SF Marina has been building and installing oating breakwaters and pontoons for marinas worldwide since 1918. We are committed to nding the best solution for every site.
e sturdy tugboat pontoons for the operation of large vessels in a port on the Swedish West Coast are examples of the capacity of our factory in Wallhamn. e pontoons are 10 meters wide and 23 m long. ey are also designed to accommodate heavy construction vehicles.
Photo: Stig Jansson, SF Pontona
Waterfront Developments: The Wharf
Robert Wilkes examines the ambitious planning of The Wharf in Washington, DC
America’s Cup Bermuda contracted Structurmarine to supply an assortment of floating systems for the 2017 race event. Sarah Devlin reports
Waterfront Developments: Marina di Valletta
Newly built Marina di Valletta further enhances the waterfront in Malta’s capital. Donatella Zucca looks at the bigger picture
Market Update: Estonia
With a determination to boost interest in sailing and attract visiting boats, Estonia has built a chain of guest marinas over the past five years. Carol Fulford took a tour
Future-proofing management systems and the latest updates on products and installations
On the cover: Pärnu Yacht Club in Estonian city Pärnu on the shores of the Gulf of Riga is a longestablished private club that has been hosting regattas for over a century. The marina is working on a master plan to further improve its landscaping and shoreside facilities.
Read more about Estonian marinas p.35
Marina World
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Enabling the customer
In an increasingly DIY world we are entering a new phase when it comes to customer service; enabling customers to do as much as possible for themselves, when they like, where they like, provided they have a smartphone. And, although statistics vary, I think we can safely assume that around 80% of internet users now own one of these devices and up to 33% of users check email and browse websites primarily and often exclusively using a mobile hand-held device.
We’ve become used to people striding the pavements seemingly in deep conversation with themselves; being bumped and bothered by those whose field of vision is focused on the smallest of small screens; and observed how 21st century diners set their table – knife, fork, spoon, smartphone.
Love it or hate it, we need it. And it’s instrumental in the new wave of self-service offerings that are on trend in all industries including ours. As you can read in our special focus on Management Software in this issue, the increasing demand for self-service options is a major trend, and securing ways to help the customer interact directly with the marina are top of the shopping list. This means we need real time communication to make best use of the 24/7 opportunities provided by the internet.
We are seeing a rise in online reservation systems; mobile Apps that enable customers to check on their boats, check their utilities and settle accounts; and systems that alert the marina office to the imminent arrival of incoming boats so that an appropriate member of staff can be on the dock to receive and greet them.
To achieve this, software providers are offering packages that integrate all marina systems, and relying on cloud technology to provide sufficient and secure data storage and give multi-site access that is also ‘mobile’. Tone Britovšec of IRM speaks of “wearable technology” providing the marina manager with an ‘office on the move’ and boaters with ‘marina on the move’ options.
Integrating systems is ideal but such systems have to work for the people who are actually using them and work the way they need them to work. As Graham Laidler of Harbour Assist asserts, it’s not just technology that matters – the customer experience is essential. There are two customers to take into account –the marina manager and the boater – and integrated systems need to work well on both levels.
A modern integrated marina management system and a global fleet of smartphone toting boaters removes much of the pain of day-to-day administration. But it introduces a fresh challenge. Where does customer service go next?
Carol Fulford Editor
Lyttleton marina plans
NEW ZEALAND: Lyttleton Port of Christchurch (LPC) is building a new marina at the sheltered inner harbour pile mooring site in Lyttleton Harbour. It is the first stage of a wider regeneration plan to improve public access and amenities in the area.
The marina, to be called Te Ana to reflect iwi cultural values, will be Canterbury’s only walk-on floating
marina and, on completion of stages one and two, will feature up to 200 berths.
Smart moves for METSTRADE MYP
NETHERLANDS: After enjoying a successful move to Hall 5 last year, the Marina & Yard Pavilion (MYP) at METSTRADE will again benefit from its smart, unique diagonal set-up and its own catering area. This arrangement offers the MYP the ability to grow further after its excellent performance last year. The HISWA Marina Symposium and international sessions on the Marina Stage will further enhance the reputation of the MYP, which is now in its sixth year.
