking at the time. 

“We profiled the few facilities in the 

Caribbean that could accommodate 

superyachts, interviewed captains 

and produced the first analysis of the 

megayacht migratory patterns in the 

Caribbean and their connections to 

the North American east coast and the 

Mediterranean. This was the genesis of 

Yacht Haven Grande (US Virgin Islands), 

the award-winning IGY flagship marina 

completed in 2007 for 48 superyachts 

up to 350 feet (107m) in length. 

Before the Great 

Recession 

The first few years of the century 

experienced an explosive growth of 

boating, luxury yachting and marina 

development. ATM participated in 

scoping, planning, permitting and 

Photo: IGY 

construction of hundreds of projects 

throughout the US and the Caribbean. 

In the US, Pete Peterson (with 

ATM since 1996) recalls that “many 

stakeholders collaborated seamlessly 

in the redevelopment of the Washington 

Sailing Marina (Washington DC), to 

complete a top-notch public marina.” 

Superyacht owners, guests, captains 

and crew were yearning for new, 

specially designed marina destinations 

to meet their very specific needs. One 

of the marina projects in the Caribbean 

was the redevelopment of Rodney Bay 

(St Lucia), which added superyacht 

berthing capacity to an already 

successful sailboat marina, recalls 

Kirby Marshall (with ATM since 2003). 

The Marina at Christophe Harbour (St 

Kitts) started planning in 2005 and now 

includes berthing designed specifically 

for vessels in the 150 to 300 feet (46 to 

91m) size range, says Justin Davis (with 

ATM since 2006). But probably nowhere 

was this change faster than in Dubai. 

- Dubai 

Marina development in Dubai was driven 

by a vision of unparalleled luxury. In 

2005, the largest team ever assembled 

by ATM for a site visit and planning 

charrette was mobilised to evaluate the 

marina development strategy for the 

largest waterfront property developer 

in Dubai. We recommended the 

identification and protection of natural 

yachting destinations while the largescale 

manmade boating infrastructure 

system was implemented. In response 

to new requirements, we also developed 

new analytical tools for potential demand 

38 


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The marinas forming Palm Jumeirah in Dubai 

boasted new features and luxury design. 

analysis at a large scale. 

We were also challenged to find new 

features and luxury design standards, 

which needed to be built in record time. 

Palm Jumeirah Marina East and West, 

with 582 berths that were designed 

to have a specific role in the overall 

system, were part of the initial studies. 

They included specially designed 

floating concrete pontoons, underwater 

lighting, stainless steel cleats and 

bollards, modern utility pedestals (with 

proximity cards for adding utilities to 

your berth), utility trays cast into the 

top of the pontoons, energy-saving 

LED illumination and wireless Internet 

connections. “With a continuous 

physical presence of professional staff 

in the Middle East since then, our 

team has been involved and remains 

engaged in some of the most iconic 

projects in the region,” says Dave 

Canfield (with ATM since 2004). 

Missing decade 

This summary is still missing more 

than a decade of recent projects and 

innovations, as well as too many stories 

Photo: Nakheel 

and quotes. We are now experiencing 

a new emphasis on sustainability, 

environmental design and social 

responsibility. We are in the midst of 

an unprecedented shift in propulsion 

systems and new decarbonisation 

regulations. Addressing the design 

challenges of climate change is 

now unavoidable due to the looming 

implications of financial performance 

and user demand. However, we also 

learned over more than three decades 

that there are fundamentals that do 

not change, and we intend to continue 

developing new best practices that 

will enable sustainable growth into the 

future. 

Esteban L. Biondi is a principal at ATM 

and has been with the company since 

2002. 

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ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 

Marina Verolme is the largest nautical hub 

in Latin America – and one of the largest 

in the world. Its desalination project, which 

started in 2020, aims to supply the entire 

local nautical centre with water. 

practice is high on the list of the 

company’s priorities and its current 

initiatives and innovations make for 

impressive reading. 

Green initiatives top 

expanding Group’s agenda 

BR Marinas, the largest network of marinas in Brazil, has grown by an average 

of 17% during the period of the COVID-19 pandemic to date. Some of its eight 

marinas even registered a 30% increase in membership during the months of 

social isolation. Prior to this global health crisis, the annual growth rate ranged 

between 5% and 7%. 

The network is confident that 

this trend will not only continue but 

actually increase in coming years as it 

continues its plan to expand its marina 

portfolio beyond the five municipalities 

in the state of Rio de Janeiro to other 

regions of the country. “During the 

pandemic, Brazilians seem to have 

realised that life at sea offers leisure 

and safety. And we have some of the 

most beautiful spots in the world on our 

coast of almost 11,000km [7,000mi],” 

says BR Marinas CEO Gabriela Marins. 

The field for action is immense. 

According to data from the Brazilian 

Institute of Geography and Statistics 

(IBGE), the country has 279 

municipalities facing the sea, with 

coastal waters offering thousands of 

kilometres of water area (approximately 

2.9% of the territory). With this degree 

of opportunity, BR Marinas’ aim for 

expansion is perfectly positioned and 

the plan commenced in 1999 with the 

inauguration of Marina Piratas in Angra 

dos Reis. 

Today, the group has eight marinas in 

five municipalities in the state of Rio de 

Janeiro, including Marina Verolme, the 

largest nautical hub in Latin America 

and one of the largest in the world, and 

the iconic Marina da Glória. Together, 

the marinas offer around 2,000 dry and 

wet berths with complete infrastructure 

that includes restaurants, repair 

services, boat sale points, shops and 

companies that offer boat rentals. 

