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Marina

www.marinaworld.com

World

January/February 2025

Issue 147

Essential reading for marina and waterfront developers, planners and operators


CONNECTING

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


Marina

World

January/Febuary 2025 Vol. 25, No. 3

16

34

37

CONTENTS

World News 7

Global Review 2024 16

Charlotte Niemiec collates news highlights from

the 2024 editions of Marina World and Mooring

Post

Marina Groups 25

Mel Symes talks to Dominic Zammit about the

rationale behind boatfolk

Events 31

The Metstrade 2024 team put together the

best-attended event to date and now plans

expansion for 2025

Marina Developments 34

The new Porto Carlo Riva Marina in Rapallo,

Italy offers five-star luxury. Donatella Zucca

reports

Market Update 37

Vladislav Vorotnikov assesses marina industry

development in Poland

Environmental Products & Initiatives 43

Launching Wearth Group; real-time spill

detection; restoring seagrass meadows; and

sustainability at Coral Sea Marina

Buying & Selling Marinas 57

Products, Services & People 62

On the cover: Surrounded by

cafés, restaurants and plenty of

urban bustle in a historic Victorian

setting, Portishead Marina in Bristol,

England is one of 11 marinas around

the UK in the boatfolk portfolio. Read

more on p. 25

www.marinaworld.com – January/February 2025

3



Marina

World

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Editor

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E: carolfulford@marinaworld.co.uk

Associate Editor

Mel Symes

T: +34 669 882866

E: melsymes@marinaworld.com

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Charlotte Niemiec

T: +44 (0) 1945 881018

E: charlotteniemiec@marinaworld.co.uk

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Marina World (ISSN 1471-5856) is published 6 times

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No part of this publication may be reproduced without

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Printed in the UK by Stephens & George

© 2025 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.

Plastic peril

FROM THE EDITOR

Projects and equipment explored in the

Environmental Products & Initiatives feature in this

issue naturally point to preservation and protection

of water quality. Our planet is nothing without its

oceans, and there is no question that human activity

is seriously threatening our seas.

Ocean pollution is caused by many things, including plastic waste; 80% of which

likely enters the ocean via rivers and coastlines and comprises, most particularly,

plastic food wrappings, bags, bottles and disposable razors. The effect on the ocean

ecosystem is devastating.

It is estimated that there are 77 to 199 million tons of plastic waste in our oceans,

and nearly 15 million tons of plastic enters the marine environment every year. By

2050, plastic will likely outweigh all fish in the sea (1) .

Almost 1,000 species of marine animals are impacted by ocean pollution (17% of

which are already under threat), and over 500 locations are recorded as dead zones

where marine life cannot even exist. The total area covered by these zones is around

245,000km² (95,000mi²); the approximate surface area of the United Kingdom. If the

current trend continues, ocean plastic pollution will triple over 40 years (1) .

One of the most alarming statistics, however, is that only 1% of marine litter

floats; everything else sinks to the seabed. Hold this thought in your head when

you envisage the world’s five floating garbage sites (known as plastic accumulation

zones) where you can contemplate seemingly endless islands of very visible floating

plastic, all of which forms part of just 1%...

The best known site, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP) – located between

Hawaii and California, holds the largest accumulation of ocean plastic in the world.

The GPGP covers an estimated surface area of 1,600,000km² (618,000mi²) – twice

the size of Texas or three times the size of France (2) .

The vast majority of plastic in the GPGP is rigid or hard polyethylene or

polypropylene or derelict fishing gear, especially nets and ropes. But findings of a

study, reported in Environmental Research Letter (3) November 2024 and based on

The Ocean Cleanup’s systematic surveys of the GPGP between 2015 and 2022,

have revealed that the number of centimetre sized plastic fragments is increasing

faster than larger floating plastics, with a five-fold increase measured over seven

years. Researchers hypothesise that these fragments are likely new to the region.

Laurent Lebreton, lead author of the paper, said: “The exponential rise in plastic

fragments…is a direct consequence of decades of inadequate plastic waste

management. Our findings should serve as an urgent call to action for lawmakers

engaged in negotiating a global treaty to end plastic pollution. Now, more than ever,

decisive and unified global intervention is essential.”

The researchers emphasise that, while countries are prioritising upstream plastic

pollution prevention, the interception and removal of already present plastics from

the global marine environment is essential to urgently mitigate the generation of

increasingly smaller plastic fragments in the ocean for decades to come.

Plastic is a very valuable material that has transformed and safeguarded our lives

in many ways. But it is time to look at this at source; buying wisely, reusing when

possible, and opting for true recyclables.

Carol Fulford

Editor

Sources: 1. Our World in Data 2. theoceancleanup.org 3. iopscience.iop.org

Meet the Marina World team

28th-30th January on booth 821

at AMI Conference & Expo,

Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

www.marinaworld.com – January/February 2025

5


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THE MOORING SYSTEM


WORLD NEWS

Jeddah Marina

receives operator licence

SAUDI ARABIA: Jeddah Yacht Club and Marina, owned by Public Investment

Fund company Sela, has become the first international marina in the country

to be issued with a marina operator licence by The Saudi Red Sea Authority

(SRSA).

The move followed the award of two

licences in the cities of Yanbu and Al-

Lith to Al-Ahlam Marine.

The licensing programme is part of

SRSA’s mission to advance the coastal

tourism sector by creating an attractive

environment for tourists, investors and

marina operators in the Red Sea region.

Licences and permits establish specific

guidelines, rules and standards for

marinas, including their development,

management and operation.

Poralu Marine

launches Wearth Group

FRANCE: The diverse activities and brands that fall within the Poralu Marine

umbrella have been consolidated under the new name Wearth Group. A

contraction of water and earth but also ‘we are earth’, the new entity unifies

all business activities and brands, which will continue to operate in their

respective markets.

With 40 years of experience, 15,000

projects worldwide, two production

sites (France and Canada) and

13 companies, Poralu Marine has

undergone strong and continuous

growth since it was founded in 1984.

The company has diversified its

expertise as its historic market of

harbours and marinas has changed all

over the world.

Mooring Post

Highlights from

December/January:

• UK: MDL Marinas plans £13.6

million investment

• USA: Major Broadwater Marina

investment on Mississippi Gulf

Coast

• AUSTRALIA: Sydney Super Yacht

Marina celebrates 25 years

• USA: Marine Group Boat Works

secures Foreign Trade Zone status

Don’t miss the

Mooring Post

newsfeed and

early access to

Marina World

online:

www.marinaworld.com/signup

“We’ve grown to the point of

becoming a group. We’ve now made

that group a reality,” explains Group

CEO Laurent Gasiglia. “Our market

presence is reflected in a new identity,

driven by a pledge that will expand its

impact far beyond its current horizons.”

Wearth Group comprises:

internationally renowned marina builder

Poralu Marine; dedicated harbour and

marina management specialist MM&C;

marine product marketplace All Nautica;

rotomoulded components specialist

Rotax Marine; aluminium bridge expert

Poralu Bridge; The Searial Cleaners

marina waste specialists; Waterfront

Development, designer and provider

of floating infrastructure, buildings and

homes; and the autonomous planter

manufacturer BioPratic.

The group is structured into three

divisions: Wearth Marine, Wearth Land

and Wearth Energy.

“Wearth Group reflects a vision

in which industry doesn’t just act

as a driver of economic growth but

also as a tool for positive social and

environmental change,” says Gasiglia.

“Our ambition is clear: to embark on a

wonderful human and entrepreneurial

adventure to help our regions develop,

wherever they may be, from the water

to the land.”

www.marinaworld.com – January/February 2025

7


QUICK AND

CLEAN

WASTEWATER

DISPOSAL

PierPump - hassle-free disposal of waste water and bilge water

from boats and yachts

Skippers and landlubbers alike are clear about one thing: water is

precious. Whether due to legal requirements or on their own initiative,

more and more port operators also feel obliged to offer a professional

disposal station for waste water and bilge water. With its powerful and

robust rotary lobe pump the PierPump from Vogelsang comes at just

the right time for all of them. It is easy to install and can be used by boat

operators at the touch of a button. Emptying the tank takes just a few

minutes and the waste water is discharged directly into the port‘s waste

water system.

More information at:

vogelsang.info/int/pierpump-2024

VOGELSANG LEADING IN TECHNOLOGY

vogelsang.info


WORLD NEWS

Half Moon Bay Marina

Half Moon Bay Marina, winner of the NZMOA Awards for 2024 and (inset) Chris Galbraith,

chair of NZMOA.

Survey reveals vital

economic contribution

NEW ZEALAND: The first-ever Health of the New Zealand Marina Industry

Survey has revealed an annual revenue of $153 million, supporting more than

470 people in jobs – and a contribution of around half a billion dollars to the

nation’s economy.

Forty marinas took part in the

survey, which was conducted in

2023 for the New Zealand Marina

Operator’s Association (NZMOA) by a

specialist department at Michigan State

University in the USA.

Value to the wider economy is,

however, seen as much further

reaching. “Marinas and boatyards are

hubs of employment and industry,” says

NZMOA chair Chris Galbraith, who

is general manager of Bay of Islands

Marina. “Boat owners need a wide

range of maintenance services, and in

some cases, we attract large amounts

of international boats that come to New

Zealand for pleasure, maintenance and

refit – also making it part of our export

economy.”

By way of example, Bay of Islands

Marina with 420 berths has 28 tenant

businesses, including marine trades,

cafés, retail outlets and boat sales.

The precinct around Westhaven

Marina alone, which is the largest in

the Southern Hemisphere, has 2,000

contractors, including boat builders,

yacht brokers and marine electricians

registered on its database, and Nelson

Marina’s masterplan predicts it will be

home to 40 businesses by 2027. In

total, the industry’s marinas support

more than 300 small businesses.

Individual marinas each engage more

than 63 contractors annually for a wide

range of services.

The industry is also responding to

the global desire for environmental

sustainability and 17 marinas have

now joined the New Zealand Clean

Marinas programme. Older marinas

are making substantial investments to

improve their impact on water quality,

and new marinas – like Waiheke

Marina – are designed to meet

the stringent requirements of their

Resource Consents, with environmental

sensitivity as a priority. The average

capital investment in environmental

protection and facilities is $3.1 million.

At the time of completing the survey

in 2023, marinas were well supported

by customers with the average

operation sitting at 86% occupancy.

LAMDA Marinas

signs to build and

operate megayacht

marina

GREECE: LAMDA Marinas, part of

the LAMDA Development Group, has

signed a sub-concession agreement

with the Greek State, the Hellenic

Republic Asset Development Fund

(HRADF) and the Corfu Port Authority

for the right to build, develop, manage

and operate a megayacht marina on

the island of Corfu.

At the signing ceremony, LAMDA

Marinas Investments managing director

Stavros Katsikadis said: “Today marks

an important day for Greek maritime

tourism and in particular for the Greek

marinas sector. With the signing of the

sub-concession agreement for the Corfu

Mega Yacht Marina, we are beginning

L to r: Odisseas Athanasiou, CEO LAMDA

Development; Stavros Katsikadis, managing

director LAMDA Marinas Investments; and

Theodoros A Gavriilidis, chief investment

officer LAMDA Development.

the development of a significant new

Greek marina, approximately 20 years

after the last marina agreement of this

scale in Greece.”

“It is also a milestone for LAMDA

Marinas. Following the success of

the Mega Yacht Flisvos Marina and

Agios Kosmas Marina in The Ellinikon

project, our company is now investing

in Corfu, one of the premier megayacht

destinations across the Mediterranean,”

he added.

Katsikadis outlined that the goal

is to create and sustainably develop

a modern marina with water and

land-based infrastructure suitable for

year-round berthing. LAMDA Marinas

Investments will invest over €50 million

in the construction and development of

the marina, while the total cost of the

acquisition will exceed €89 million.

With the development of the marina

in Corfu, LAMDA Marinas will control

approximately 40% of the total revenue

from Greek marinas.

www.marinaworld.com – January/February 2025

9


Delivering the marinas

of tomorrow

Sea City Marina - Kuwait

Hi-tech solutions to connect land and sea

Pontoons, breakwaters, superyacht piers, floating crossings and

constructions, off-the-shelf or customised, with robust and

reliable structures in steel, aluminium or concrete.


WORLD NEWS

Outstanding

sweep at marina

awards

UAE: Three Turkish marinas in the D-Marin portfolio won five

prestigious awards for excellence at the Abu Dhabi Maritime

Awards in November 2024.

In the ‘Outstanding Marina’

category, Turgutreis secured

the gold award for the second

consecutive year, while D-Marin

Göcek received silver and

D-Marin Didim earned the bronze

award.

The Outstanding Marina

Award recognises exceptional

performance and continuous

improvement through new ideas

and technology to enhance

operations and customer

experience. The judges

particularly praised D-Marin for

its ability to deliver outstanding

customer interactions, understand

customer needs, and foster

loyalty through feedback. They

also commended D-Marin for

its exemplary health and safety

practices alongside its effective

staff development initiatives.