METSTRADE 2017 will be the thirtieth show to date and 92% of all floor space was sold by early May. There are significant numbers of new exhibitors. “We already know that we will be welcoming well over 120 new exhibitors in November, following the trend of previous years,” says Irene Dros, manager maritime at RAI Amsterdam. “While the high booking
Spoilbank project under cloud
AUSTRALIA: According to various media sources, the development of Spoilbank Marina at Port Hedland, Western Australia, may not in fact progress.
The Liberal National Government gave the green light to the 150-berth project in October 2016 and pledged support via the Royalties for Regions programme. However, no allowance appears to have been made for the annual maintenance costs for the facility, estimated at AU$2 million. It is believed that the town of Port Hedland has no provision for this sum.
figure of around 1,500 exhibitors from around the world illustrates the incredible loyalty to METSTRADE and what it means to the maritime industry as a whole, the number of new participants showcases how our brand is inspiring the next generation of companies, too.”
Further information: www.metstrade.com
Save the date
USA: The next International Marina & Boatyard Conference (IMBC) will be held at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans 31st January-2nd February 2018.
Further information: www.marinaassociation.org
PMV wins Paralimni tender
CYPRUS: The ministry of energy, commerce, industry and tourism has awarded a 125-year lease to PMV Holdings for the development of a marina in Paralimni in the Famagusta district.
PMV submitted its bid in November 2015 for the concession, which covers a marina of around 300 berths, administration buildings, residential, commercial and hotel development.
The most important marina construction decision lays beneath the surface
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Premier unveils Noss on Dart plans
UK: Premier Marinas is set to submit plans for the development of Noss on Dart Marina. The £75 million proposed investment in the site will be one of the largest infrastructure investments in the Dartmouth area for decades.
Wellcome Trust company Premier Marinas acquired Noss on Dart in March 2016 after the previous owner went into administration. The site comprises 37 acres (15ha) of valuable foreshore and woodland but Premier’s CEO Pete Bradshaw insists that Premier’s overriding interest lies in the marina. “We are unlike traditional developers in mixed use sites of this type as we are first and foremost marina owners and operators. We approach this project with the aspiration to deliver the UK’s finest marina and the location certainly warrants that.”
The detailed plans show a new
marina layout for around 232 berths; a drystack for 100 or so smaller motor boats; 70 summer boat storage spaces – 100 in winter; and yard improvements including a new dock facility for lifting/ launching boats with a 75 tonne boat hoist.
A hotel with 50 rooms, two restaurants and a spa are also planned. Work on the marina, hotel and boatyard will start first and is expected to take three years. This will be followed by construction of residential property, which will help to fund construction of a new quay wall, public slipway, hoist bay, bridge improvements etc.
USA: Specialist pavilions including a new Marina & Yard Pavilion (MYP) have been introduced at the International Boatbuilders’ Exhibition & Conference (IBEX), which takes place this year at the Tampa Convention Center, Tampa, Florida, 19th- 21st September.
Covering over 125,000ft² (11,613m²) of exhibition space and attracting over 650 exhibitors, IBEX is the marine industry’s largest technical trade event in North America and is owned and produced by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and RAI Amsterdam.
The MYP has special support for its inaugural year from Bellingham Marine.
Bellingham sponsors the ‘Beer Garden’ and offers a ‘Happy Hour’ from 4.006.00pm. MYP attendees can also take advantage of the International Marine Institute (IMI) Marina 101 course and marina and boatyard study tour.
Visitors can attend IBEX free of charge if registering by 16th September. Further information: www.ibexshow.com
Green light for Kennedy Point
NEW ZEALAND: Kennedy Point Boatharbour Ltd has been given the go-ahead to build a 186-berth floating marina at Kennedy Point in Putiki Bay, Waiheke Island. An independent panel of five commissioners delegated by Auckland Council granted the project resource consent in May after a week-long hearing in early April.