All berthing points (Marina da Glória, 

Verolme, Ribeira, Bracuhy, Piratas, 

Búzios, Itacuruçá and Paraty) offer 

modern vessel operation systems 

and are managed according to 

Environmental, Social and Governance 

(ESG) criteria. Best environmental 

Gabriela Marins: 

“Our values have 

always involved 

sustainability, long 

before the topic 

gained relevance.” 

Desalinisation 

BR Marinas is taking saltwater from 

Rio de Janeiro’s picture postcard 

Guanabara Bay and transforming it into 

drinkable water. Marina da Glória has 

already started to use the desalination 

plant for all the water consumed at its 

facilities. By mid-2022, the plant will be 

able to meet 100% of the local demand, 

which is around 134m³ (4,730ft³) of 

fresh water every 24 hours. 

The seawater desalination project 

started in 2020 at Marina Verolme 

in Angra dos Reis. The objective is 

to supply the entire local nautical 

centre with water, an innovative 

and effective solution to combat the 

growing shortage of drinking water 

from traditional sources. In addition 

to benefiting the environment, the 

initiative also generates a 22% saving 

for the company. The desalination plant 

installed at Verolme has a production 

capacity of 7m³ (247ft³) of fresh water 

Renowned for its picture postcard beauty, 

Marina da Glória is self-sufficient in water 

courtesy of a desalination plant. 

42 


ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 

Solar panels at Marina Bracuhy help meet 

energy demands. Around 96% of the energy 

consumed at BR Marinas’ eight marinas 

comes from clean sources. 

per hour (168m³/5,930ft³ in 24 hours). 

This surpasses the demand at the 

marina, which currently registers an 

average daily consumption of 150m³ 

(5,300ft³). In addition to the quantity, 

the quality of the water that results from 

the process is extremely clean and 

totally free from organic components. 

BR Marinas’ objective is to extend this 

initiative to other mooring points in the 

state. 

Renewable energy 

Guided by ESG criteria, in the second 

half of 2021 96% of the energy 

consumed at BR Marinas’ eight marinas 

came from clean sources, combining 

‘free market’ and solar energy. 

With panels installed on the roofs 

of the hangars and on floating piers, 

solar energy is in place at Bracuhy, 

Piratas and Paraty. This project started 

in 2018 and is ongoing. Verolme Marina 

will also have solar panels to meet its 

energy demands, and Marina da Glória 

uses free market, a model whereby 

energy is obtained from generators 

from renewable sources. 

Marins sums up the importance 

of the objective: “We originated from 

the sea and our values have always 

involved sustainability, long before the 

topic gained relevance.” 

Environmental monitoring 

The environmental monitoring of 

species that inhabit the waters of 

Marina Verolme in Angra dos Reis 

started in April 2021. The survey, 

carried out by specialist biologists, 

focuses on analysing an artificial 

breakwater that borders the marina 

and serves as a refuge for local fauna 

and flora. The structure is populated by 

species that find its conditions suitable 

for colonisation in a similar manner to 

a natural environment, such as a rocky 

shore. 

The objective of the environmental 

monitoring BR Marinas is financing is 

to carry out a constant survey of the 

biome within the region. This is a way to 

closely assess, with the support of the 

Brazilian Institute for the Environment 

and Renewable Natural Resources 

(IBAMA), the environmental quality of 

the breakwater and its surroundings 

and thus always guarantee the health 

of this ecosystem. It 

is also an important 

parameter for 

comparisons of marine 

life conditions in Ilha 

Grande Bay as a whole. 

Recycling 

Garbage that harms 

sea life is, nowadays, 

one of humanity’s 

biggest problems. BR 

Marinas is doing its 

part with selective 

collection, recycling 

and collection of 

floating waste. More 

than 35 tons of 

recyclables have 

already been sent to the Light Recycle 

Programme. The energy discount 

bonus accrued is transferred to 

Gastromotiva, a global entity examining 

the transforming potential of food. 

In addition, with its Zero Plastic 

Project, BR has eliminated the use 

of disposable plastic cups at its 

marinas. In Itacuruçá, a selective 

collection agreement has been signed 

with the Cooperative of Collectors of 

Mangaratiba. In addition to benefiting 

the environment, the activity directly 

generates income for the families of the 

collectors involved. 

Collective efforts 

With the support of BR Marinas, 

Associação VagaLume Va’a promoted 

five collective efforts to clean up 

Guanabara Bay in the first half of 2021. 

The objective of the volunteers, who 

have been carrying out this work since 

2018, is to remove the floating garbage 

that pollutes the banks and waters 

around Marina da Glória. During the 

six month period, thirty 200 litre bags 

of waste were collected in the five joint 

efforts. The objects collected in greatest 

quantity were plastic caps (1,904), 

cups (696), straws (411) and PET 

bottles (203) among other items. All 

the garbage collected was delivered to 

Marina da Glória for proper disposal. 

In addition to this work, VagaLume 

Va’a promotes the planting of native 

species around the Bay. “We, who 

love the sea, [and are] enchanted by 

natural beauty, with the huge number 

of turtles and fish that we see daily 

around Marina da Glória, were deeply 

touched when we realised the need 

and urgency of the commitment we all 

have [to have] with the environment. 