Additionally, D-Marin Göcek

won gold in the ‘Customer

Experience’ category, while

D-Marin Didim secured gold for

‘Sustainability’ in recognition of its

strong environmental efforts and

state-of-the-art facilities.

Each of the marinas underwent

a rigorous evaluation process,

with representatives undergoing

over three hours of questioning

from a panel of nine jurors and

16 assessors, all from prestigious

organisations and regulatory

bodies.

Vilamoura marks

50 years with Nova

Marina launch

PORTUGAL: Marina de Vilamoura celebrated

a historic 50-year milestone in November

2024 with a special ceremony attended by

government officials and distinguished national

and international guests. The occasion also

marked the official launch of its new superyacht

facility Nova Marina.

Nova Marina features three new pontoons

and offers 68 berths for vessels of 20-40m (66-

131ft). All have individual pump-out points, remote

management services for water and electricity

consumption and dedicated charging points for

electric boats. The marina also features stateof-the-art

desalination systems and photovoltaic

energy generation for sustainability.

“We have transformed a visionary concept into

an attractive destination that represents innovation,

sophistication and a profound commitment to

nautical excellence,” says Isolete Correia, CEO

of Marina de Vilamoura and CEO of the master

planner *Vilamoura. “From the beginning, we

understood that a marina is not just about

boats and berths, but also about an experience

that connects people with the sea, fostering

relationships and offering a broader vision of

nautical culture.”

Developed in 1974 as the ambitious vision of

Artur Cupertino de Miranda, Marina de Vilamoura

has become Portugal’s largest and most prestigious

marina, recognised with numerous international

awards, including a rare 5 Gold Anchor Platinum

certificate.

Marina de Vilamoura has evolved alongside

the nautical market, growing from its original

612 berths to 1,000 at its peak. Today, it has

825 berths, catering to the demand for larger

vessels and establishing itself as a renowned

global tourist destination. “Over these 50 years,

our journey symbolises much more than mere

nautical infrastructure. Above all, we are creating a

legacy that will define nautical excellence for future

generations,” Correia adds.

www.marinaworld.com – January/February 2025

11


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WORLD NEWS

Yachting hub features in Airport City plans

HONG KONG: The Airport City at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA), being developed as a new world-leading

landmark under an expanded blueprint spearheaded by Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK), will feature Hong Kong’s

biggest marina.

AAHK will fully utilise the water

resources adjacent to the airport island

to create a 600-berth facility that will

enable Airport City to become an

unparalleled yacht tourism destination

in Asia, especially in the Greater Bay

Area. A diverse range of water-based

leisure and recreation facilities will also

be developed.

First unveiled in 2019, the

blueprint combines the airport’s core

functions with a variety of projects

including an ecosystem for the art

industry, AsiaWorld-Expo phase two

development, a fresh food market

supplying high-end products from

around the world, a ‘sportainment’

complex, and more. The new projects

will promote high-end commercial,

tourism and leisure activities, and are

expected to be complete from 2026 to

2031.

Different kinds of indoor and outdoor

leisure, cultural and entertainment

facilities will be developed along the

coastlines of the airport island and

the Hong Kong Port Island, with hotel

development and promenades of

distinct characteristics. Public spaces

will be interconnected for various kinds

of festive celebrations that draw visitors.

Fred Lam, chairman of AAHK,

said: “HKIA is a leading international

aviation hub in Asia. With the threerunway

system fully operating, we are

in a position to press full steam ahead

with innovative projects in different

market segments. The expansion of

the development blueprint will focus

on leveraging Hong Kong’s unique

advantages and creating synergy

among various projects to transform

the Airport City into a new landmark of

Asia.”

TANDEM+/V GASPARD

Marina expansion to be hub of new harbour district

FRANCE: Major plans have been announced by the municipality of Dunkerque in northern France to double the

capacity of Dunkerque Grand Large marina as part of ambitious plans for a new and more welcoming harbour district.

Berth numbers will be increased

from 220 to 450 and improvements in

the boatyard will enable vessels to be

hoisted at all tides. The waterfront will be

developed with a range of new hospitality

options for visitors and residents to eat

and drink while enjoying great views of

the marina. The canal to the north will be

reinforced, landscaped and

lined with new residential

buildings, and a new terraced

walkway will connect the

marina to the beach.

The marina, which is

part of the TransEurope

Marinas network, is a popular

destination with plenty of

historic charm and modern

facilities. It is ideal for

boaters travelling from the

Netherlands, Belgium and the

UK.

Initial work was set to begin

late last year, with the required

dredging due to be carried

out by November 2025. The

boatyard project is scheduled

to take place January 2026 –

April 2027.

Story source: TransEurope

Marinas

www.marinaworld.com – January/February 2025

13


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WORLD NEWS

First urban marina in Huelva

SPAIN: A new 400-berth facility has opened in Huelva in south-west Spain. The first urban marina in the port city, it

enjoys easy access to the natural beauty of the Marismas del Odiel Nature Reserve while being close to the action of the

city centre.

While offering full-service

berths for vessels of 6-40m

(20-131ft), the marina also

offers temporary/transit

berths for superyachts (up to

60m/197ft).

Environmental considerations

have been uppermost in all

planning and building works,

and the operators, who hold the

marina concession until 2059,

have wasted no time in teaming

up with TransEurope Marinas

so as to garner network

expertise and assistance

in boosting visibility and promoting

nautical tourism.

“Marina del Odiel is set to become

a cornerstone of Huelva’s economic

and social development,” managing

director Manuel Jiménez Marquéz

told TransEurope Marinas. “Its

strategic location on the Odiel River,

coupled with modern facilities and a

commitment to sustainability, holds a

great potential to attract both domestic

and international visitors.”

“By prioritising eco-friendly practices,

including waste management, renewable

energy, and ecosystem conservation,

we aim to create a model of balanced

coastal development. This

approach will not only

minimise environmental

impact but also attract

investment, generate jobs,

and foster collaboration with

local industries like fishing

and tourism.”

Maarten Desloovere

CMM, chair of TransEurope

Marinas, welcomed the

marina to the group. “We

are very lucky to have

Spanish members in

such a fantastic range

of locations – from Galicia through

the Straits to the Mediterranean and

down to the Canary islands,” he said.

“TransEurope Marinas’ expanding

network, now including Marina del

Odiel, offers our berth holders a wider

range of destinations and enhanced

boating experiences.”

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www.marinaworld.com – January/February 2025

15


Global Review 2024

Focus on future proofing

Last year saw large investments around the world with no one region dominating. Key projects focused on building

superyacht capacity, modernising infrastructure and installing luxury waterfront amenities to support growing demand.

Charlotte Niemiec picks out some highlights

Aquellum, part of the Saudi Arabian NEOM

project, is a futuristic development with a

floating marina at its core.

Alabama, designed to accommodate

different sized boats and offer ultimate

flexibility. The company is set to repeat

its efforts at Legendary’s Bluewater

Cay Marina in the Bahamas, aiming to

complete by mid-2025.

Saylorville Lake Marina in Polk

City, Iowa, improved marina access

and now plans a new dry storage

building, improved fuel dock, upgraded

bathrooms and new courtesy slips.

In Oklahoma, Nine Marina in Eufaula

added 34 covered slips and built a ship

store and fuel dock.

In the US, Florida enjoyed its usual

flurry of developments, particularly in

Fort Myers, following the devastation

caused by Hurricane Ian in 2022.

Snook Bight Marina was rebuilt after

the storm completely tore away the

marina’s wet slips, fuel docks and piles.

The new system provides 70 slips and

a 160-boat drystack operation. Gulf

Harbour Yacht and Country Club also

reopened with 101 slips for boats up

to 80ft (24m) in length, finished in just

18 months. Work also progressed to

replace docks at Salty Sam’s Marina.

The City of Clearwater

approved a $43.5 million

complete rebuild of

Clearwater Beach Marina.

Project goals include

replacing all aging docks

and utility pedestals, with

completion scheduled for

April 2026.

Suntex Marina Investors

opened the 70-slip Las Olas

megayacht marina in Fort

Lauderdale, after more than

two years of build work that

included installing 7,000ft

(610m) of seawall. It is now

one of the largest megayacht

D-Marin partnered with Vlora

Marina to create Albania’s first

world-class marina.

marinas in the US, accommodating

yachts ranging from 65-315ft (20-96m).

One River Marina was planned

on the Delaware River in northeast

Philadelphia – the city’s first new

marina development project in decades.

Upon completion, expected by spring

2026, the marina will have more than

200 wet slips and drystack storage

within a six acre (2.4ha) waterfront site.

Dry storage company Mack David

completed work on a hurricane-proof

507-slot drystack storage facility in

Major work began to improve

infrastructure at Broadwater Marina

on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, with

upgrades to stabilise the property’s

outer structures, alongside repairs to

the perimeter and marina bulkheads.

Safe Harbor Marina Bay in Quincy

Bay, Massachusetts, installed a floating

concrete breakwater system for better

storm protection. The new breakwater

doubles as docking space for transient

megayachts, with electricity and water

supplies routed through integrated

utility ducts.

Island Global Yachting announced a

16 www.marinaworld.com – January/February 2025


Global Review 2024

Work began on Nova Marina, the new basin

at Vilamoura Marina on the Algarve coast,

Portugal.

new marina in the heart of Savannah,

Georgia. Upon completion in spring

2025, the marina will feature 100

berths for vessels of all sizes, including

over 1,000ft (300m) of dockage to

accommodate deep draft superyachts.

Oasis Marinas was contracted to

manage its first marina in Texas – JMK5

in Kemah, a full service marina with

immediate access to Galveston Bay,

featuring 331 wet slips and a range of

amenities.

Caribbean upgrades

Marina Bahia Golfito in Costa Rica

doubled its superyacht capacity by

installing an aluminium dock system

with a floating concrete pontoon

solution. The destination, which is

becoming increasingly attractive to

large yacht owners and crew, can now

host two 300ft (91m) superyachts,

two 200ft (61m) vessels and two 150ft

(46m) yachts.

A consulting group endorsed plans to

expand Nanny Cay Marina and Resort

in the British Virgin Islands, including

introducing a third marina facility that

would add over 6,600ft (2,000m) of

dockage.

Plans were revealed to build a fully

automated drystack marina in North

Bimini, Bahamas. Targeting the high

end of the boating market, F3 Marina

Bimini will offer covered storage for

around 128 vessels up to 56ft (17m).

Europe enjoys major

investments

In northern Europe, Skänors Hamn,

a marina just south of Malmö in

Sweden, was rebuilt and reconfigured

to increase mooring capacity and

better shelter its infrastructure. Four

newly installed main jetties can now

accommodate around 120 boats.

In the UK, Premier Marinas

purchased the Trafalgar Wharf site in

Portsmouth Harbour, a property that

includes Europe’s largest drystack

facility. MDL Marinas invested £7 million

across its network of UK marinas,

allocating around £1.3 million to

Torquay Marina in Devon for dredging

and upgrades to its pontoons, quay

walls and berth holder facilities. It

also spent £2.2 million on its flagship

362-berth Ocean Village Marina in

Southampton, covering the complete

replacement of pontoons on the south

side and installing new smart electric

technology.

The Windermere Marina project was

completed in England’s Lake District

National Park, with all traditional fixed

timber jetty structures replaced with

modern floating pontoon equipment;

plans for a new 135-berth marina on

the Isle of Wight were announced;

and two piers were replaced at the

Queen Elizabeth II Marina in Guernsey,

the Channel Islands. This forms part

of a wider £10 million investment

programme to update the marina’s 40-

year-plus design.

A master plan was drawn up to

develop Banagher Marina in the

Republic of Ireland and create a

pedestrian-friendly, vibrant community

with 250 berths and improved mooring

facilities.

In Italy, Sardinia’s port authority

invited bids for a new 17.4ha (43.2

acre) port area with pontoons

dedicated to vessel construction,

repair, refit, maintenance, storage and

complementary activities. Construction

also began on the long-awaited Livorno

Marina, which is expected to complete

in June 2026 and boast 815 berths.

An Italian-British collaboration,

Natpower H, announced the world’s

first network for green hydrogen

refuelling of recreational boats. The first

25 installations will be made in Italian

marinas as part of a goal to reach 100

The largest luxury community planned for

NEOM, Jaumur is designed around a marina

protected from the sun by an aerofoil-shaped

sculptural structure.

www.marinaworld.com – January/February 2025

17


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Global Review 2024

The dramatic NatPower H refuelling station

brings green hydrogen power to recreational

boats. CGI: Tecma Solutions

in the Mediterranean before expanding

globally. The company’s circular building

technologies reflect its commitment to

an ecologically responsible future.