Tony Mair, the appointed developer for the new marina, noted that the panel approved the site in terms of its minimal environmental impact and believes that the decision made earlier this year to install floating attenuators as opposed to rock breakwaters further helped reduce any concerns.
“With very little expert evidence put up in opposition, we were hopeful of a positive outcome going into the hearing,” he said. “In my 35 years of marina development, I have never seen a more appropriate site. The water is deep, avoiding the need for dredging, and the coastline is already modified. The design is also unique – like Waiheke – with all structures, including the car park, marina office, community building, breakwaters and marina fingers floating. These structures, to be manufactured by world-renowned company SF Marina in Sweden, will all be towed into place, mitigating a lot of construction noise and onshore disturbance.”
The marina will contribute to the economic, social and cultural welfare of local people and have recreational and tourism benefits, according to Auckland Council consultant planner David Wren.
In addition to the floating berths, Kennedy Point will have up to 19 pile moorings, 30 public day berths and storage for kayaks and stand-up paddleboards. A marina office, visitor facilities, a meeting room and café, and a car park with up to 72 spaces are incorporated. Mair expects construction to take 18 months.
All-weather slips added at Bear Lake
Berths boost tourism prospects
CAMBODIA: Chinese marina builder Livart Marine completed the first phase of Princes Private Club Marina on the Mekong River in Phnom Penh in June.
The company designed, manufactured and installed three superyacht berths with appropriate fenders and cleats and all associated gangways. Rolec dockside pedestals were selected. The installation was completed
over a four week period in accordance with the tides.
The project is seen as a significant milestone for tourism in Cambodia and is believed to be the first of several likely superyacht berthing projects.
USA: Oklahoma-based marina company Meeco Sullivan has completed a second phase redevelopment at Bear Lake State Park Marina in Garden City, Utah.
The project encompassed 218 boat slips and 440ft (134m) of dock walkways with 12in (30cm) galvanised steel frames and composite decking. The arrangement has end ties and three gangway landings. Slips are all single loaded and range in size from 20-48ft (6-15m).
Every dock incorporates Meeco Sullivan’s telescoping spud piling anchor system, utilising galvanised piling pipe frame and 4in (10cm) galvanised pipe pilings to provide a secure all season anchorage that easily adapts to fluctuating lake levels and winter conditions. Bear Lake State Park Marina now has approximately 380 slips with longer side ties for 48ft+ (15m+) boats.
Work went more smoothly than anticipated in unexpectedly poor weather conditions as the docks were shipped in pre-assembled sections.
Second marina opens at Harleyford
UK: A new 146-berth marina basin has opened within the Harleyford Estate on the River Thames some 30mi (48km) west of central London. The site is regarded as one of the most beautiful private country estates in the south of England.
Walcon Marine supplied its System 2000 floating pontoons, the majority of which are held in place by piles. The company worked closely with estate manager Mark Pearce to design a marina that takes account of the river environment and makes best use of space. Ten articulated finger pontoons and four ‘herringbone’ finger berths were also incorporated. The latter, at 18m (59ft) in length were specified for barges and narrowboats. Planning for the marina
began in 2002 but was subject to a lengthy permissions process and basin excavation. Installation and groundwork began in August 2016. The new basin joins an existing 267-berth Five Gold Anchor marina that has been in operation since 1970.
ANOTHER WORLD FIRST FROM ROLEC
• Boat owner can switch on/off their electrical and water services using their mobile phone
• Boat owner can pay for their electrical and water services by Visa, Mastercard, American Express or PayPal using their mobile phone
• Marina operator still has overall control of their entire marina’s electrical and water services via their office computer
For further details see our videos at: www.rolecserv.com/marina/product/berthmaster-online
WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENTS
Waterfront points the way at The Wharf
by Robert Wilkes
It’s a familiar story around the world. The once bustling waterfront, the city’s gateway to the world, was a tableau of sailing ships awaiting the tide. Then railroads and later automobiles turned the focus inland. The waterfront became a forgotten quarter of night clubs and bars surrounded by oily water and foul air.