This is increasingly necessary. After all, 

Marina Paraty is an idyllic haven in clean, unspoilt waters. 

anyone who loves the sea should take 

care of it,” says Giselle Leal, president 

of VagaLume Va’a, which is a Hawaiian 

canoe association founded by women. 

Other initiatives had to be temporarily 

suspended due to the pandemic but 

will be resumed as soon as COVID-19 

is controlled. These actions include 

Environment Week, the Clean Beach 

Action and environmental education in 

schools. 


BPC1993 Inland & Coastal 182x132 ad OLAW.indd 1 03/07/2020 11:48

GLOBAL REVIEW 2021 

Swift bounce back 

Al Qana, a newbuild for 2021 in Abu 

Dhabi, has a boulevard-style layout 

and bridges. 

despite COVID challenges 

Despite the ongoing disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic and uncertainty 

as to how it would affect the marina industry, the sector bounced back 

remarkably quickly and began not only to thrive but to grow over the last year. 

As a naturally ‘socially-distanced’ activity, boating has seen a renaissance and, 

with construction industries around the world largely spared from lockdown 

mandates, developments have been able to continue with few setbacks. 

Charlotte Niemiec rounds up some of the best… 

In Europe, France’s Marina Baie 

des Anges made ready to undergo a 

radical €63.6 million transformation 

to update and refurbish its entire site. 

The newly named Coeur Marina will be 

reconfigured, reducing berths from 525 

to 515 but including more for vessels of 

20m (66ft) and above. 

In Spain, construction work began to 

upgrade infrastructure at IGY Marina 

Málaga, which will offer superyachts up 

to 180m (590ft) convenient, high quality 

berthing in the centre of one of Spain’s 

most vibrant cities. The marina was set 

to be developed over the summer of 

2021 and fully open before year end so 

as to offer winter berthing options. 

Portugal completed inaugural 

projects to renovate the Lisbon 

waterfront by creating safe, easy 

access piers for tour boats. Lindley 

supplied new nautical infrastructure and 

delivered a 30m (98ft) long landing pier 

for tourist boats in front of the iconic 

Praça do Comèrcio. A second project, a 

few hundred metres upriver, is at Doca 

da Marinha – a former navy basin now 

converted into a small harbour and 

berthing area for tourist boats. 

Across the Mediterranean Sea, Italy 

began work on an ambitious waterfront 

development project – the public marina 

of Molo Pagliari in La Spezia. An 

investment of over €15 million will see a 

gigantic Ingemar breakwater installed, 

the size of which is “unparalleled” in 

Europe, exceeding 600m (1,970ft) 

long and protecting a 5.6ha (13.8 acre) 

basin. Ingemar pontoons and floating 

gangways will moor over 850 boats of 

8-15m (26-49ft) in length. 

Belgrade’s unique boutique marina on the 

Danube will be the first modern full-service 

marina in the Serbian capital. 



The Genoa Superyacht Hub project 

also began, comprising two marinas: 

Waterfront Marina, to cater for vessels of 

8-110m (26-360ft) and Marina Genova, 

with berths for yachts up to 130m 

(430ft). Waterfront Marina, with a long 

offshore breakwater, will accommodate 

superyachts requiring maintenance and 

help establish Genoa as a home port 

for very large yachts. Additional work to 

revitalise Genoa’s waterfront will start 

in mid-January 2022 and should be 

complete in 2028, costing €350 million 

– one of Italy’s most significant urban 

redevelopment works. 

Plans for a 12ha (30 acre) project to 

regenerate the waterfront, port and part 

of the Italian city of Civitanova Marche 

also aim to create a new super hub for 

tourism and large yachts at the centre of 

the Adriatic coast. Eurobuilding will build 

and engineer the project, to comprise 

758 berths of 6 to 70m (30 to 230ft), at 

an estimated investment of €150 million. 

In Greece, a plan to develop a new 

marina in the north of Corfu progressed 

despite the impact of the COVID-19 

pandemic. Construction was to take 

place in two stages to eventually 

comprise a 400-berth marina able to 

accommodate yachts of 80m (262ft) 

and above. 

D-Marin Global Marina Network 

welcomed Marina Tribunj as the fourth 

destination in its 1,760-berth Croatia 

cluster. Located on the Adriatic coast, it 

is a peaceful marina with 220 wet berths 

and 50 dry berths. In Montenegro, 

Drydocks World made plans to transform 

the former Bijela Shipyard in Boka Bay 

into a world class superyacht hub in 

Dana Point Harbor in Dana Point, 

California received the green light for an 

ambitious redevelopment. 

a major move to drive the maritime 

industry forward in the region. 

In neighbouring Serbia, Sebre Marina 

Dorćol appointed UK-based consultancy 

Marina Projects to help with the design 

and delivery of a new marina and 

waterfront development in the capital 

Belgrade to offer space for boats up 

to 14m (46ft). Located on the River 

Danube, it will be the first modern fullservice 

marina in the city and involves 

a €300 million regeneration of a site 

previously used as a power station. 

In northern Europe, Sweden’s 

Värmdö Municipality opened the first 

phase of its new marina at Stavsnäs 

Vinterhamn (Winter Harbour). Offering 

slips for 70 boats, the marina is 

protected by a 70m (230ft) SF Marina 

breakwater. Phase two will begin in 

spring 2022. 