In the eastern Mediterranean,

D-Marin announced a partnership

agreement with Vlora Marina in

Albania. Currently under construction,

the world-class marina will offer 438

berths for year-round mooring for

vessels up to 50m (164ft) in length,

providing much-anticipated marina

facilities to the country’s coastline.

D-Marin also became the new operator

of the Camille Rayon marina in the

heart of the Côte d’Azur, France. The

marina has 841 berths and caters

for all boats sizes up to 75m (246ft).

The company plans a significant €52

million investment in the marina and its

facilities over the next 25 years.

A1 Yacht Trade Consortium

was selected to develop Argostoli

Marina in Kefalonia, Greece.

It plans to spend more than

€30 million on upgrading and

maintaining existing infrastructure.

Ninety berths are planned, with

some for superyachts up to 100m

(330ft) in the mix. Greece’s Hellenic

Republic Asset Development Fund

(HRADF) also signed a 40-year

agreement, at a fee of at least €1.5

million, for Pylos Marina SA to

develop Pylos Marina in Messenia.

Spain’s Marina Port Vell completed

a €20 million transformation project

ahead of its involvement in the

America’s Cup to enhance its capacity

and services for large yachts, adding

23 new berths for vessels up to 70m

(230ft), reorganising the mooring area

and installing a new fuel supply.

The Valencia Port Authority moved

operations forward to reshape Marina

de Valencia, building three marinas

equipped to host vessels of 8-130m

(26-430ft), a refit and repair yard with

first-class specialist companies and a

leisure, dining and entertainment area.

STP Shipyard Palma in Mallorca,

Spain also invested nearly €8 million in

expanding its technical area, including

the construction of five new berths

capable of welcoming yachts up to

110m (360ft) in length. The first phase

focused on preparing a new docking

area and installing the infrastructure

to guarantee end-to-end service for

superyachts.

Portugal’s Vilamoura Marina on the

Algarve coast began construction of its

new associated marina. Three pontoons

with a total of 68 berths to cater to

large boats of 20-40m (66-131ft) were

installed, equipped with individual

waste water pump-out systems,

charging points for electric boats and

systems for remote monitoring and

management of water and electricity

consumption. Construction was

finalised by the end of the year.

The Ports of Madeira also sought an

operator for Funchal Marina in Madeira,

Portugal, to create a modern, attractive

and competitive marina.

Middle Eastern ambition

More projects were announced under

Saudi Arabia’s NEOM master plan.

‘Norlana’, on the Gulf of Aqaba’s

coastline, will feature a top-level

120-berth marina planned as an

international hub for superyachts

with members club, while ‘Aquellum’,

is styled as a futuristic ecosystem

harmoniously integrated into

natural surroundings. Hidden within

a breathtaking 450m (1,480ft)

mountain range, visitors begin at a

floating marina before boarding a

specially designed vessel to enter

via a concealed underground canal.

Once inside, visitors will be treated

to an exhilarating 100m (330ft) high

vertical experience with an impressive

Al Khuwair Muscat Downtown and

Waterfront Development is planned to

revitalise central Muscat, Oman.

www.marinaworld.com – January/February 2025

19


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A third marina planned for Nanny Cay in

the BVI will add over 2,000m (6,600ft) of

dockage.

courtyard space stretching from the

water to the sky.

‘Jaumur’ is a master plan to build

an iconic marina with more than 500

marina apartments and 700 luxury

villas, boasting waterfront access and

private mooring. A monumental 1.5km

(1mi) long aerofoil-shaped sculptural

structure will rise above the largest

yacht berths, providing year-round

protection for yacht owners and a

haven for residents and guests. The

aerofoil incorporates a gravity defying

cantilever to form a stunning entrance

to the marina, welcoming the world’s

largest superyachts.

IGY Marinas was appointed to

manage Sindalah Yacht Club, NEOM’s

inaugural island destination. The club

is designed to seamlessly integrate

with Sindalah Marina’s world-class

berthing facilities, which accommodate

superyachts up to 180m (590ft).

Construction work continued on

Amaala, the ultra-luxury Saudi Arabian

destination on the northwestern coast

of the Red Sea. Flooding of the marina

basin was complete by the start of the

year and work began on the floating

pontoons and fixed docks.

The Saudi Red Sea Authority

(SRSA) also issued the first licences to

operators of Al-Ahlam Marina in Jeddah

and Jazan, and Red Sea Marina in

Jeddah.

A quarter of the construction work

on the prestigious 182-berth cutting

edge Bahrain Marina in Manama

was completed, and announcements

were made regarding plans for the

$1.3 billion Al Khuwair waterfront

development in central Muscat, Oman.

This will span 330ha (815 acres) and is

set to include a marina and recreational

waterfront.

D-Marin signed an agreement to

operate Port De La Mer in Dubai, a

new Mediterranean-inspired marina at

the tip of the northern peninsula of La

Mer. Phase one opened in October with

32 berths for yachts up to 40m (131ft)

in length, with plans to extend to 160

berths for yachts up to 80m (262ft) in

coming years.

An important deal between Egyptian

and UAE parties to build Ras Al-

Hekma, a massive new city on Egypt’s

north coast, was signed. Considered

to be the largest investment deal in

Egypt’s history, with potentially $150

billion involved, it will position the city

not only as an urban business and

residential centre but also as a tourist

hub. A large marina is planned amid

hotels, resorts and entertainment

venues.

Expansions in Asia

An international standard leisure

marina adjacent to a popular mall is

planned in Taiwan. It will be built in two

phases, starting with the installation

of breakwater facilities and berths

for around 30 boats, a temporary

clubhouse and boatyard. Phase two will

add 50 further berths as well as a hotel

and family-friendly amusement facility.

A 220-berth marina for vessels up

to 24m (79ft) in Jamsil Hangang Park,

Seoul, South Korea is also planned.

When complete, it will be the largest

marina in the city. The developers aim

to make the river a “growth hub” via the

marina and additional mooring spaces

for a total of 1,000 berths. Construction

of Jamsil Marina was scheduled to

begin in early 2025 with a view to

opening in 2026.

Developers in Indonesia announced

the groundbreaking of the first full

service international standard marina in

Indonesia, located in the Bali Maritime

Tourism Hub in Benoa. The marina will

be able to accommodate 180 boats,

with over 50 berths available for yachts

up to 90m (295ft). It will have a hoist

of up to 200 tonne capacity and a

high quality fuel station. The marina is

scheduled to welcome yachts to the

first dock in July 2025. Full capacity is

planned for the middle of 2026. There

is currently a buoy mooring system in

place for accommodating 30 yachts up

to 17m (56ft).

An MoU to develop a yacht marina

in Uligan in the Maldives was signed.

Work started in Bali on Indonesia’s first

full-service international marina. It will offer

mooring for 180 boats.

www.marinaworld.com – January/February 2025

21



Global Review 2024

Waiheke Island Marina in New Zealand

became operational, winning an Outstanding

Initiative Award for its build.

This will encompass top of class vessel

docking and berthing facilities to serve

as an entry gateway to the country.

A marine tourism plan was

announced in Sri Lanka, seeking to

position the country as a premier

destination for boaters. It includes plans

to develop small boat launch facilities,

promote marina development and host

boat exhibitions.

Superyacht focus in

Australasia

The Queensland Government appointed

a construction company to deliver the

A$300 million ultra-luxury Mantaray

Marina and Residences on The Spit

– the first development in the area for

more than 20 years. The project will

create a 67-berth superyacht marina,

resort facilities and club, designed to

Platinum Gold Anchor standard. The

government also invited bids for another

mixed-use development on a parcel of

state-owned land on The Spit, with the

aim of increasing the number of marina

berths in the area.

Sanctuary Cove Marina started the

next stage of its expansion work to

build 25 new berths to cater for local

and international demand for berths,

particularly for superyachts. The Boat

Works finished work expanding its

hardstand area and will now begin

Marina Port Valencia in Spain underwent

major redesign to emerge with three

individual marinas.

work on the waterfront, including new

marina berths at a concrete pontoon

system. MA Financial purchased the

privately owned, 330-berth East Coast

Marina in Manly Harbour, while Alder

Developments purchased the 22-berth

Bowen Marina in the Whitsundays,

North Queensland.

Plans were announced for a 42-

berth marina on the Brisbane River for

Raptis Seafoods, Morningside near the

Gateway Bridge, aiming to complete

by April 2025. Other projects include

a fixed 50m (164ft) jetty at Lindeman

Island Resort, and a marine tourism

hub at Flinders Street Wharves,

Townsville, featuring marina berths and

a floating bar/restaurant.

Superior Jetties and The Jetty

Specialist merged to become Marine

Structures, a company now looking to

play a large role in the international

superyacht marina sector. The two

companies have dominated the design

and construction of state-of-the-art

superyacht berthing and pontoons

systems throughout Australian marinas

for many years. Marine Structures is

now positioned as the country’s largest

pontoon manufacturer.

In New Zealand, Waiheke Island,

the country’s newest marina,

became fully operational and earned

acknowledgements for the innovative

thinking behind its build. Set within

excellent cruising waters and with

stunning panoramic views, developers

had to determine how best to shelter

180 marina berths from wave fetch

and ferry wakes without disturbing a

colony of ‘Little Penguins’. Waiheke

Island Marina received an Outstanding

Initiative Award from the New Zealand

Marina Operators Association for

building the marina without causing

permanent damage to the seabed or

coastal currents.

Berths became available at the

all-new Waikawa North West Marina

extension in Queen Charlotte Sound,

South Island. The new extension

provides an additional 251 berths on

floating pontoons in sizes ranging

from 10-30m (33-98ft), including

some berths specifically designed for

multihulls.

Hopper Developments submitted an

application to the government in May

to fast-track the approval process for

a potential marina at Hobbs Bay near

Auckland, as its research indicates a

shortfall in boating facilities in the area

to complement recent residential builds.

www.marinaworld.com – January/February 2025

23


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MARINA GROUPS

Penarth Marina in Wales is

the most sheltered and secure

location in Cardiff Bay.

Dominic Zammit: “Our

current end goal is being the

very best boating company in

the UK.”

Pioneering inclusion: boatfolk’s

accessible boating vision

boatfolk, a private equity-backed UK marina group created from the 2019 merger between established marina chains

Quay Marinas and Dean & Reddyhoff, offers a network of facilities throughout the British Isles. Group commercial

director, Dominic Zammit, challenges the industry to rethink marina management by prioritising people. He talks to Mel

Symes.

With legal training and experience in

digital strategy and brand management,

Zammit was brought in to oversee the

merger and craft the new brand identity.

As group commercial director, he is

responsible for the strategic direction

of the group of boatfolk companies,

including setting out long-term vision

from both a commercial and growth

perspective. The challenge of his role

was compounded by a complete lack

of knowledge about boats and boating

culture.

“I came to the industry completely

new to it and couldn’t really see what

the purpose of a marina really was

beyond a parking facility for boats.

What was glaringly obvious as a nonboater,

however, was that this was a

surprisingly inward-looking industry

that talked more to itself than to anyone

outside of it. At the time, Southampton

Boat Show, the UK’s hero platform for

broadcasting boating to the nation,

seemed to prioritise providing an

opportunity for industry members to

sell products, as opposed to creating

energy and enthusiasm around the

consumer base. This echoed a large

gap in the strategic vision for UK

marina groups and fuelled our mission

to make it easy for anyone to get on the

water.”

Q: Can you describe how you’ve

worked to address this gap?

A: We’ve worked hard to position

ourselves as the accessible marina

group that does

everything for the benefit

of the boater. This has

been a natural build

on the Quay Marinas

and Dean & Reddyhoff

legacy of being all about

the people; all about

the boater. This was the

essence of the feedback

Family boating at Haslar

Marina.

from the industry prior to the merger

and has followed on as the vision for

boatfolk, now and for the future.

If someone hasn’t been brought up in

boating, then it’s admittedly not an easy

pastime to get into. But it seems almost

absurd to us that in such a small island

nation, with so much coastline within

two hours’ travel from most parts of the

UK, boating represents such a niche in

terms of leisure pastime.

www.marinaworld.com – January/February 2025

25


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MARINA GROUPS

We run a programme called

#boatgen for young people from

11-21, where we provide awareness

about how to get into boating and

help remove the barriers - providing

kit, training and access, all heavily

subsidised or free of charge. We run

outreach with schools and partner

with charities like the Andrew Simpson

Foundation and the Ellen MacArthur

Cancer Trust, as well as sea schools

around the UK, to give young people

the chance to get out on the water for

the first time – particularly those from

minority groups or disadvantaged

backgrounds. To increase the chances

of long-term engagement, part of our

focus is on creating pathways. We try

to give each young person who comes

through a #boatgen participation

event access to other aspects of the

industry – whether that’s apprenticeship

opportunities or direct hire. The Andrew

Simpson Foundation also offers the

means to obtain diploma qualifications

or take part in training instruction

programmes.

All this, of course, serves our

commercial strategy since, ideally, in

20 years or so, having had their first

taste of boating via boatfolk, we hope

to be their first choice when they look to

purchase their first boat.