By the 1950s and 60s, cities began building renewal projects that were mostly unremarkable singleuse buildings with their backs to the water. Broad freeways truncated the waterfront from the rest of the city, leaving it isolated and neglected.
The dark days of urban waterfront neglect are over. There is a new sense of optimism, pride and possibility. Among a number of ongoing urban waterfront revitalisation projects, The Wharf in Washington DC is the largest in the US and arguably the most comprehensive and consequential. The District of Columbia, “the District” as the locals call it, is turning its face toward the water again.
The US$2.2 billion project encompasses 50 acres (20ha) of water and 24 acres (9.7ha) of upland improvements. It will feature 3,000,000ft² (278,709m²) of new residential, office, hotel, retail, cultural and public space. The waterside will include waterfront parks, promenades, piers, docks and three new marina facilities. A 6,000person concert venue called The Anthem is under construction, as well as three major hotels. The Wharf is a testament to what can be accomplished
by private developers working in partnership with, as well as supported and encouraged by, the public sector. Why the trend toward waterfront renewal? Environmental change is gradual and easy to take for granted, but the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency (1970) and the Clean Water Act (1972) in America deserves some credit. Similar initiatives around the world have been equally successful. With a clean
harbour, planners and builders with big ideas can dream and anything is possible. The marina industry’s clean marina programmes also deserve praise for this astonishing success.
The site
Pierre l’Enfant designed the distinctive street patterns and public spaces of Washington DC in the 1790s. He formed four quadrants. The smallest, the southwest quadrant, is an Indiashaped triangle formed by the convergence of the Potomac and the Anacostia Rivers. A dredging project (1882 to 1890) drained the nearby marshlands and created the Tidal Basin (the site of the Jefferson Memorial), and the two-mile long Washington Channel. The Channel is sheltered by East Potomac Park, a manmade landmass created from dredging material. The Wharf covers nearly a mile of shoreline
CGI of The Wharf waterfront project.
American icons: the Washington Monument (top left corner); US Capitol (top right corner); National Mall (in between).
Hatteras Light
Hatteras Light
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This shore power option has multiple modular mounting options to fit your personal dock needs. This economical, small device can easily be installed on a dock box or piling providing a minipower source to your marina.
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Lighthouse & Lighthouse SS
Lighthouse & Lighthouse SS
Our most popular power pedestal, the Lighthouse offers a wide range of options and features meeting the needs of almost any boater. The Lighthouse SS offers additional capabilities and is made with high quality stainless steel for superior durability and performance.
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Admiral SS
Admiral SS
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Pontoons, breakwaters, piers for super yachts, floating bridges and constructions: the best solutions for connecting sea and land by means of strong and reliable structures, in aluminium, concrete or steel, standard or tailor made.
WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENTS
along the Washington Channel where the tall ships once docked and maritime trade flourished.
The Channel is 15-20 ft (4.6-6m) deep for mooring purposes and that depth has been maintained without further dredging for more than a century. A 2ft (0.6m) tidal change provides adequate flushing to maintain water quality. A tidal gate allows water to flow between the Tidal Basin and the Channel during ebbing tides. The features of the old port are gone except for a small part of the original Fish Market building. However, its spirit lives on in the lively seafood market on the barges adjacent to the new Market Pier.
The team
After years of planning and persistence, Monty Hoffman of PN Hoffman won the rights to redevelop The Wharf in 2006. As happens with large projects, the ownership structure has evolved into a joint partnership of PN Hoffman and Madison Marquette with some additional local partners. The ownership group is called Hoffman Madison Waterfront (HMW). Both firms are preeminent large-project developers. Phase 1 will be completed in October 2017 and Phase 2 is under way with completion scheduled for 2021.
Waterside construction
“What is unique at The Wharf is that we approached the design from the waterside,” said Rob Sloop, project director at Moffatt & Nichol, the principal engineer on the waterside. “The water was primary. We wanted people to arrive by water via many different modes, and we wanted the experience to be tied to the water.”