In the UK, Cornwall-based CAD 

Architects was appointed to draw 

up new plans for the £100 million 

transformation of the waterfront at 

Holyhead in Anglesea, Wales, to include 

IGY Marina Málaga will offer much-needed 

superyacht berthing in the centre of one of 

Spain’s most vibrant cities. 

a 250-berth marina. Buckler’s Hard 

Yacht Harbour on the Beaulieu River in 

Hampshire, England, also reopened with 

66 new marina berths, including larger 

ones to suit vessels up to 20m (66ft). 

Premier Marinas purchased 

Universal Marina on the River Hamble, 

which provides 249 berths, a 130 

boat drystack facility and a full-service 

boatyard, including a 75 tonne travel 

hoist. 

Developments down under 

Developments continued apace in 

Australia, where superyacht charter 

helped boost the market considerably, 

with vessels attracted to the country and 

its buoyant domestic charter market. 

Queensland saw the majority of 

developments in 2021. Proposals for a 

new $200 million maintenance and refit 

hub at Rivergate Marina and Shipyard, 

Queensland are perfectly timed and will 

enable the yard to service large luxury 

yachts over 50m (164ft) in length. 

The expansion will include a syncrolift 

capable of lifting superyachts of up to 

3,000 tonnes. 

North Harbour marina in Moreton Bay 

near Brisbane will be transformed into 

a world-class waterfront destination, 

boasting a 400-berth marina and 500 

dry storage slots, set within 570ha 

(1,410 acres) of prime waterfront land. 

Superior Jetties progressed work on 

new marina berths at the Sanctuary 

Cove Resort. Since the project began 

in late 2019, the AU$10 million 

redevelopment has seen the addition 

of 61 new berths, including a dedicated 

superyacht arm catering for vessels over 

50m (164ft). The covered marina berths 

46 


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– the most dramatic feature of the build 

and a first for the Australian recreational 

marine industry – are now complete and 

will accommodate vessels with an air 

draft of up to 15m (49ft). 

In Western Australia, companies were 

appointed to build two breakwaters for 

the redeveloped Ocean Reef Marina in 

Joondalup, Perth. The AU$60 million 

breakwaters, each of which is 2km 

(1.2mi) in length, will be the longest in 

the state and completion is timed for 

mid-2022. 

In New Zealand, the first stage of 

the development at Orams Marine 

completed. Extensive dredging and 

construction works took place before 

the installation of a 1.2ha (3 acre) 

hardstand, three 90m (295ft) marina 

piers, a new 820 Marine Travelift, and 

a new 85 tonne Marine Travelift. The 

marine centre features a haul out and 

refit facility, commercial buildings (due 

to complete in the fourth quarter of 

2022) and a residential tower. It will 

target marine vessels up to 800 tonnes. 

Developments were slower in Asia, 

although plans were revealed to 

develop 12 marinas in Sri Lanka into 

a maritime hub by 2030, to form a 

network of 1,200 berths around the 

island. In the capital, the Colombo 

Port City marina breakwater was 

completed and awaited investment 

required for berthing infrastructure. 

Other developments include plans for a 

marina in Marawila. 

The Russian Government embarked 

on a giant project to build at least 20 

marinas in Crimea and the Krasnodar 

Krai (southern Russia), aiming to ramp 

up yachting in the southern part of the 

San Marino near Paracus Bay in Peru has 

a central marina basin and associated 

canals. 

country. The investment cost for the 

first six marinas was estimated at 600 

billion roubles (US$8 billion), making 

it the biggest yachting development 

programme in Russian history. 

Crimea has already supported the 

idea of establishing a joint network of 

marinas in the south and the Russian 

Government is to spend 5.1 billion 

roubles (US$60 million) rebuilding 

several existing marinas in the 

peninsula, with more funds allocated to 

establish at least 17 new ones. 

Slower pace in the 

Middle East 

For the first time in many years, work 

seemed to slow a little in the Middle 

East although several significant 

projects were finished. The UAE 

completed Al Qana Marina in Abu 

Dhabi, a 107-berth marina for boats 

ranging from 10-20m (33-66ft). The 

boulevard-style facility extends across 

2.4km (1.5mi) of waterfront that is 

connected by four eye-catching bridges. 

Abu Dhabi Ports also completed a 

marina at the port of Delma in the Al 

A premier resort due to open in Marassi 

will boost Egypt’s Mediterranean berthing 

options. 

Dhafra region, with 160 wet berths and 

104 dry berths. 

In Saudi Arabia, Monaco Marina 

Management (M3) signed a 

collaboration agreement with Sela to 

deliver the first superyacht marina on 

the Saudi coast of the Red Sea (see 

Cover Story p.17). 

In Africa, plans were in hand 

for a turnkey marina installation in 

Marassi, located 140km (87mi) west of 

Alexandria on Egypt’s Mediterranean 

coast and one of the country’s premier 

developments. The project involves 

equipping a new manmade inner 

harbour with a range of berthing 

options. A total of 23 separate docks 

will accommodate up to 228 leisure 

craft of up to 45m (148ft) in length at 

fully serviced berths. 

The futuristic Aqua Marina Boat Club 

project in Lagos, Nigeria also made 

progress. Ingemar is manufacturing all 

piers, gangways and fingers of varying 

sizes in Italy and then sending them to 

Lagos by sea. 

All well in the Americas 

Florida, as usual, led the way in the US 

marina sector. Derecktor Fort Pierce 

opened, home to the world’s largest 

mobile boat hoist for hauling yachts. A 

mammoth 1,500 ton customised mobile 

boat hoist manufactured by Cimolai 

Technology and standing 90ft (27.4m) 

high, it hauls boats up to 250ft (76m). 