Q: What about your other services:

boatpoint, boatcare and Beyonder?

A: The first step for a new boater isn’t

usually to locate a marina, but rather to

find a boat they want to buy. Through

boatpoint, we currently sell more boats

than any other broker in the UK, so

chances are that they’re going to buy

their first boat from us. We launched our

boatpoint brokerage business in 2020

and have been on a growth mission

ever since. We now have eight offices

around the UK, positioned in strategic

points where there are brokerage

opportunities and market potential. The

natural synergy between our marinas

and our brokerage offices has been

very successful.

With everything in-house, we’re able

to leverage unique opportunities for

the boater, such as offering discounted

berthing up until the boat is sold,

etc., providing a clear competitive

advantage. With 70+ boatcare

(maintenance and repair) engineers

across the UK, both sellers and buyers

Left: The Lightship floating restaurant is one

of many attractions at Haslar Marina in

the historic maritime heart of Portsmouth

Harbour. Below (l to r): Royal Quays (North

Shields, England); Conwy (North Wales); and

Rhu Marina (Firth of Clyde, Scotland).

can get all the necessary maintenance

work carried out within the same

company.

Key to our success is the fact that

the boatpoint brand is underpinned

on the same philosophy of the wider

boatfolk family: accessibility and

approachability. The brokerage market

was ripe for innovation when we

introduced boatpoint and we were able

to benefit from the surge of interest in

buying boats fuelled by COVID. Since

then, we’ve endeavoured to reduce any

friction on the boat-buying journey. Our

aim is to create a seamless transition

from the boat purchase to the marina

berth and to deliver a consistently

rounded and relaxing customer

experience.

Beyonder, our boat subscription

service, available in three of our

marinas, is now fully booked, which is

fantastic. This is perhaps another of

the factors that has led to our customer

demographic becoming steadily

younger.

Additionally, we’re very active online;

almost all our marketing is digital.

Within the marinas we bolster the

destination-related attractions with our

own restaurants and hotel rooms, using

them as gateways into the other parts

of the boating site. These various layers

then contribute to extending awareness

of boatfolk and encouraging people to

give boating a go.

Q: No hurdles?

A: Oh goodness, of course!! We’ve

found entering the world of hospitality

a huge challenge, particularly in a

post-COVID, weakened economy,

and are moving towards a process of

re-tenanting our existing restaurants.

Ultimately, whilst restaurants are

www.marinaworld.com – January/February 2025

27


MARINA GROUPS

absolutely central to enhancing the

marina experience, we recognise

that the marina business is not the

hospitality business. We’ve invested

some £7 million in our restaurants over

recent years and that’s really brought

up the standard in each location. But,

fortunately, we’re now in a position

where we can hand them off to

professional operators who can take

them to the next level and return our

focus to our core boating operations.

New boat sales have also been tricky,

but this reflects the status quo globally,

with a softening boat sales market

post-COVID and the economy driving a

reluctance to spend on new boats. On

the other hand, brokerage of secondhand

boats remains stable – so this is

where we’re currently consolidating our

efforts.

Q: How else have you been tackling

social sustainability?

A: Beyond trying to make boating

more accessible to different sectors of

society, we’ve tried to ensure that we’re

recruiting from as diverse a background

as possible. We cast our net as wide as

we can, with multiple people involved in

the recruiting process to avoid a biased

outcome. We’ve spent a lot of time

organising training and education for

our team around diversity and inclusion

and this is reinforced with annual

refresher training. We’ve also hired a

People and Culture manager specifically

to help with this shift in attitudes and

behaviours and to help us move in a

new direction. We’re engaging in the

marine conversation at grassroots

level via our communications strategy

and try to provide good examples and

inspiring leadership. Our

staff demographic could do

with improvement but I’m

happy to say that our first

#boatgen youth sailing team

has an all-female crew!

Q: What about

environmental

sustainability?

A: From individual

environmental stewardship

initiatives in each marina,

to a new five-year

partnership set to start next

year which will map marine

biodiversity in and around

marinas in the UK, we are

tremendously active in this space. We

are a supporting and founding partner

of the Studland Bay Marine Partnership

that involves the RYA, Natural England

and the National Trust, the aim of which

is to help raise awareness of more

sustainable mooring practices and

protection of the seabed. We’re also

a mentor and partner of BrightTide,

which next year will run an accelerator

programme based on sustainability

and AI for land-based agriculture

and aquaculture. These projects

involve local authority or government

representation and are providing a

means to take the conversation to MPs

and policymakers.

All our energy comes from renewable

sources and we’re just getting planning

permission for installation of solar

panels at a couple of marina sites.

We’re continuing discussions with

hydrothermal energy start-ups and

considering water source heat pumps

for shower heating.

Bangor Marina in Belfast Lough, Northern Ireland, is ideally located for access to the town centre

and to excellent cruising and fishing waters.

Services at Portland’s boatyard are examples

of boatfolk’s extensive boatcare service for

maintenance and repair.

Q: Would you say that as a result of

your work, communication within the

industry has changed?

A: I’d like to think that we have

managed to create a shift in

how marinas now promote their

services. Previously marinas would

predominantly showcase their

pontoons, boat capacity and hoist

size, but now the conversation moves

more around sustainability, community

engagement events, and what is being

done to support the next generation

of boaters. There’s been a palpable

transformation, and I believe that

boatfolk’s vision has been a catalyst for

that with other marina chains following

suit.

Does boatfolk have any plans to

expand overseas?

“Well, never say never!” laughs

Zammit. “Our priority for now, however,

is to consolidate the existing marinas

and roll out boatpoint and boatcare in

each one, whilst broadening access to

Beyonder. We want to create absolute

parity within our estate in terms of

what’s on offer and the level of service.

Being private equity backed, there is

invariably an imperative to continue to

grow and develop. We’re always on the

acquisition trail with a healthy pipeline

to keep us busy.”

“Our current end goal is being the

very best boating company in the UK.

Our point of difference is that we’re

the only truly national marina group.

Strengthening that position and making

sure that wherever you are, you can

get to a boatfolk marina - this is what

makes us an accessible brand.”

28 www.marinaworld.com – January/February 2025


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EVENTS

Nearly 20,000 visitors from all around the

world were attracted to the diversity of marine

trade products at Metstrade 2024.

Metstrade recordbreaker

sets ground for

bumper 2025 event

The 36th Metstrade, held 19 th -21 st November 2024 in Amsterdam, recorded its

highest ever attendance figure and hosted close to 1,900 exhibitors across 12

halls at RAI Amsterdam.

The show received 31,824 visits

from 19,779 unique visitors spanning

134 nationalities. The overall increase

in attendance was up 10% and 6%

respectively when compared to 2023,

the previous historic high-water mark.

Attendance records were surpassed on

each of the three days for this strictly

trade-only show.

Metstrade built further on its depth

and breadth of activities for the whole

industry this year. A sell-out Superyacht

Forum, held under Metstrade’s

management for the first time, hosted

700 delegates. The premier appearance

of the co-located Yacht Racing Forum,

run in partnership with World Sailing,

provided an exciting new focal point for

cutting edge sailing.

Speaking at the close of the show,

Metstrade director Niels Klarenbeek

said: “The excellent results of this year’s

show provide a confident foundation on

which to base ambitious plans for 2025.

I’m pleased to announce that Metstrade

will expand into hall 8, which will add

around 10,000m² [107,600ft²] of space.

This will enable us to eliminate the

current waiting list for The Superyacht

Pavilion, provide options for exhibitors

seeking more stand space, and open

a circular route around the Metstrade

halls to improve the visitor experience.

There are further exciting initiatives

in the pipeline that we will unveil in

coming months.”

“Given the significant enhancements

made to Metstrade in recent editions

we are introducing an up-to-date brand

image to reflect where we are today,” he

added. “Metstrade has evolved from a

trade show into a global platform driving

the leisure marine industry forward. Our

rebrand will reflect this growth and our

commitment to fostering innovation,

collaboration and long-term success

across the marine leisure industry.

Our new payoff – ‘Propelling Growth.

Harbouring Innovation’ summarises

exactly what Metstrade is all about.”

In addition to a busy Marina &

Yard Pavilion, with various exhibitorsponsored

gatherings and the annual

Waterfront Drinks on the Marina

World stand, there were educational

opportunities via the Metstrade Theatre.

Marina World sponsored two sessions.

The first, chaired by Roberto Perocchio

of Assomarinas, explored the buildup

to the ICOMIA World Marinas

Busy networking events included Marina

World’s Waterfront Drinks in the Marina &

Yard Pavilion.

www.marinaworld.com – January/February 2025

31


EVENTS

Roberto Perocchio (standing) discussed

IWMC 2025 with Joe Lynch, Mel Symes,

Suzanne Davies and Alberto Sonino.

Conference to be held in Venice in

2025, and the second, chaired by Mike

Ward of Marina Projects, examined

the careful thinking behind upcoming

work to comprehensively revise the

internationally renowned TYHA Code

of Practice for marina design and

operation.

Developing a new

Code

Mike Ward and Simon

Goodhead of Marina Projects (a

first-time exhibitor in the Marina

& Yard Pavilion) along with Jon

White of The Yacht Harbour

Association (TYHA), homed

in on upcoming work to revise

the TYHA Code of Practice,

a globally recognised marina

operations manual that has

not been revised since 2013.

The Code now requires an

extensive rewrite as the industry

has changed and developed

significantly.

Crucial issues, such as

environmental legislation;

health and safety legislation;

sustainability; and modern

design techniques and

initiatives need to be addressed.

Sites are more challenging

than ever; accommodating superyachts

is akin to hosting “small floating

boutique hotels”; energy needs to

be managed as part of infrastructure

design; technology needs to be

transferrable to different climates; and

decarbonising means that no size fits

all criteria can be applied.

In terms of sustainability, the problem

is “designing for uncertainty”, and the

challenge is for the marina designer to

build in the flexibility to accommodate

different solutions. Different fuel options,

a larger global fleet (178% increase

from 2000 to 2023) of often larger

vessels, increasing concerns regarding

L to r: Jon White, Mike Ward and Simon Goodhead explored the

challenges of rewriting the TYHA Code of Practice.

sea-level rise and flooding, and the

application of smart technology must

all in a sense be concrete background

to the primary consideration, as Mike

Ward noted: “Marinas are, and need to

be, more aspirational today than they

have ever been, but we must remember

that they are first and foremost

functional spaces that above all else

must provide a safe haven and a calm

environment.”

Heading for Venice

Roberto Perocchio, owner and

manager of Venetian facility Marina

del Cavallino, expertly moderated

the session exploring the themes

and aims of the next World Marinas

Conference (IWMC), the flagship event

of the International Council of Marine

Industries Association (ICOMIA). IWMC

2025 will be held in Venice 15 th -17 th

October.

ICOMIA CEO, Joe Lynch, introduced

ICOMIA and IWMC, describing

the conference as the “platform for

engaging with members and for

industry professionals to connect, build

relationships and create new business

opportunities.” IWMC 2025 will be

held in a genuine working boatyard

next to a marina; the result of the

Venezia Certosa Marina regeneration

project that has transformed a

neglected munitions site into a

sustainable economic asset for

the local community.

Mel Symes of Innovamarina

explored the conference theme

‘Innovation. Collaboration.

Transformation’, which aims

to address societal relevance

(engaging a wider more

diverse audience); resilience

(aging workforce, climate

adaption, circular economy);

technological advancements

(digitalisation, AI, data analysis

etc); and environmental

monitoring and stewardship.

Symes introduced Suzanne

Davies, CEO of Australia-based

Marine Industries Association,

as a confirmed speaker on

world markets. She shared

findings from a recent market

report and discussed some of

the lessons she had learned

organising events in Australia.

Conference host, Alberto Sonino,

spoke about the unique venue in

Venice, plans for an exceptional gala

dinner and an exciting marina tour.

He extended a warm welcome to all

prospective delegates.

32 www.marinaworld.com – January/February 2025



MARINA DEVELOPMENTS

The all-new Porto Carlo Riva, rebuilt and

re-imagined after being destroyed by a freak

hurricane.

Five-star luxury at all-new

Porto Carlo Riva

The iconic Porto Carlo Riva marina in Rapallo, Italy has undergone radical

change. While remaining close to its roots, it is now open to the evolving

nature of yachting tourism and ready to face future environmental challenges.

Donatella Zucca reports

Founded in 1975, privately-owned

Porto Carlo Riva soon became

established as a high-end tourist port

with a reputation that gained in strength

year on year until a freak hurricane

came knocking in 2018. The ferocious

storm wrecked the Italian coastline

between Rapallo and Portofino and

totally destroyed the marina, tearing

up its breakwaters and ripping through

the marina basin and surrounding port

infrastructure.