A quarter-mile-long replacement seawall and six new piers are being built by Cianbro Construction in Phase 1, including a pier to accommodate Entertainment Cruises and their commercial cruise fleet. Phase 2 includes three more fixed piers and the largest marina element, The Wharf Marina. Bellingham Marine built all floating dock and gangway structures to date. “Hoffman Madison Waterfront was interested in quality finishes and the potential for megayacht moorage,” said Eric Noegel of Bellingham Marine. “They toured some of our large-yacht marinas in Florida and felt we had the right combination of product and project management experience.”
The waterside
The first marina component is the Market Pier Day Docks with 30 slips and 1,000 ft (305m) of side tie. Moving southeast, or downstream, the next structure is the fixed Transit Pier with attached Transit Taxi Dock, also a concrete floating dock. The longest pier in the project is called District Pier where large vessels will moor. The District Pier will host tall ship festivals and “ships of state” that are expected to once again call at the port of America’s capital city.
Following the District Pier, new floating dock marinas are replacing two existing facilities. Bellingham Marine has completed a 100-slip facility at the members-only Capital Yacht Club. Next to the yacht club will be a new 200-slip marina with 2,520 ft (768m) of side tie. The Wharf Marina will be completed in Phase 2 and is planned to have heavy-duty floating docks and power to accommodate megayachts, including high-end services and crew facilities.
The Wharf at an early phase of construction. Market Day Docks are in the lower right hand corner.
Bellingham Marine has already completed a section of Wharf Marina called Z-Dock to reposition tenant boats in both Phase 1 and Phase 2.
Between the two marinas is the Recreation Pier, designed in a long, gradual curve with undulating vertical contours. The unusual design required hundreds of unique fixed-pier structures to achieve its irregular shape. Rec Pier, as it is known, will be surfaced in Kebony, a hardwood-like Norwegian decking product of treated wood with a silver-grey patina. Rec Pier will have a number of visitor activities including a public kayak and stand-up paddleboard launch. Further down is Pier 4, a dock for Entertainment Cruises and the District’s only office on a pier. Across the channel at Hains Point will be the East Potomac Park Hop Dock for kayaks and other paddlecraft.
Construction challenges
The major challenge was access. Because the land contractor dug a milelong, 40ft (12m) wide trench the entire length of the waterfront, equipment and materials had to be positioned by barge. “Our floating dock contractor and our heavy marine contractor were all working shoulder to shoulder in the same space,” said Sloop. Complicating matters further, services had to be maintained for existing marina tenants, many of whom were live-aboards. Special care was required to avoid driving piles in areas where WMATA (Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority) has tunnels under the Washington Channel. In spite of the difficulties, the waterside contractors coordinated their work and sequenced events seamlessly.
Three planning principles
Waterfront planners can choose a range of strategies from simply renovating what is there to reimagining the city and its water bodies. The Wharf is clearly in the latter category. The Wharf’s master planner is architect Stan Eckstut of Perkins Eastman, whose portfolio includes Battery Park in New York, Baltimore’s Inner Harbor East and Rainbow Harbor in Long Beach. Shawn Seaman, executive vice president and principal at PN Hoffman, is the project director. “Our team developed three guiding
Windsor Racecourse Marina
WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENTS
principles: create a true waterfront neighbourhood, bring the District to the water’s edge, and make the waterfront neighbourhood walkable,” he said.
The first principle, to create a true waterfront neighbourhood, is modelled after some of the world’s great waterfronts such as Copenhagen, Stockholm and Vancouver. To reach that goal, The Wharf employs a mix of more than a dozen local and internationallyrecognised architectural firms. Selecting multiple architects for the buildings and public spaces ensures that the waterfront will be a lively destination with a multitude of experiences - and that the neighbourhood will be truly re-imagined.
The second principle, to bring the District to the water’s edge, was achieved in an unexpected way.
“Eckstut set out to create a master plan for The Wharf,” said Seaman. “He began by considering how the things on the water activate the landside uses. That was brilliant. The master plan reconnects people in Washington DC to the new and beautiful waterfront.”