F3 Marina opened in Fort Lauderdale 

in the autumn, boasting an automated 

drystack for 240 boats with maximum 

length of 53ft (16m) and weight of 

30,000lbs (13,610kg) within a category 

5 hurricane rated building that is 131ft 

(40m) high. 


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Hurricane Hole Marina has been 

relaunched as a superyacht mecca in the 

Bahamas. 

Space Coast Marinas bought Pelican 

Harbor Marina in Palm Bay, Brevard 

County for $1.9 million and will invest 

at least $10-12 million in redeveloping 

it as a drystack and service facility and 

renovating its existing slip system. 

Port 32 Marinas broke ground on its 

Fort Lauderdale marina and drystack 

facility, comprising drystack for around 

700 boats up to 55ft (17m) in length. It 

also purchased three Florida marinas 

located in Naples, Marco Island and 

Cape Coral (the ‘Walker Marinas’) from 

Walker Marine Group. They include 

around 1,015 slips and offer a variety of 

marine-related amenities. 

Other noteworthy acquisitions in the 

USA include Suntex Marina Investors’ 

purchase of Prime Marina Miami in 

Coconut Grove, Florida, offering 111 

slips for vessels up to 130ft (40m). The 

company also purchased the 74-slip 

Faro Blanco Marina in Marathon in 

the Florida Quays. It also assumed 

control of Las Olas Marina in Fort 

Lauderdale and will commence 

plans to develop a 68-slip marina for 

boats up to 250ft (76m). 

Southern Marina Holdings 

sold its portfolio of marinas to 

focus on replicating its success 

in the marina property sector as 

Southern Marinas Holdings II. This 

partnership between a Denverbased 

private investment firm and 

Southern Marinas purchased Elliott 

Bay Marina in Seattle, Washington. It 

is one of the largest private marinas on 

the US west coast with 1,200 wet slips 

for vessels up to 300ft (91m) and 10 

miles (16km) of moorage. The company 

also added Hayden Lake Marina in 

Idaho and Millstone Resort and Marina 

in Missouri to its portfolio. 

In California, Bellwether Financial 

Group received a development permit 

for the long-awaited US$330 million 

redevelopment of Dana Point Harbor 

in Dana Point. The massive mixed-use 

project, which will include renovating an 

aging marina as well as constructing 

new restaurants, shops and hotels, 

completely re-imagines Dana Point’s 

49-year-old harbour. 

Plans were envisioned for a fully 

automated state-of-the-art 500 boat 

drystack marina facility and 145-berth 

marina set within the Billfish Bay Marina 

Resort project, located on the shores of 

Terry Cove on the Gulf of Mexico. 

Grand Caribbean Marinas (GCM) 

purchased Villa Marina, which boasts 

the only covered drystack on the island 

and is located about 40 minutes from 

the capital of Puerto Rico, and renamed 

it Renaissance Villa Marina. The marina 

will be completely remodelled along 

with other significant improvements. 

GCM plans to invest from $50-100 

million in the next five years as it aims 

to diversify the offering in Puerto Rico. 

San Marino, a new marina and 

waterfront project near Paracas Bay, 

a two-hour drive from Lima, Peru, 

is under construction. The modern 

marina will offer 120 slips and includes 

a central marina basin surrounded by 

residential units and club amenities, as 

well as two canals. 

Work to transform Hurricane 

Hole Marina at Paradise Landing 

in the Bahamas into a superyacht 

destination was set to complete by 

the end of the year after a US$250 

million overhaul. With over 6,000ft 

(1,828m) of floating concrete docks, 

the marina accommodates yachts up 

to 420ft (128m) in individual slips. The 

redesigned marina will also feature a 

240ft (73m) wide turning basin, ideal for 

navigating larger superyachts. 

Also in the Bahamas, Island Global 

Yachting (IGY) was selected to manage 

a superyacht marina project on Harbour 

Island. Upon completion, the 27-acre 

(11ha) Briland Club marina is expected 

to accommodate a range of vessels 

up to 250ft (76m) and was targeted to 

open in the third quarter of 2021. Project 

completion is planned for late 2023. 

Over 750 berths are planned for the 

Civitanova Marche nautical complex 

in Italy. Development will be a lengthy 

process but will deliver a high-end marina 

in the centre of the Adriatic coast. 


INDUSTRY EVENTS 

Metstrade: 

good to be back! 

On 16 th -18 th November 2021, industry professionals convened in Amsterdam 

for the long-awaited return to Metstrade. Despite the implementation of a 

partial lockdown just days before the exhibition halls opened, the mood 

amongst exhibitors and visitors was undampened; there was palpable relief 

and excitement at being back in a face-to-face environment. 

Niels Klarenbeek, maritime director of 

Metstrade, summed up as the threeday 

event drew to a close: “Metstrade 

can justifiably claim to be a show like 

no other, given its unique role within the 

marine industry’s calendar. However, 

the disruptive events of this year took 

that achievement to a whole new level 

of significance.” 

“My team and I are really proud of 

the way that we were able to deliver 

a carefully controlled and effective 

Metstrade in these unusual COVID-19- 

constrained circumstances. I know, from 

walking the floor and talking to many 

exhibitors, that plenty of business deals 

were made and a lot of networking took 

place.” 

“Best of all though was to see the 

thrill that was evident on the faces of 

exhibitors and visitors, thanks to the 

facility of being able to meet each other 

in person again,” he added. 