Despite a multitude of problems and

expenses, Italian property investment

firm Bizzi & Partners started work to

rebuild the breakwaters and redevelop

infrastructure and property. A public

interest enterprise also set about

making the town of Rapallo safe

and enhanced its tourist appeal.

Architectural design studio Tectoo,

via its founder Susanna Scarabicci,

designed the port architecture and

Savarese Costruzioni e Sales,

commissioned by Bizzi & Partners

via tender, was responsible for the

construction works. In all, the project

cost €70 million, over half of which went

towards rebuilding the breakwater. The

rebuild of all defensive structures for the

marina and the city was completed at

the end of 2022, and in February 2023

the wave bulkhead test certificate was

obtained.

In addition to being imposing and

cutting-edge, the new 400m (1,310ft)

long breakwater greatly exceeds

legal requirements. Comprising 1,600

tetrapods, each weighing 20 tonnes,

and 200,000 tonnes of rocks, its mantle

extends for tens of meters into the sea

and its wave wall rises 7m (23ft) above

sea level.

Smaller than before and even more

exclusive, the new marina has 250

berths instead of its original 400 but

can accommodate vessels up to 60m

(197ft) at nine docks and protected

piers. All berths have direct pump-out

points for bilge water and sewage;

vehicles can be parked in a new

underground car park; and services,

such as nautical brokerage, boat

handling and Customs clearance are

available. Over 200 new jobs have been

created across the site.

In order to respond to the changing

needs of the nautical market, the region

and the consequences of any change

in climate, Bizzi & Partners has created

a service port that is amongst the most

modern in the Mediterranean. Piers and

buildings have been rebuilt in a better

way, and bars, nautical commercial

spaces, two restaurants, on-board

delivery services and high level catering

for guest events and entertainment

added. Safety is paramount, exemplified

by an excellent fire prevention system,

personnel with first aid certificates,

and video surveillance on the docks,

entrances and commercial premises.

Porto Carlo Riva will be the

first tourist port in Liguria to use

purified municipal waste water for

Yachts moored at the pier alongside the

Torretta restaurant (below) and at new

marina piers (left).

34 www.marinaworld.com – January/February 2025


MARINA DEVELOPMENTS

The Torretta hospitality building (left) is now

open and the restaurant fully staffed (below).

approximately 80% of its non-potable

water requirements e.g. boat washing

and watering plants and green spaces.

Thousands of tonnes of inert materials

were reclaimed from the storm surge

and used to rebuild the site, and energy

saving devices and solar panels are

installed. In collaboration with the

Ministry of the Environment, great care

has been taken to protect the local

marine flora and fauna and electric

charge points have been installed for

cars and boats.

To boost tourist appeal, Bizzi &

Partners is leveraging the natural

beauty of the Gulf of Tigullio while

making Porto Carlo Riva attractive

to superyachts with a top-of-therange

clubhouse, retail and food and

beverage outlets.

The key figure involved in the

regeneration of Porto Carlo Riva,

Davide Bizzi, founder and CEO of Bizzi

& Partners, has developed and sold

more than 30 million square metres of

residential and commercial property

in Europe and the Americas. His is

a character animated by a strong

passion for design and architecture, a

quality that is reflected in the design

of his buildings and everything else he

creates. This concept of out-of-the-box

thinking and passion for excellence

mirrors the approach taken by Carlo

Riva himself when he first developed

the marina as one of the first private

tourist ports in Italy and the most iconic

yachting destination.

Looking back in time, Carlo Riva –

an engineer, navigator and pioneer

of pleasure boating – was equally

renowned for his shipyards and, of

course, the luxurious Riva motorboats

favoured by famous people from all

over the world – think Brigitte Bardot!

Fast forward to Davide Bizzi who, while

considering the marina privileged – his

first marina project and conceived as

a five-star hotel – said it will have a

sequel, having obtained an agreement

with the Municipality of Bordighera

to rebuild the port from scratch. The

inauguration of the new Porto Carlo

Marina was unsurprisingly a regional,

national and international event.

Interestingly, after analysis, the

management team decided against

offering hospitality areas exclusively

reserved for the crews and captains of

large yachts, believing that they would

best enjoy the same high-end facilities

as other guests. These include a new

hospitality venue called Torretta, which

boasts a restaurant and American

bar/ice cream parlour, all managed

by the Mussini family under its brand

O’Magazin al Porto. This is seen as

the hospitality flagship of the marina,

offering the best food and beverage

outlet in Rapallo, and captains and

crew enjoy its services from breakfast

through to lunch and dinner.

Concierge services are well covered

with an information point, staffed by

two team members who can assist with

itinerary planning and general requests

(taxis, onboard grocery deliveries,

restaurant bookings etc). Meeting

rooms with Wi-Fi, the latest generation

fibre and an integrated system for

video calls are available, as well as a

private office that can be reserved for

meetings. When the clubhouse opens

next season, wellness and gym facilities

will be available.

An on-site property agency can assist

in finding apartments for crew members

requiring short and medium term

accommodation although this is unlikely

to be greatly utilised as, due to limited

space, there is no refit area for large

yachts. The on-site yard is suitable for

hauling, launching and maintaining

small boats up to 18m (59ft) in length

and is managed by third parties.

The commercial facility features a

merchandising mix that is appreciated

by captains and ship owners and stands

out as a base for Riva, Sanlorenzo and

Nautor’s Swan. Border police, a property

agency, ship chandler, jewellery store,

high fashion and technical clothing

retailer, delicatessen and wine shop will

also open in 2025. The management

team reports that one of the services

most appreciated by captains is 24-hour

mooring assistance, and the marina

team is very proud to offer this.

The new concession agreed with

the municipality includes maintenance

of the public spaces of the public port

and activities related to the Patron

Saint Festival in July. Collaboration with

the events office of the Municipality

of Rapallo is also ongoing. The

concession runs until 2056.

www.marinaworld.com – January/February 2025

35



MARKET UPDATE: POLAND

The need for new berths in the Gdynia area,

the heart of the Polish sailing industry, has

long been evident. Photo: Marina Gdynia

Navigating through

choppy waters

The growth in the number of boats in Poland has failed to catch up with

the development of the marina industry in recent years. Coupled with other

factors, like rising energy costs and taxation, this puts pressure on business

revenue. Vladislav Vorotnikov reports

Official figures indicate a promising

trend in the popularity of sailing in

Poland. As of late 2023, the number

of officially registered boats in the

country stood at 63,000, according

to the government database Reja24,

administered by the Maritime Office

in Szczecin. This number has been

steadily growing by an average of 1,000

per year, reflecting a positive trajectory

for the industry.

The impact of this upward trend

should, however, be treated with

caution. According to Przemysław

Lenard, deputy director for the Maritime

Office, the lion’s share of new vessels

is registered by foreigners and these

boats are never meant to sail in Polish

waters or be moored up in the country.

In 2023, the number of boats registered

by foreigners under the Polish flag

amounted to 26,200, Lenard said, citing

the official figures. This represents a

hike in vessel registration by foreigners

over the past four years.

On 1 st August 2020, the Polish

Government embarked on a reform

measure to dramatically simplify the

registration of yachts and other floating

vessels up to 24m (79ft) in length.

In previous years, Polish boat owners

tended to register their boats in foreign

jurisdictions for different reasons,

commented Patryk Zbroja, a maritime

lawyer and a boat owner. Now, the

entire process has been transferred to

the online portal Reja24.

The reform turned the tables

significantly, as foreigners are now

coming to Poland in large numbers

to register their vessels, Zbroja said.

“The registration procedure is

now simpler, faster and cheaper

than it used to be. Previously, seagoing

and inland yachts had to be

included in as many as six types

of state register, kept by different

maritime chambers and maritime

offices,” Zbroja explained.

However, the reform has had little

impact on the popularity of sailing

inside the country. Poland builds

around 22,000 boats per year, of

which 95% are exported, estimates

Polboat, the Polish Chamber of

Marine Industry and Water Sports.

It is estimated that over half of all

Boat handling at Marina Przelom.

11m (36ft) boats with outboard engines

manufactured in Europe come from

Poland.

Expanding capacities

Recent years have been marked by a

rise in the number of public marinas in

Poland and this trend continues. “An

increased number of marinas have

been developed, thanks to EU funding,

that are owned by and managed by the

state. The number of berths increases

faster than the actual number of

vessels,” commented Ewa Kot, owner

and CEO at Marina Przełom in Górki

Zachodnie, Gdańsk. Marina Przełom

is nonetheless expanding its capacity.

In 2024, it added 3,500m² (37,700ft²)

of space for wintering and summer

maintenance to meet increasing

demand for storing and repairing sailing

and motor yachts, Kot revealed.

Regional authorities across Poland

are also mulling plans to build new or

expand existing marinas. For example,

the regional authorities in Świnoujście

have recently said that they are seeking

EU funding to modernise the marina in

the North Basin.

“We want to obtain PLN13 million

(€3 million) to modernise the piers so

that they rise according to the water

level,” Paweł Sujka, deputy mayor of

Świnoujście said during an interview on

Radio Szczecin.

The key rationale behind the project

is to become more competitive. The

www.marinaworld.com – January/February 2025

37


MARKET UPDATE: POLAND

investment is needed not only to add

more space but to make the marina in

the Northern Basin look “more or less

like the marina in Łunowo, in other

words, very modern,” Sujka explained.

The renovation schedule, to be

kicked off in 2025, will expand capacity

by nearly 10%, enabling the marina to

accommodate 560 vessels.

“There will be concrete piers attached

to piles, completely resistant to storm

conditions. After this modernisation,

the marina will probably be the largest

on the Polish sea coast,” noted Marek

Bartkowski, manager of the marina in

the Northern Basin.

One of the most ambitious current

projects in the Polish marina industry

is the upcoming construction of

Nova Marina Gdynia. The project,

developed as a joint venture model

by Ghelamco Poland and the Polish

Sailing Association, will involve the

construction of a multifunctional

building with an area of approximately

20,000m² (215,300ft²). Among other

things, it will house the headquarters of

the Polish Sailing Association.

The need for new berths in the

Gdynia area, the heart of the Polish

sailing industry, has long been evident.

In an interview with Marina World in

2019, Przemysław Marynowski, a

spokesman for Marina Gdynia, revealed

that growth in the number of boats

and yachts in the country boosted

the demand for new accommodation,

particularly in the Gdynia area. During

the high season, usually observed in

the summer months, it was typically

booked by 100%, Marynowski

indicated.

Emerging opportunities

Market players believe that the marina

industry in Poland has some natural

constraints. Cruising in the country is

largely limited to the two sailing areas

around the ports of Szczecin and

Gdynia. Sailing north is challenging

because Poland is separated from

Lithuania and Latvia by Kaliningrad

Oblast, Russia.

The distance between Gdynia and

Klaipeda, Lithuania, is 143 nautical

miles and if European boat owners

had an opportunity to visit Svetlogorsk,

Russia, at the mid-way point, this would

give a new growth impetus to yachting

in this part of Europe. But in the context

of the ongoing political tensions with

Russia, such opportunity will unlikely

emerge in the foreseeable future.

In recent years, new marinas

have also started to appear outside

of the regions most popular among

boat owners.

In May 2024, Nautica Marina

launched a new marina in the

lake-rich region of Warmia-Masuria,

which can berth up to 150 boats.

In December 2023, regional

authorities also presented a

concept of building a marina on

the Vistula River in Bydgoszcz

in the central part of the country,

northwest of Warsaw. The initiative

is in its infancy but has attracted a

lot of public attention as one of the

proposed scenarios provides for the

construction of a floating marina.

The Bydgoszcz marina is due

to be an element of the emerging

Kujawsko-Pomorskie Vistula Trail,

a network of marinas proposed to

Marina Przelom (left & below) is

expanding its capacity to meet increasing

demand for storing and repairing sailing

and motor yachts.

meet the needs of growing tourist

traffic on the river.

Work on the trail is scheduled to

start by the end of 2025 and Wody

Polskie, a state water holding, is

due to select site locations for the

marina construction that will not be

harmful to the environment.

“This will be a network of marinas

and tourist attractions. Everything

will be covered by one marketing

umbrella,” Marcin Karasiński, vice

president of the Vistula Tourist

Organisation and coordinator of the

Vistula Trail, told the local press.

Cost competition

The situation is far from being cloudless

for Polish marinas. During the past few

years, just like the entire economy,

marinas in Poland have seen a surge in

energy costs.

While all of Europe has been

suffering from rising energy costs over

the last couple of years, in Poland

this has been particularly pressing.

Wholesale energy prices in Poland are

among the highest in Europe. As of the

middle of 2024, the average wholesale

price of electricity in Poland was €90

per MWh. Higher prices were recorded

during this period only in Ireland and

Italy. In comparison, in Norway and

Sweden, the energy prices were as low

as €32 and €39 per MWh, respectively.