Michael Bruce, maritime manager for The Wharf, elaborated. “We are building a central harbour for the District with a variety of commercial and public uses. As we cleared away the old slips, we realised we have a huge body of water. More than a parking lot for boats, we will have an active waterfront with marinas, day docks, public piers, tall ships, excursion cruises and water taxis. We are creating a robust water taxi system to link The Wharf to points all around the DC area.”
The third principle is to make The Wharf pedestrian friendly. Buildings and public spaces are confined to 200ft² (18.6m²) of walkable blocks with
a number of circulation paths, rather than the previously impermeable large blocks that forced people to enter at major intersections. The two-storey parking garage is under the buildings, eliminating large surface parking areas that separate the waterfront from the city. Ambience is enhanced by a number of small courtyards that architects call mews (stables reconfigured into shops and restaurants).
The Wharf Street granite-cobblestonepaved promenade is a 60ft (18m) wide shared environment for pedestrians and cars. When the backs of the buildings faced the water, the original two-level promenade was dismal and uninviting. The new promenade is 12ft (3.6m) above sea level and ringed by shops and restaurants. One-way 5-mph auto access will allow drop offs and valet parking. Reintroducing the automobile makes the site approachable, lively and functional.
The permitting
Beginning in the 1970s, the federal government began ceding control of federal lands and waterways to the District, including the Washington Channel. Local control made the project feasible for HMW. Permitting involved a complex web of agencies and authorities. Reagan International Airport is nearby and it was necessary to get a permit from the Federal Aviation Administration to introduce building cranes. In what may be a marina industry first, permission to extend the development out into the Federal Channel required an act of Congress.
The grants
The project greatly benefited from a series of grants from the Fish and
Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior. Grant funding has financed at least 50% of the costs of the 30-slip visitor marina, the eight-slip mooring field and a paddlecraft day dock. Grant funding also enabled the purchase and operational costs of a vessel-sewage pumpout boat. Funding came from three programmes: $1.71 million from the Boating Infrastructure Grant Program (BIG); nearly $94,000 from the Clean Vessel Act Grant Program (CVA); and $228,000 from the Boating Access Grant Program (BAG).
HMW noted that the grants enabled the architects and builders to maintain high standards of quality, including surfaces and finishes throughout The Wharf.
Conclusions
The Wharf is impossible to relate in one article, but some impressions stand out. The Wharf is part of a trend, a worldwide “about face” in which cities embrace their waterfront and discover its potential. The location in the heart of Washington DC is spectacular. The architecture, history, art and culture of the District attracts 20 million visitors a year. To Americans, the Capitol, the National Mall and the Memorials are sacred ground.
The Wharf will now be part of that. Making the water primary in the planning, framing the development in the context of a neighbourhood, and the concept of permeability from the city to the water are all pure genius. Phase 1 will be completed soon, in October 2017. Let’s all go.
Robert Wilkes writes about the marina industry from Bellevue, Washington State.
Fixed concrete pier. Restaurant and permanent fish market barge, 230ft (70m) of side tie.
Concrete floating docks. Visitor dock; 30 slips and 1,000ft (305m) of side tie.
Concrete floating dock. Transient vessels; 700ft (213m) of side tie.
Fixed concrete pier. Large vessel mooring; 930ft (283m) of side tie.
Fixed pier with concrete floating dock. Low-freeboard dock for paddle craft; 150ft (46m) of side tie.
Concrete floating docks. 200 slips and 2,520 ft (768m) of side tie.
Fixed concrete pier. Entertainment cruises, operations; 1,450ft (442m) of side tie.
FOR THE GLOBAL MARINA & YARD
MEET THE WORLD IN AMSTERDAM
The Marina & Yard Pavilion (MYP) features the world’s largest concentration of equipment suppliers and serves as a meeting place for marina owners, operators, developers and suppliers from around the world. In 2017 the MYP will feature the Marina Symposium organised together with the HISWA Holland Association, offering the perfect platform to learn about and discuss the latest developments worldwide.