Safe networking 

A total of 1,105 exhibitors from 44 

countries gathered to display all kinds 

of marine equipment. Exhibitor numbers 

were just 13% down on original 

expectations, following the decision of 

some businesses to withdraw in the 

immediate days before opening due to 

pandemic concerns. 

During the three days, 14,965 visits 

were registered by 8,459 visitors 

spanning 63 nationalities. Nearly 3,500 

exhibition personnel were in attendance. 

Almost 25% of all visitors were in the 

18-35 age bracket, which is of particular 

importance to the future of the industry. 

Their presence was once again 

encouraged and supported through the 

unique Young Professionals Club with 

its dedicated lounge, industry meet and 

greet sessions and show tours. 

COVID-19 precautionary measures 

included compulsory vaccination or test 

checks in a dedicated entry marquee, 

wide airy corridors on the show floor, 

controlled refreshment areas and 

encouragement to wear masks. The 

one-off show layout spanned eight 

halls. 

At the show - and beyond 

Metstrade has a long tradition of 

hosting excellent seminars and round 

tables from leading experts in their field. 

The content has not, however, been 

available for wider access until now. 

To coincide with Metstrade 2021, RAI 

Amsterdam launched Metstrade TV, 

delivered by elite broadcast specialists, 

and hosted by Dutch TV presenter 

Pernille La Lau from a purposeassembled 

studio on the show floor. 

The channel delivered nine hours of 

high-quality live presentations and 

debates, featuring top industry leaders 

and commentators. 

2021 also marked the launch of the 

Metstrade Connect virtual platform, 

a connect and research tool that is 

available 365 days of the year. The 

timing of the launch was perfect for 

those unable to attend the show in 

person and the platform offers equally 

valuable opportunities for exhibitors and 

visitors who are time constrained at the 

event itself. 

The platform enables users to browse 

through exhibitor profiles, see who 

is joining, start matchmaking, set up 

appointments, watch Metstrade TV 

and more. Access is freely available 

to all registered visitors and exhibiting 

companies. 

The MYP 

The Marina & Yard Pavilion (MYP) 

made a strong industry statement 

with nearly 50 exhibitors, including 

a French pavilion-within-a-pavilion. 

Most exhibitors spoke of “quality” over 

“quantity” with regard to visitors and 

the mood was positive. Robert Brown 

of Safe Harbour Drystacks/ASAR, 

who travelled over from the USA, 

declared Metstrade was “the place to 

be” and Boris Miškic of Croatia-based 

Marinetek Adriatic felt that the event 

heralded a return to the ‘old normal’. 

He also pointed out that such events, 

with an emphasis on B2B activities, are 

an excellent platform for concluding 

new business partnerships, negotiating 

projects and various collaborations. 

Metstrade 2022 will be held 14 th -17th 

November. 

www.metstrade.com 


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PRODUCT FOCUS 

Southport club invests 

in Australia’s first 

‘mega’ dock 

Southport Yacht Club on the Gold Coast has installed Australia’s largest 

superyacht berth. Measuring 163m (535ft) long – berthing edge of 153m (502ft) 

– and 4.6m (15ft) wide, it has been engineered and designed by Superior 

Jetties to welcome and accommodate some of the world’s largest vessels. 

To ensure all aspects were suitable 

for the Club to host 135m (443ft) 

long vessels – a first for the country 

– a design workshop was held. Input 

was given from national industry 

professionals, local agencies and a 

client design team. 

Superior developed the product to 

fit the requirements. “The Superior 

Super Elite series reinforced fivesided 

monolithic concrete pontoon is 

designed to meet the unique needs 

of these vessels,” explains 

Superior Jetties CEO John 

Hogan. “Larger vessels 

place more demands on the 

dock to service their needs, 

especially with wind loads. 

The high pontoon mass 

provides more stability and 

the pontoons cope better 

against environmental forces.” 

With a high freeboard and 

an excessive deck loading 

allowance, the massive 

all-concrete pontoons are 

designed with heavy-duty 

hot dipped galvanised or 

composite reinforcement. 

The pontoon base has a 

fully welded PE base liner system 

and innovative pontoon-to-pontoon 

connection system. The structure 

allows good connectivity for supersized 

components including large 

size pile guides, heavy-duty rubber D 

fenders and mooring bollards to suit 

commercial marina and superyacht 

requirements. 

In conjunction with this, the new 

Superior Compression Coupling (SCC) 

is cast integrally to the pontoon and 

heavily reinforced to transfer the loads. 

The structure does not rely on through 

rods and walers for structural strength 

position and eliminates the need to ever 

tighten bolts. 

Hogan adds: “The pontoon 

construction of the new superyacht 

berth allows vehicle and forklift access 

up to 6.1 tonnes with a gangway 

clearance width of 270cm [106 in], an 

uninterrupted height and the ability to 

traverse vehicles at all tides at 5km/hr 

[3mi/hr] onto the pontoon structure for 

operational, service and maintenance 

requirements.” 

A heavy-duty 250mm (9.8in) diameter 

rubber fender is installed around the 

entire berthing edge, and heavy-duty 

horn-shaped bollards coincide with the 

berthing requirements of the vessels 

envisaged to moor at the location. 

There are 24 bespoke fabricated steel 

piles of 730mm (28.7in) diameter with 

800mm (31in) plastic sleeves and 

heavy-duty pile guides. 

The facility includes a statement 

entrance with security gate, fencing, 

signage, drop off area and an adjacent 

service lane inclusive of landside refuelling 

capabilities and crane access 

for heavy lifts when required. 