“The rise of energy costs forces

38 www.marinaworld.com – January/February 2025


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MARKET UPDATE: POLAND

Private marinas face challenges due to rising

costs and increasing difficulty in competing

with public marinas that may not need to

make operating profit.

Photo: Smiltyne Yacht Club Marina

marina operators to seek alternative

energy sources,” Ewa Kot said, and to

help mitigate the rise in costs in 2023,

Marina Przełom installed solar panels

to provide a renewable and clean

source of energy. A solution that Kot

indicated is becoming common in the

country.

But high energy costs are only one

of the factors putting pressure on the

profitability of the marina business

in Poland. “The common challenges

for marinas operating in Poland are

the annual tax increases and the

introduction of new taxes,” Kot admitted.

And there is growing competition

between the private sector in the

industry and public marinas. “Private

marinas find it hard to compete with the

public marinas that are financed from

budget and may be operating at a loss,”

Kot claimed.

Marina Royale Darłowo, located in

the north on the coast of the Baltic

Sea, despite its name, opted not to

build a marina as a part of its project,

Wojciech Konferowicz, sales director,

POC Partners, the company managing

Marina Royale, commented. The

demand in this region is primarily met

by two marinas located further inside

the Darłowo port. Both are owned and

managed by the state, Konferowicz

indicated.

The coming years also promise to be

somewhat challenging for the marina

industry in Poland as the energy crisis

is yet to loosen its grip on the sector,

the general economic outlook remains

uncertain, and competition is likely to

strengthen.

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40 www.marinaworld.com – January/February 2025




ENVIRONMENTAL PRODUCTS & INITIATIVES

Tomorrow’s solutions

for today’s problems

In the final quarter of 2024, the diverse activities and brands that fell within the

Poralu Marine umbrella were consolidated under the new name Wearth Group

(see World News and Mooring Post December/January). Wearth Group growth

director, Christophe Sauné, discusses initiatives that make for sustainable

marinas.

At a time when waterfront

development is a major concern in

urban planning, when yachts and

marina infrastructure are either

flourishing or going

through major renovation

programmes, developers,

investors and governments

have the opportunity to

make the right investment

decisions. Indeed,

marinas are designed

and built to last over 30

years. With changing

regulations and a trend

to encourage or enforce

sustainable practices,

it seems mandatory

for stakeholders to be

proactive on promoting

clean harbour construction

and management habits.

Wearth Group, through its different

brands and expertise, has been

focused right from the beginning

on supplying the most innovative

solutions to limit the impact of marina

installations on the environment.

Our R&D investment policy firmly

sticks to this development philosophy.

From design to construction and

management, we strive for programmes

aimed at preserving what makes our

Fig 1. The Impact Program is a collaborative three-level system

based on cooperation between local partners.

industry special; the interaction with

clean waters and clean environments.

Collecting waste

Collecting waste isn’t the end goal

– in fact, it’s the starting point of a

process of transforming practices

and mindsets. Our range of litter

collection products, The Searial

The Bebot beach screening robot is perfect for

beach operators who consider there is strong

economic value in providing customers with

spotless sand.

Cleaners, can be combined to offer a

fully customised solution adapted to

specific site constraints while raising

awareness regarding marine pollution.

The Impact Program (see Fig 1) is a

collaborative three-level system based

on a concrete cooperation between a

community of local partners: NGOs,

charities, universities, public and private

stakeholders, and sponsors.

For example, to deal with the

increase in floating waste of all kinds

in the Ourcq Canal (mainly aquatic

weeds, but also packaging, bottles

and cans), the City of Paris decided to

invest in the Impact Program and the

Invisibubble, a bubble curtain solution

developed in collaboration with Wearth

Group’s partner Canadian Pound. This

system stops plastic waste and directs

it to a previously determined collection

point. Specifically designed pipes are

strategically positioned on the seabed

and release compressed air, forming

layers of bubble curtains. Once stopped

and redirected, the waste is collected

at a single location several times per

week. Despite this bubble curtain, fish

movements are not disrupted, and no

visual or noise pollution is generated by

the system.

The objectives of the installation were

clearly announced, and were measured

during an observation period before

being potentially deployed on a larger

scale. The aims were to:

• Facilitate the canal cleaning by

limiting the dispersion of floating

waste

• Prevent hydrocarbon pollution from

moving downstream

• Contribute to improving water

oxygenation

• Preserve the canal biodiversity and

reduce the proliferation of invasive

algae

• Fight against the presence of plastic

waste in the river and, ultimately, in

seas and oceans

• Raise awareness about the

installation by supporting the Paris

City Hall team in designing and

deploying their communication

initiative

For achieving its promises, the

project was recently awarded a Bronze

Territoria Award and the City of Paris is

www.marinaworld.com – January/February 2025

43


ENVIRONMENTAL PRODUCTS & INITIATIVES

currently investigating several additional

sites where the system could be

implemented.

Clean beaches

We notice that cleanliness for beach

operators has important commercial

value. But clean water and green

practices aren’t, however, fully

integrated as yet in traditional marina

business models.

Despite the proven success of waste

collection programmes and, more

generally, environmental approaches

in marinas, a huge difference remains

between aspirations and effective and

concrete action. Marina operators

express a strong wish to invest in ecofriendly

construction materials and keep

their water basin as clean as possible.

However, a deep dive into such

environmental practices comes with

dedicated investments and operational

costs that can rarely be compensated

by extra value perceived and paid for by

marina end users.

On the other hand, and mostly by

commercialising the Bebot – a beach

screening robot – we noticed that

beach operators find strong economic

value in providing their customers

with spotless sand. Cleaning practices

are, therefore, an intrinsic part of their

business model and OpEx plan.

As an innovative industrial company,

our role is to fill this ‘green gap’ by

providing not only technical solutions

but by also developing commercial

offers that help our customers value

their environmental approach.

Building green

Our vision isn’t strictly restricted to

water cleanliness. It initially started

with construction methodologies,

strongly focusing on decreasing the

impact of marina construction on local

ecosystems. Building ‘green’ is a big

step ahead with tremendous upsides.

Among other programmes, reducing

carbon footprint in marina construction

should remain one of our common

primary objectives. The challenge is not

only to conceptualise and design the

right solutions, but also to federate the

entire industry value chain around the

concept of sustainable construction,

from raw material suppliers to investors

and marina end users.

Marinas in general, especially floating

constructions, are manufactured for

a limited period of time. Knowing that

what is built today has an expiration

date and not considering the end of

life of the building materials seems like

leaving our next generations with an

issue we should have anticipated. In

that sense, making tomorrow’s circular

economy possible is a choice we

commonly make today understanding

the impact of construction and removal:

- How easy is it going to be to remove

what has been installed?

- What are the recyclability options

offered for the materials used?

- What construction options are

Poralu Marine’s Ecostyle decking allows light

to filter through and thus preserve underwater

flora and fauna.

available to drastically decrease the

development carbon footprint and its

impact on local ecosystems?

From a developer perspective and

purely on the financial aspect of

sustainable considerations, the trend

in marina property valuation and

potential capital gain follows the trend

of traditional construction: the lower the

environmental impact at construction,

during operation and at dismantling, the

higher the financial value.

Indeed, discount rate (or expected

return for investors) increases with

the risk associated to the asset,

naturally dragging down its future value.

Thus, non-compliance with future

sustainability expectations, which could

be either legally imposed or considered

socially non-acceptable, is foreseen

by investors as a risk combining high

financial impact and high probability,

and thus reducing the value of the

marina in the future.

Put differently, and mostly because

shorelines, banks and rivers are

The Invisibubble curtain stops plastic waste

and directs it to a collection point.

centres of attention when it comes to

sustainable practices, building green

is a must if we want our industry to

remain attractive for future investors.

Marina infrastructure, operators,

sailing, and boating in general stand on

a stage where natural elements are the

main pillars; the business in itself exists

only because water and shoreline are

perceived as pristine elements. They are

thus under constant scrutiny. Preserving

them by making the right choices is the

only way to ensure long term business

and pleasure for all, and tomorrow’s

solutions can already be found today.

44 www.marinaworld.com – January/February 2025


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ENVIRONMENTAL PRODUCTS & INITIATIVES

Real-time spill detection - automatically

Do you know how many spills occur in your marina and where they originate? If the answer is no, a team of Spanish

environmentally conscious specialists can help you take control.

Garau Ingenieros, Ocean Drivers and

Dr Mariano Morell have worked to

develop and promote an automatic

spill detection system aptly named

Spillcontrol. The system uses

the most up-to-date technology

to economically deliver an

environmental real-time monitoring

process that speeds up spill

detection and thus

minimises pollution

risks.

A fully commercial

product, Spillcontrol

has been installed

in three marinas in

the Balearic Islands

– Marina Botafoch

in Ibiza, and Club

Nàutic Portitxol and

Club Nàutic Arenal

in Mallorca – and

other marinas are

expressing interest.

The system involves

the installation of

fully autonomous

cameras (no need

for connection to

the power grid or

Wi-Fi networks) at

any location in the marina. These take

images of the water, which are sent

to the Spillcontrol servers. Using AI

analysis via the system’s proprietary

algorithm, spills can be detected and

quantified via image analysis. If a spill

is detected, an alarm or notification is

issued.

Spillcontrol records all data and it

is easy to extract specific information,

such as frequency, type and location

of spills. This enables the marina

operator to pinpoint any problem areas

and take corrective action. The system

helps facilities avoid fines for spills

that did not originate in the marina by

generating necessary documentation,

helps the marina to stay ahead of

future environmental requirements,

and assists in obtaining ISO 14001 or

EMAS environmental

management

certifications.

Equally

importantly, it sends

a clear message

to customers that

the marina is at

the forefront of

environmental

innovation and cares

about clean water.

This is the ethos

upon which Garau

Ingenieros began the

Spillcontrol journey

– and here’s the

background.

Garau Ingenieros is

a civil engineering firm

based in Mallorca that

undertakes a variety

46 www.marinaworld.com – January/February 2025


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ENVIRONMENTAL PRODUCTS & INITIATIVES

of projects, such as roads, urban

developments, wastewater systems,

coastal works and harbours and

marinas. “Our firm has a long tradition

that began with my great grandfather,”

says CEO Carlos Garau Fullana. “He

was a civil engineer and for some years

was the director of Palma Harbour. I

represent the fourth generation of civil

engineers in the family.”

Garau is an innovator who sought

to make the best of his talented team.

“We began work with drone topography,

Building Information Modelling (BIM)

and other innovations but we wanted to

go beyond this and find our own niche

– a speciality that specifically suited

us,” he emphasises. “Because we love

harbours, we know a lot about how to

improve water quality, and because it

makes no sense to have top quality

harbours and marinas with poor sea

water quality, we decided to move the

company focus towards improving the

marine water environment.”

The shift in focus was made

around four years ago and involved

collaboration with Ocean Drivers,

a software and hardware

firm specialising in marine

developments, and Mariano Morell,

a civil engineer whose PhD thesis

explored the science behind

Spillcontrol.

Other projects are also under

development: CleanPort, a

Spillcontrol development to create a

harbour quality system based on AI

and expert systems; and CICERO,

a water quality system.

“We are in the pre-commercial

phase of the CICERO project, which

is being authorised by Puertos

del Estado, the organisation that

manages the various port authorities in

Spain,” Garau says. “Puertos del Estado

has a very interesting programme,

Ports 4.0, that promotes innovative

projects related to different aspects of

port operations. We have been granted

€300,000 for our project, which has

a development cost of €500,000 over

three years.” CICERO seeks better

water quality via the natural processes

already present in harbour waters,

without the need for chemical products.

www.spillcontrol.es

www.marinaworld.com – January/February 2025

49


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Innovation to restore seagrass meadows

The UK-based Ocean Conservation Trust (OCT) has been focused on seagrass conservation for over a decade. Its Blue

Meadows Programme, a holistic approach to seagrass protection, regeneration and restoration at scale, aims to protect

seagrass meadows that already exist, and over the longer term, restore meadows that have been lost.

After years of trialling different

restoration techniques, the OCT

has now developed a purposebuilt

deployment device for use by

commercial divers. This innovative

device, called HMS OCToPUS, is

showing some promising signs of

success.

Hydroseeding on land is a planting

process to spread seeds rapidly,

particularly to help fight erosion. Taking

inspiration from this, OCT sought to

develop Hydro Marine Seeding (HMS)

as a technique to inject seagrass seeds

directly into the seabed to restore, on

scale, efficiently. To achieve this, the

Trust commissioned a local Plymouthbased

design team, Absolute Product

Design, to engineer a mechanism based

on a caulking gun. It was then named

OCToPUS (Ocean Conservation Trust o

Pressurised Underwater Seeder).

ENVIRONMENTAL PRODUCTS & INITIATIVES

Underwater hydroseeding (above) and the

specialist ROV that helps map and monitor

sensitive habitats (below).