Exhibitors Marina &Yard Pavilion 2016: 64
Number of visits METSTRADE Show 2016: 23,700
The Marina & Yard Pavilion is an event of METSTRADE, the world’s leading platform for professionals in the marine equipment industry.
Taking place as part of the world’s largest marine equipment trade show
WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENTS
Temporary pontoons for America’s Cup 35
When America’s Cup 35 (AC35) kicked off on 26th May this year, the sailing world was watching. Sarah Devlin talks with Structurmarine and the America’s Cup Bermuda CEO to learn about the intricate story behind the berths specifically built out for this year’s event.
Following the defending champion’s unprecedented decision to host the America’s Cup outside a US venue after a US victory, and after competing against bids from cities such as San Diego, Chicago and Newport, Rhode Island, the Bermuda Government was quite serious in its preparation for AC35.
To start, the government formed America’s Cup Bermuda (ACBDA) to deliver all of the commitments for the AC35. Among other obligations, ACBDA agreed to provide 4,000 linear feet (1,219m) of floating docks.
“The historic Royal Naval Dockyard has seen extensive renovations to derelict buildings, bringing wonderful old structures with historic significance back to life for contemporary future use,” Mike Winfield, ACBDA CEO, says. “We’ve seen an economic boost in a wide range of businesses including marine services, tourism related, transportation and catering services during the last two years.”
As part of its preparation for an event that attracted nearly a quarter of a million spectators when it was held in San Francisco in 2013, ACBDA commissioned crews to construct an entire peninsula and island with 140,000yd³ (107,038m³) of dredged
material and 160,000yd³ (122,329m³) of imported crushed granite to complement the territory’s existing 21 square mile (54km²) archipelago.
This dredged material is part of nine acres (3.6ha) of reclaimed land known as Cross Island in the South Basin, the location of the America’s Cup Village, just north of Great Sound, where the races took place this June. In Winfield’s words, “The land that the America’s Cup Village sits on did not exist some two years ago.”
The government in Bermuda - an area of 181 islands with just over 60,000 residents - worked with ACBDA and construction managers BCM McAlpine to review various proposals for the berthing systems needed around the site for both tenders and superyachts. The organisation was expecting 2,000 boats to surround the racecourse on opening day.
Enter Canada-based Structurmarine. As the official supplier of pontoon systems for the AC35, Structurmarine was contracted to design, supply and install 13 different berthing stations to accommodate a mix of service boats, private boats and passenger ferries. Three additional projects were also completed for private marinas.
“Structurmarine submitted the most competitive and comprehensive proposal,” Winfield continues. “We had faith in the product that was offered.”
The final plans and structure showed different types of vessels moored to the floating pontoon systems, from 25ft (7.5m) RIBs up to 400ft (122m) superyachts.
A section of pontoons in place (above) as part of the preparation for the America’s Cup event (right)
Business
Marina
Tender
Operational
Environmental
Legal
WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENTS
The various necessary docking and anchoring systems were designed and manufactured at Structurmarine’s plant in Montreal, Quebec, and shipped south. These included the Navy docks, tender docks for visiting superyachts, and the spectator and airport taxi dock.
“Most of the people were going to access the site by ferry and we put in the temporary dockage for those ferries,” says Karl Giroux, Structurmarine’s technical sales director.
As the project grew, so did Structurmarine’s involvement. “We were commissioned for more docking,” Giroux says. “We were asked to also provide the docking system for all the VIP access to the site and we provided one in front of the grandstand” plus other private clients. You can now see Structurmarine’s systems in Hamilton city centre at private homes, yacht clubs and sailing schools.
While these types of systems are the core of Structurmarine’s business, and although neither Karl Giroux nor Pascale Nolet, the sales coordinator for Structurmarine, say it specifically, it’s clear this project was not easy. The Request for Proposal indicated a need for temporary structures for tenders, according to Nolet, and it grew to include 11 (ultimately 13) different berthing areas.