Pedestal power (up to 600A) is 

directly connected to facilitate the 

requirements of international vessels. 

The pontoon system has been designed 

in accordance with the Queensland 

Fire & Emergency Services (QFES) 

requirements for hydrants, fire hose 

reels, extinguishers and alarms to 

ensure berthed vessels are safely 

moored and complying with the most 

stringent marina standards in Australia. 

Cat’s-eye lighting installed on the 

pontoons and gangway decks in 

addition to courtesy lighting on top of 

the pedestals provides a clear and 

safe runway marking for night 

berthing, as well as an ambient 

and aesthetically pleasing dock 

environment for night-time 

activities. 

The development was 

completed in partnership with 

MGN Civil and will significantly 

drive business and welcome 

vessels previously unable to 

berth in Australian waters. With 

over 60 superyachts expected 

to visit the region for the 2032 

Olympics in Brisbane, the 

demand for such facilities will 

continue to grow. 

www.superiorjetties.com 


PRODUCTS, SERVICES & PEOPLE 

Superyacht 

marina makes 

further investment 

Marina Port Vell Barcelona, (above) one of the finest new superyacht marinas 

in Europe, has announced a €20 million investment in landscaping and 

expansion. 

The new project, announced 

in September 2021, involves a 

rearrangement of the water basin 

and mooring configuration to create 

23 new berths for vessels up to 70m 

(230ft); expansion of green spaces to 

improve the ambience of the marina 

and emulate city greenbelt areas; and 

installation of a new system that will 

deliver fuel directly to each berth. This 

involves the installation and supply of 

510m (1,670ft) of piping connected to a 

pumping system. 

The investment follows a 

groundbreaking project to install a 

Flovac vacuum sewer system to collect 

waste water from marina buildings, and 

directly from all vessels moored on site. 

The system has two vacuum 

networks: one for urban waste water, 

and another for bilge water (which 

requires treatment prior to being 

discharged into the port sewerage 

network). The vacuum of the pipe 

network, placed around the perimeter 

of the facility, is created by a single 

vacuum station located in the 

marina. No other source of electricity 

is required for the system, which 

pneumatically operates Flovac vacuum 

valves located in different collection 

pits. 

Flovac claims its system is the most 

economical solution because it is 

inexpensive to install. The pipe network 

doesn’t need to be buried at great 

depths and large scale excavation work 

is thus avoided. Also, as the system 

operates by vacuum, intermediate 

pumps are unnecessary. The solution is 

ecologically sound as no leaks from the 

sewer system can occur. 

Additional security is provided 

via a remote control system. This 

ensures that the operators are aware 

of everything that is happening at any 

point in the network, and the software 

has been designed to control the 

discharge of wastewater from yachts 

into marina waters. 

The marina has a MARPOL 73/78 

certificate in acknowledgement of its 

pollution prevention system. 

www.flovac.es 

UK group 

installs 

electric 

chargers 

MDL Marinas has partnered with 

Aqua superPower to become the 

first UK marina group to offer an 

electric boat charging solution. 

Chargers will be installed at five 

of its marinas in the south of 

England – Cobb’s Quay, Hamble 

Point, Sparkes, Windsor and 

Ocean Village. 

Each station is built to IP65 

standard, providing dual 

simultaneous DC charging up to 

75kW, allowing electric boats to 

rapidly recharge. 

“We are delighted to be working 

with MDL Marinas, who are widely 

recognised as a cornerstone 

of British yachting and known 

for leading the way in terms of 

innovation,” said Alex Bamberg, 

CEO of Aqua superPower. “Aqua’s 

mission is to reduce the impact of 

boating on the marine environment 

and to help marina owners with the 

switch to electric power as part of 

their decarbonisation efforts.” 

www.aqua-superpower.com 

56 


Spring Point 

adds visitor dock 

Spring Point, a 275+ slip marina in Casco Bay, Maine, USA has 

invested in an SF Marina floating concrete dock and walkway. 

Installed by Rockland, 

Maine-based Prock Marine 

Company, the Spring Point 

Marina project included seven 

66ft (20m) long x 16ft 5in 

(5m) wide SF 1250 floating 

concrete pontoons. Built to 

withstand the nor’easters 

common in the area, the dock 

sections are highly buoyant 

and virtually unsinkable. 

Moored on internal 24in 

(61cm) steel piles, they 

provide extreme stability. 

Utilities, such as 50A and 

100A power, water and other 

services are routed through 

internal ducts. A slightly 

narrower SF 1240 pontoon 

was used for the walkway. 

The new SF Marina section 

adds 1,150ft (350m) of straight 

transient dock space. Due to 

its wave attenuating design, it 

helps shelter the existing dock 

and slip array from waves and 

large wakes. 