The spring-loaded handheld device

is designed for divers to use on the

seabed and has a 1.5 litre chamber

filled with Zostera marine seeds

suspended in a specialised carrying

media. One OCToPUS unit can be used

to inject 2,000 seagrass seeds in under

20 minutes, in just one dive, by one

diver.

The Ocean Habitat Restoration team

has completed 1.5 ha (3.7 acres) of

restoration effort in the Solent Maritime,

and 2 ha (4.9 acres) in Plymouth Sound

National Marine Park. The team will

continue to monitor the restoration

sites, but preliminary results are

positive, showing vital regeneration of

the seagrass beds.

Amelia Newman, seagrass

aquaculture technician lead at the OCT,

said: “We focus entirely on subtidal

seagrass, and with that there are a

variety of additional challenges that

come with working below the waves.

So, we are really excited to be at this

stage with our new device and starting

to see how it could revolutionise the

way OCT goes about restoring this

vitally important habitat. We are so

grateful for the support of one of our

key partners, Ørsted, and the engineers

at Absolute Product Design, who have

been fundamental in the development

of this innovative device.”

Samir Whitaker, biodiversity lead

specialist at Ørsted, noted: “Seagrass

meadows are highly efficient carbon

sinks which improve water quality and

provide food and shelter to numerous

important species, such as sand eel

and herring. The UK has lost up to

90% of its seagrass, but groups like the

Ocean Conservation Trust have shown

that we can bring it back. Restoring

seagrass efficiently, and quickly, is

imperative to tackling the biodiversityclimate

crisis and Ørsted is delighted

to have supported the development

of HMS OCToPUS. We firmly believe

that a combination of collaboration

and innovation will be key to achieving

real progress in biodiversity protection,

preservation and restoration.”

In partnership with marine technology

company Sonardyne, MarineSee,

Voyis and Blue Robotics, the Trust has

also developed a specialised Remote

Operated Vehicle (ROV) to further its

conservation efforts.

www.marinaworld.com – January/February 2025

51


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ENVIRONMENTAL PRODUCTS & INITIATIVES

Mapping and monitoring of sensitive

habitats like seagrass in the marine

environment is challenging and the

ROV is a tool that will enable OCT to

map seagrass in unprecedented detail.

Using state-of-the-art underwater

positioning technology, the ROV is

capable of producing high-resolution

photogrammetry to track restoration

efforts and monitor established

beds. By also using other exciting

complementary acoustic technologies,

the OCT is aiming to demonstrate a

more comprehensive way of mapping

and monitoring seagrass, to support

its restoration activities. The ease and

precision of repeatability that should

be achieved with this technology will

also enable the OCT to much better

understand seasonal and annual

change in the seagrass meadows.

“To be able to look at seagrass in

this way is hugely exciting for us as a

team – we’re very fortunate to spend

a lot of time in and on the water but

this technology promises a much

more accurate, detailed and efficient

way we can monitor some of the

main metrics of seagrass health,” said

Andy Cameron, conservation projects

manager at the OCT. “This

also means we can use

divers differently for things

the ROV can’t do. We’re so

grateful for Sonardyne’s

help to take a huge step

forward in our capabilities

to monitor, which will

ultimately feed into

improving how we go about

restoring seagrass.”

Groundbreaking

seagrass conservation

work like this is important

as up to 90% of seagrass

beds have been lost in

the UK since the 1930s,

largely through physical

disturbance, pollution and

disease. The International Union for

the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)

estimated in 2014 that seagrasses

are declining by 7% a year globally.

This estimate makes it the fastest

disappearing habitat on the planet.

Mark Parry, head of ocean habitat

restoration at the OCT summed up:

“We are dedicated to protecting and

restoring seagrass meadows in the

southwest and beyond, so it is thrilling

to see how we can build upon our

efforts with these exciting devices and

technologies. It is great to be working

with a team of passionate people at

the OCT who think outside the box,

as well as receiving support from our

partners and local organisations to help

us conserve these vitally important

habitats.”

Further information:

www.oceanconservationtrust.org

www.marinaworld.com – January/February 2025

53


ENVIRONMENTAL PRODUCTS & INITIATIVES

Coral Sea earns a

first in sustainability

certification

Coral Sea Marina in Airlie Beach, Queensland, has become the first marina

in Australia to earn Sustainable Tourism Certification through Ecotourism

Australia. The achievement underscores its commitment to global bestpractice

standards and highlights its leadership in sustainable tourism.

Joscelyn O’Keefe, head of marketing

and business development, explained

why the marina sought the certificate.

“Our marina is uniquely located at the

heart of the Great Barrier Reef and

as a destination marina we attract

hundreds of thousands of visitors every

Ecotourism Australia

Ecotourism Australia is a non-government, not-for-profit organisation, established in 1991, that promotes and

supports the ecotourism industry in Australia through building capacity and actively promoting sustainable tourism

operations and systems. It is recognised as the credible, national peak body for sustainable and nature-based tourism

in Australia.

Its foundational programme – ECO

Certification – was the world’s first

national ecotourism certification

programme. There are more than

2,000 certified experiences in the ECO,

Sustainable Tourism, Climate Action, and

Respecting Our Culture certifications.

Ecotourism Australia’s certification

programmes, including the new

Sustainable Tourism Certification, are

acknowledged and recognised globally.

year,” she said. “We are acutely aware

of the key role the marina plays in the

development of a sustainable tourism

industry in the Whitsundays and,

therefore, our commitment to effective

environmental management is a key

priority for us as a business.

The ECO Destination Certification

was developed by Ecotourism

Australia using the international

Green Destinations standard. The

certification assesses a region across

the four pillars of sustainability and

the destination must pass an on-site

audit conducted by a third-party auditor

before certification can be granted.

Ecotourism Australia has global

partnerships, working with the United

“Sustainability has always been

at the heart of our operations. This

certification will help us on our journey

to continue to promote the concept of

‘travel for good’ to our guests, visitors

and the wider community,” she added.

Ecotourism Australia’s CEO, Elissa

Keenan, congratulated Coral Sea

Marina on the achievement saying

that it was not only a testament to

its dedication to sustainability and

environmental stewardship but also

testament to the focus of the tourism

industry in the Whitsunday’s region.

“We have 38 ECO Certified operators

in the region and 18 operate their

tour experiences from the Coral Sea

Marina,” she revealed.

“Australia boasts the third largest

marine jurisdiction in the world,

contributing $118.5 billion to our

economy and supporting 462,000

jobs annually. It’s our responsibility

Nations Educational, Scientific and

Cultural Organisation (UNESCO),

the United Nations World Tourism

Organisation (UNWTO), Green

Destinations (an international

organisation for sustainable destination

development); and key partnerships in

the Asia-Pacific region including with

WWF-Australia, Parks Australia and

the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park

Authority (GBRMPA).

54 www.marinaworld.com – January/February 2025



ENVIRONMENTAL PRODUCTS & INITIATIVES

Coral Sea Marina hosts 80% of the on-water tourism experiences in the Whitsundays.

to safeguard these waters for future

generations. Ecotourism Australia is

proud to have nearly 200 ECO Certified

operators and over 700 marine-based

experiences across Australia who are

committed to ensuring tourism activities

play a role in preserving our oceans

across our region. Coral Sea Marina is

further contributing to this commitment,”

Keenan said.

Sustainable Tourism Certification

assesses businesses, through third

party auditing, against Ecotourism

Australia’s internationally recognised

ecotourism standard across the four

pillars of sustainability: environmental,

cultural, socio-economic and

sustainable business operations.

The marina has integrated numerous

sustainability initiatives throughout its

operations. The Coral Sea Academy

educates guests and locals on the

environment, Great Barrier Reef,

resources. Coral Sea Marina Resort

and eco-friendly boating. The marina provides environmental information,

features interpretive signage, a

green boating guides, and updates

Resilient

seagrass nursery and citizen science via digital platforms and newsletters,

programmes. It also honours the

promoting sustainability and respect for

traditional owners of the land, the

the Whitsundays’ natural and cultural

Birri-Gubba Nation, through cultural heritage.

collaborations, signage and online

Coral Sea Marina is an awardwinning

destination marina in the

Whitsundays, at the heart of the

world-heritage listed Great Barrier Reef.

It features 520 wet berths, two lively

shoreside marina villages, and hosts

80% of the region’s on-water tourism

experiences, including 52 commercial

operators.

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56 www.marinaworld.com – January/February 2025


BUYING & SELLING MARINAS

Upscale marina/RV

resort on the Potomac

Coles Point Marina & RV Resort on the Potomac River in Virginia, USA –

one of several substantial properties of its type to be currently available to

investment buyers – is for sale via SVN Marinas, a premier advisory practice

for marina and marine-related properties.

David Kendal, (inset, above)

managing director with SVN/Nautilus

and chairman of SVN Marinas,

describes Coles Point as a ‘standout’

facility and, with over 25 years of

expertise in commercial property, most

particularly in marinas, he has an

excellent barometer.

Covering 335 acres (135.6ha),

Coles Point features a full-service

marina with 145 wet slips, a waterfront

restaurant, and a 39.5-acre (16-ha)

RV park with 118 RV Pads full-hookup

(FHU) and expansion potential.

It offers a mix of leisure, investment

and expansion opportunities and this

versatility, according to Kendall, is

what sets it apart. Revenue streams

include slip rentals, RV leases, fuel

sales, hospitality and event hosting.

Professional management ensures

operational excellence and seamless

guest experiences, making it a standout

in Virginia’s vibrant leisure market.

“With RV travel and recreational

boating on the rise, Coles Point aligns

with consumer demand for high-quality,

flexible travel options,” Kendall notes.

“This property also offers substantial

development potential, catering to the

increasing demand for upscale RV sites

and marina services.”

SVN Marinas has built a reputation

for delivering value in complex

transactions, including acquisitions,

sales and development projects and,

with a collaborative network of over

1,600 advisors, can tailor services

precisely to marina sector needs.

Kendall’s vision extends beyond

individual transactions as he champions

industry best practices, educates

investors on the unique dynamics

of marina ownership, and fosters

innovation in asset management.

For information,

david.kendall@svn.com

Christie & Co are the leading

Leisure property specialists

providing a full range of

brokerage, valuation and

consultancy services across the

UK’s marina sector.

Our recent activity includes:

• 5 Marinas Sold

• New 300 berth Marina launching

to market early 2025

Whether you’re looking to sell

your marina/marine related

business, are seeking a valuation

or want to expand your portfolio,

speak to the experts:

leisure@christie.com

+44 (0) 333 034 1756

www.marinaworld.com – January/February 2025

57


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West coast icon up for sale

An iconic wet slip marina on the US west coast has come to market via Simply Marinas. Priced at $30 million, the

property is described as offering a rare opportunity to acquire a first-class marina facility in one of the country’s most

desirable coastal urban locations and at the heart of one of its biggest boating destinations.

Absentee owned, the facility has

approximately 6,100ft (1,860m) of dock

space arranged as 161 boat slips on a

floating dock system. Income is derived

from slip rentals and 12 commercial

business tenants who rent 100%

occupied space in a 12,000ft² (1,100m²)

commercial building (6,000ft²/550m²

leasable). Slip occupancy is estimated

at 98% with a waiting list for certain slip

sizes.

With land area of slightly over four

acres (1.6ha), held on a fee simple/

freehold basis, and leased water space,

the marina is certified as a Clean

Marina.

For NDA and Executive Summary,

contact Michelle Ash

team@simplymarinas.com

Superyacht facility investment in Fort Lauderdale

CBRE Marinas & Shipyards presents a unique opportunity to acquire Port Dania, a rare marine property located on the

coveted Dania Cut Canal in Florida.

Situated in a prime location close to

the Port Everglades inlet, the property

accommodates yachts up to 250ft

(77m) and has unparalleled access to

South Florida’s waterways. Spanning

approximately five acres (2ha), the

property is perfectly suited for marine

use, including boat manufacturing,

yacht dockage and refit, drystack and

port operations.

With approach depths of up to 17ft

(5m), Port Dania can accommodate

superyachts with ease in an area where

yachting activity is so much in demand

that there is a shortage of dockage,

especially for superyachts requiring

satisfactory depth and linear footage.

Proximity to the inlet is a crucial and

highly valued factor for superyacht

businesses, as is nearby Port

Everglades, which serves as a gateway

to international trade and commerce

in the heart of Fort Lauderdale. Both

provide additional value.

“Port Everglades is bustling with

connectivity, where global trade

aligns with the superyacht community

providing crucial services for the area’s

maritime industry,” Julie Fisher Berry,

senior vice president CBRE Marinas

and Shipyards, tells Marina World. “This

is a unique opportunity to capitalise

on this prime location in the Yachting

Capital of the World and home to the

Fort Lauderdale International Boat

Show. It is one of the only locations

that provides adequate depths for

superyachts.” Sheila Roux, senior

BUYING & SELLING MARINAS

Conceptual rendering of the Port Dania site.

associate, adds: “There has been a

persistent shortage of marina slips in

South Florida and this trend continues.

The storage potential of this site makes

it a valuable opportunity for investors in

search of prime locations.”

For information, contact

julie.berry@cbre.com

www.marinaworld.com – January/February 2025

59


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‘Great Loop’ marina comes to market

Grafton Harbor, commonly known as ‘The Key West of the Midwest’, is located in an Enterprise Zone on the southern

border of Illinois where the Mississippi River meets the Illinois River. The property is offered for sale via National Marina

Sales.

Featuring over 300 covered and open

wet slips with full dockside amenities

and a designated in-water storage area

for jet skis and other small vessels, the

marina is well protected by an effective

breakwater and is located on the

Great Loop, a popular and continuous

waterway for leisure boaters seeking to

explore eastern North America.

Facilities are plentiful. A fabulous

restaurant on the second floor of the

marina building is currently leased out

on a five-year term to talented tenants

who offer outstanding food in a scenic

environment with elevated views of

the rivers. A winery, located on the first

floor, is owned and operated by the

marina and carries a broad selection of

wines.

Abundant parking is provided on

immediately adjacent leased property,

which has 75 years remaining on the

current lease and a 100-year renewal

option. A 53ft

(16m) all-weather

tour boat, ‘Hakuna

Matata’, included

in the sale, is a

great addition to the

marina and runs

regularly to provide

an outstanding

events venue,

dinner tours, eco

tours, and more,

for customers and

visitors.

Permanent

slip holders and

visitors with access

to the swimming pool benefit from

ten separate, convenient and wellappointed

private bathroom suites for

changing, and customers can also

enjoy the floating ARRR bar, hot tub,

general store, ships store and gift

BUYING & SELLING MARINAS

shop. High speed diesel and gas/petrol

pumps are installed and transient slips

are available with reservations.

For information, contact Rick Roughen,

rick@roughen.net

www.nationalmarinasales.com

Meet us at booth 7A G24

The choice of professionals

www.roodberg.com

The Original

www.marinaworld.com – January/February 2025

61


PRODUCTS, SERVICES & PEOPLE

Diamond range launched

in Amsterdam

Belgian company arabel-marina, an established supplier of harbour systems to

marinas in Belgium, France and the Netherlands, launched new management

software and a new generation of dockside pedestals at Metstrade in

Amsterdam last November.

The upgraded software

has been developed

in close cooperation

with harbour masters,

software specialists and

end-users, and adopts

the latest technology to

offer marinas maximum

flexibility. Marina customers

can easily reserve berths,

add or update services

as they travel and make

easy payments. Marina

managers benefit from an

entirely automated check-in

and sales process and can

remotely monitor bookings,

service uptake and revenue.

arabel-marina offers

a comprehensive range

of slim profile electric

pedestals that can be

optionally managed via

the company’s software

system. New for 2024, the

Diamond series (left) can

provide electricity and water

for four to eight berths, with

or without meters. Each

pedestal has four electrical

outlets and four water

taps as standard but the

configuration can be varied

as needed. Outlets and taps

can be switched on and off

and read remotely.

The Diamond is available

in six different colours and

Sales contract

for marina trucks

Marina Truck Sales, in partnership

with Wiggins Lift Co and Taylor

Northeast, has been granted

exclusive rights to sell Wiggins

marina trucks in 11 states within

the northeast USA. Forklift

Exchange, an affiliate of Marina

Truck Sales, will provide ongoing

service and support.

The expanded agreement

significantly strengthens Marina

Truck Sales’ position in the marina

truck niche of the material handling

industry and builds on established

sales success in other territories in

the USA and overseas.

The company will work closely

with regional equipment dealer

Taylor Northeast to ensure a

smooth transition for all existing

orders. Taylor Northeast will fulfil

outstanding orders while Marina

Truck Sales oversees delivery, setup

and installation.

www.marinatrucksales.com

is expandable to up to eight

outlets and eight water taps.

Around-the-clock

operations are standard

for every marina and

the company covers this

with a broad range of

service packages. These

include installation and

commissioning, training,

maintenance and remote

maintenance.

All solutions are

designed, developed

and produced in-house

by a team experienced

in electricity and metal

working.

www.arabel.be

Seawall specialist appoints distributor

Dock and Marina has been appointed exclusive manufacturer’s representative for Atlantis Seawall in Florida, Georgia,

South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. The strategic partnership brings Atlantis Seawall’s vinyl sheet

piling products – engineered specifically for seawalls, bulkheads and marine walls – to a broader US market.

Atlantis specialises in manufacturing

high-quality vinyl sheet piling, and

utilises premium proprietary material

blends to create products known for

their durability and performance.

David Metivier at Dock and Marina

says the collaboration will enable the

company to meet the growing demand

for high-quality marine solutions in its

region.

david@dockandmarine.com

www.atlatisseawallusa.com

62 www.marinaworld.com – January/February 2025


Suppliers & Services

March 2025 – February 2026

Add your company entry now at www.marinaworld.com

For advertising options

The Americas: pcritot@marinaworld.com

Italy: nauta@ediconsult.com

France: catherinemetais@marinaworld.com

Rest of World: juliahallam@marinaworld.co.uk


PRODUCTS, SERVICES & PEOPLE

Floating dock helps meet

demand for superyacht berthing

A one-of-a-kind deepwater superyacht berth has been installed at Safe Harbor Rybovich – Berth One in Palm Beach,

Florida. Measuring 390ft (119m) in total length, the floating concrete dock was commissioned in response to demand

from superyacht owners and captains.

Vance Marine Construction installed

six SF Marina Type 2060 floating

concrete pontoons to create an

L-shaped arrangement, with a 140ft

(43m) section perpendicular to shore

and a 250ft (76m) section facing south

toward the Port of Palm Beach. A

generous 20ft (6m) in width, the docks

have a 36in (0.9m) freeboard with

a double row of 4 x 6in (10 x 15cm)

timber rub rails to accommodate a wide

range of vessel sizes.

Vance also drove 12 new 30in

(76cm) steel piles in an offset pattern

that allows small vehicles to service

superyachts on either side of the

dock. The piles ride within SF Marina’s

innovative guides that feature safety

covers and

cushion block

technology

for silent

movement

during the 3ft

(0.9m) tide.

Integrated

utility ducts in

the pontoons

are supplied

for future

installation

of water,

power, fuel

and waste removal capability. Oversized

ship bollards are rated for 25 tons.

The pontoons were manufactured

ISO wins for Liverpool

Liverpool Marina in the UK has successfully achieved ISO 14001, ISO 9001 and

ISO 45001 accreditations, marking a significant milestone in its commitment to

quality, environmental management, and occupational health and safety.

The achievement comes just 18

months after the marina team embarked

on a long-term project to enhance

operational standards and processes.

“We are incredibly proud of our team,

whose hard work and commitment have

made this possible,” said managing

director Chloe Baker CMM (above

centre) last October. “Achieving these

ISO accreditations not only enhances

our reputation but also provides peace

of mind to our customers, knowing that

we adhere to the highest standards in

the industry.”

in SF Marina’s factory in Sweden and

transported to the USA by ship.

www.sfmarinausa.com

Second club

in Brisbane

Freedom Boat Club has

expanded its operations in

Australia by opening a tenth club;

at Rivergate Marina in Brisbane.

The premium site provides

members with exclusive, direct

access to the picturesque

Brisbane River.

This is the second club in

Brisbane and is owned and

operated by seasoned franchise

partner Brett Bolton, who brings

over 26 years of expertise in the

marine industry.

“We are excited to further

expand our footprint in Brisbane

with this new location,” Bolton said.

“The Brisbane River offers an

unparalleled city setting for boaters,

and we are eager to provide an

easy, affordable way for people to

explore it. Our members will benefit

from not only access to top-tier

boats, but also expert guidance and

a community of passionate boating

enthusiasts who share the same

love for the water.”

64 www.marinaworld.com – January/February 2025


MAXIMIZE THE

RETURN

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PRODUCTS, SERVICES & PEOPLE

Index to Advertisers

AMI Conference & Expo, USA 15

ASAR, USA 20

Applied Technology &

Management, USA 36

Bellingham Marine, USA 7 & 67

Bluet, Finland 22

Boat Lift, Italy 45

CJ Plast, France 58

Capria, Argentina 42

Christie & Co, UK 57

Conolift by Kropf Industrial,

Canada 39

D-Marin, Greece 33

Den Hartog, USA 48

EZ Dock, USA 65

Eagle Floats by

Hendren Plastics, USA 55

Flovac, Spain 29

Forklift Exchange, USA 49, 50 & 53

Gigieffe, Italy 36

Golden Manufacturing, USA 14

Ingemar, Italy 10

Inmare, Italy 58

Lindley, Portugal 40

MPP Engineering, UK 42

Marex, Croatia 42

Marina Master by IRM, Slovenia 60

Marina Projects, UK 68

MARINAGo by

Scribble Software, USA 41

Marine Structures, Australia 60

Marine Travelift, USA 47

Marinetek, Finland 4

Martini Marinas, Italy 30

Metstrade 2025, Netherlands 26

Molo Marina Management/

Stellar Systems, USA 24

Perspective Products, USA 60

PierPump by Vogelsang,

Germany 8

Plus Marine, Italy 12

Ronautica, Spain 24

Roodberg - a brand of

Frisian Industries, Netherlands 61

SF Marina System, Sweden 2

Seaflex, Sweden 6

Seijsener, Netherlands 50

Strongwell, USA 56

Sunwalk, USA 48

Titan Deck, USA 58

Twinwood by CJ Plast, Portugal 30

Walcon Marine, UK 18

Uli Heinemann

After just over 25 years at the helm of Brussels-based International Marine

Certification Institute (IMCI), Uli Heinemann has opted to retire from his

position as managing director.

Heinemann, who

has played a key

role in shaping the

company – now the

largest CE certifier

in the water sports

industry – was

bid farewell by the

board of directors

at the IMCI annual general meeting in

Amsterdam in November.

“After signing more than 67,700

certificates, it is time for me to start

Suntex opts for

a new phase in my life,”

he said. ”However, I

will remain loyal to the

industry and continue to

work as a consultant and

assessor in the areas of

CE, UKCA and NMMA

certifications. I can hardly

imagine a life outside of

this industry.”

Ulrich Manigel, who has been with

IMCI for 22 years, now takes on the role

of managing director.

Storable technology

US marina group, Suntex Marinas, has adopted Storable’s Molo and Stellar

software across its entire portfolio of 72 owned marinas.

The enterprise-wide deployment

underpins a strategic two-year digital

transformation initiative designed to

support Suntex’s aggressive growth

trajectory, which encompassed 13 new

marina acquisitions in 2024 alone.

By standardising on the Storable

platform, Suntex has been able to

rapidly integrate new properties while

maintaining operational consistency

across its expanding portfolio.

“By integrating Storable’s advanced

marina management software

with our accounting and data lake

platforms, we are enabling a modern

customer experience, streamlining

our operations, and unlocking insights

and efficiencies through sophisticated

analytics,” said Brian Rook, Suntex

chief technology officer. “We look

forward to continuing our collaboration

with Storable to deliver even

greater value to our customers and

stakeholders.”

Through the enterprise platform,

Molo, and rental management system,

Stellar, Suntex has achieved significant

operational milestones:

• Accelerated financial operations:

centralised accounting with NetSuite

platform integration has dramatically

reduced monthly close times from

weeks to days.

• Revenue optimisation: implementation

of rental dynamic pricing automation

has driven revenue increases up to

10%.

• Rapid deployment capability: new

acquisitions can be integrated into

Molo’s platform immediately, versus

historical timelines of months or years.

• Streamlined training: standardised

processes and technology across all

locations simplifies staff onboarding

and ensures consistent service

delivery.

• Enhanced guest experience:

comprehensive digital tools, including

Stellar’s dock attendant, dock

attendant mobile app and marketing

automation tools, and Molo’s recurring

billing and work order management,

deliver a premium marina experience.

“Suntex represents the pinnacle of

modern marina operations, and their

full adoption of Storable’s Molo and

Stellar demonstrates the enterprisegrade

capabilities of our platform,” said

Chris Edwards, general manager of

the marine division at Storable. “Their

success in leveraging our technology

to drive growth while improving

operational efficiency sets a new

standard for the industry.”

www.getmolo.com www.storable.com

66 www.marinaworld.com – January/February 2025



SETTING THE WORLD

STANDARD IN MARINA DESIGN

CONCEPT DESIGN & MARINA MASTER PLANNING

FEASIBILITY STUDIES & MARKET RESEARCH

BUSINESS PLANNING

MARINA & WATERFRONT DESIGN

TENDER AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT

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ENVIRONMENTAL & LEGISLATIVE ADVICE

PROPERTY CONSULTANCY SERVICES

GLOBAL WATERFRONT & MARINA DEVELOPMENT

CONSULTANCY AT ITS BEST

www.marinaprojects.com

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