“We love the new docks,” 

said Port Harbor Marine 

director of operations Mike 

Soucy. “Because the SF 

Marina pontoons are easy 

to put together, construction 

went very smoothly.” Spring 

Point Marina is one of five 

employee-owned Port Harbor 

Marine properties. 

www.sfmarina.com 


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Index to Advertisers 

AMI Expo, USA 32 

ASAR/GCM 

Safe Harbour Drystacks, USA 24 

American Muscle 

Docks & Fabrication, USA 40 

Applied Technology & 

Management, USA 50 

Aqua superPower, UK 26 

Bellingham Marine, USA 7, 9 & 11 

Bluewater Marine & Dock, USA 36 

Boat Lift, Italy 35 

Capria, Argentina 26 

Conolift by Kropf Industrial, 

Canada 8 

Den Hartog Industries, USA 54 

DrySta, Spain 52 

DualDocker, Austria 20 

Eaton Marina Power & 

Lighting, USA 18 

Flovac, Spain 39 

GH Cranes & Components, Spain 60 

Gigieffe, Italy 25 

Golden Manufacturing, USA 14 & 15 

Ingemar, Italy 12 

Inland & Coastal 

Marina Systems, UK & Ireland 44 

Inmare, Italy 48 

Lindley, Portugal 32 

Marina Master by IRM, Slovenia 37 

Marina Projects, UK 59 

MARINAGo by 

Scribble Software, USA 44 

Marinas22, Australia 47 

Marinetek, Finland 4 

Marine Travelift, USA 36 

Marex, Croatia 52 

METSTRADE 2022, Netherlands 28 

Pacsoft, New Zealand 50 

Pick a Pier, Israel 16 

PierPump by Vogelsang, 

Germany 10 

Plus Marine, Italy 40 

Rolec, UK 31 

Ronautica, Spain 22 

Roodberg - a brand of Frisian 

Industries, Netherlands 57 

SF Marina System, Sweden 2 

Seaflex, Sweden 6 

Seijsener, Netherlands 22 

SmithGroup, USA 48 

Sunwalk Docks, USA 48 

Superior Group, Australia 50 

Swede Ship Sublift, Sweden 26 

ThruFlow, Canada 52 

Twinwood by Soprefa, Portugal 54 

Walcon Marine, UK 19 

Wiggins Lift Co, USA 41 

PWC launcher for drystacks 

Capria has added a PWC launcher to its range of drystack solutions. The first 

two units have been installed at Marina Puerto Chico in San Fernando, Buenos 

Aires, Argentina. 

PWC launchers are ideal for sites 

with steep embankments and/or tidal 

fluctuation where traditional PWC 

launching methods are impractical. 

Marina Puerto Chico has a steep grassy 

area that ends in a seawall and is thus a 

perfect candidate for the solution. While 

their site required vertical travel of only 

40ft (12m), the main beam for a PWC 

launcher can be manufactured up to 

100ft (33m) in length. It accommodates 

angles from 20° to 90°. 

Ideal for incorporating into a new or 

existing drystack operation, a PWC 

launcher can be loaded via a Capria 

Chris Thomas 

Chris Thomas, founder of marina management 

software specialist Pacsoft International has retired. 

He hands over the reins to Sean Cocks, who has 

been development and operations manager for the 

past 14 years. 

Thomas founded the Pacific 

Softworks company in the early 

1980s and has spent the last 40 years 

dedicated to software design and 

development. During the last 23 years 

he brought the marina management 

solution MMS to life, seeing it evolve 

into the current NG system. With a 

love for and wealth of knowledge in 

the marine industry, he grew the MMS 

semi-automated stacker crane or by 

forklift, like at Marina Puerto Chico. The 

all-electric device handles PWC up to 

1,500lbs (680kg). 

Once the boat is placed onto a PWC 

launcher cradle, it can take as little as 

five to 15 seconds to reach the water. 

Marina Puerto Chico additionally 

installed two gangways that run 

parallel with the PWC launchers and 

terminate in small floating docks. This 

allows owners to get onto their craft 

quickly, without the waiting common to 

traditional PWC launching methods. 

www.domingocapria.com 

product to be 

one of the top 

internationally 

recognised 

marina management solutions in the 

world. 

His extensive travel and global 

network has created a community of 

NG customers in over 110 marinas and 

boatyards in 20 countries worldwide. 

58 


SETTING THE WORLD STANDARD 

IN MARINA DESIGN 

Concept Design & Marina Masterplanning 

Feasibility Studies & Market Research 

Business Planning 

Marina & Waterfront Design 

Tender and Project Management 

Marine Operations Management 

Environmental and Legislative Advice 

Property Consultancy Services 

Marina Projects has the personnel with the breadth 

of skills and experience to make a unique and highly 

valuable contribution to any marina and waterfront 

project, anywhere in the world. 

We provide independent, objective advice to our clients, 

including private developers, commercial organisations 

and government bodies. Our range of services covers 

every possible aspect of marina design and waterfront 

development, from concept to operation, and our ability 

to think successfully through any challenge comes as part 

of the package. 

Whatever the requirements, we will exceed expectations 

to deliver a world leading solution that considers the 

needs of our clients and stakeholders at every stage. 

 

us about your next project today. 

enquiries@marinaprojects.com | www.marinaprojects.com 

United Kingdom +44 (0)23 9252 6688 | Hong Kong +852 3796 3533 | Cyprus +357 97714495

LIFTING EQUIPMENT 

INTEGRAL MANUFACTURER 

FOR MARINAS AND SHIPYARDS 

Boat hoists 

Remote monitoring 

— 

Marine jib 

cranes 

With the “Service Mobile” 

app we manage preventative 

and corrective maintenance 

actions. 

Client Portal. A platform 

roviding up-to-date crane 

information that both GH 

and the client can access. 

Remote monitoring of the crane’s 

operating data in real time. 

Making preemptive and corrective 

maintenance more efficient. 

Dry docks 

For further information on 

any of our marine products, 

please download our latest 

catalogue here. 

motion@ghcranes.com 

www.motion.ghcranes.com

2022 January February Marina World

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