The AC project was, not surprisingly, very complex between an actual island being constructed alongside the new construction. Add to that the changing parameters and demands that arose as the event took shape, and you understand why items were getting designed and constructed at nearly the same time in order to meet deadlines,
all within razor-thin budget constraints. It included “three types of moorings in the same project,” Giroux says.
“Engineering-wise it was challenging. It’s not like we were building the same type of dock with the same environment and repeated pattern. This was different docks and different ways of anchoring with different loads. Like 13 individual projects under one umbrella.”
Structurmarine designs its floating pontoon docks with rubber connections aimed at removing stress, as compared to a straight-up shock absorber. The connections between the dock units are able to withstand vertical movement created by the waves without causing wear or fatigue. The rest of the system is a combination of piles, H-beams and vertical tracks with about 25 Mediterranean mooring configurations for superyachts.
“We take special care when there is a risk of a lot of wave on non-protected floating docks and floating pontoons,” Giroux states. In Bermuda, especially in June when the AC35 took place, boaters can see a wide variety of
weather, but winds tend to average at about 11 knots.
“The marine environment in Bermuda [has] large ranges in winds and tides, resulting in wave action, high solar exposure, extreme salt, and so on,” Winfield says. “Docking systems need to be tough to survive in Bermuda! The berthing systems for the America’s Cup in Bermuda were largely custom designed to suit the needs of the various vessels using them.”
This year, the event was put on hold temporarily due to winds exceeding the established 24-knot racing limit. In fact, Team New Zealand pitchpoled during the semi-finals on 7th June.
Giroux was surprised by the unusual rough weather conditions for this time of year but confident about Structurmarine’s temporary docking systems since they were designed to withstand up to 35-knot winds and 3.5ft (1m) waves.
“Structurmarine specialises in coastal docking systems in places that are less protected,” he says. “It was not unusual for us to do this type of system.”
Giroux notes the environmental considerations took some significant planning however.
“In Bermuda, the soil changes every 50 feet [15m],” he says. “We did have to adjust a lot with our pile driver during the installation. We knew from the beginning there was seagrass so we were not allowed to use temporary concrete anchors.” Instead, they chose to drive piles that are less harmful to the floor bottom.
The timeline was also extremely tight. While the overall project took approximately two years, the contract with Structurmarine was signed at the
Above & right: Working in a challenging construction site.
Structurmarine installed floating dock systems for 13 different berthing areas using a mix of dock, anchoring and access systems.
end of October 2016 and installed this past May. In other words, all design, construction and shipping - including any delays in customs - had to happen very quickly. “That schedule was challenging,” Nolet states. “Structurmarine had to be very flexible in design - at one point there were changes to the design on a weekly basis.”
“But everyone joined together,” she adds.
Giroux is quick to confirm. “It was thrilling for everyone here to work on such a prestigious event. It’s a privilege to have our name associated with such an event.”
“Enthusiasm ran throughout the island as the demand for superyacht berths surpassed the available slips,” says Giroux. “The government rented out available waterfront on the island and private projects arose as the government eased the permit process to create enough berths in time for the event.”
WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENTS
As stated, the docks and infrastructure were meant to be temporary, but there is now some evidence of local enthusiasm for keeping up the site for future use. There is even a Facebook page dedicated to garnering public input and support for the new island and surrounding area.
As Winfield explains, “Bermuda’s economy has for many years relied on two primary economic pillars, tourism
and international business with a focus on global reinsurance. The international exposure Bermuda has enjoyed in the last two years and particularly during the month-long events of the 35th America’s Cup, has allowed the island to rebrand and launch to a huge market, the quality destination that it is. This in itself is highly beneficial to Bermuda as a quality tourist destination and the economic benefit will last for several years to come.”
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WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENTS
Valletta marina is new focus in city regeneration
Azimut-owned company Marina di Varazze Srl, Azimut-Benetti broker and charter company Esprit Yachting, and Maltese entrepreneurs Arrigo Group (hotels), Joinwell and Tal-Maghtab Construction have joined forces to form Marina Valletta Ltd and launch a luxurious new marina facility on the historically rich island of Malta. Marina di Valletta, like the best modern developments, regenerates the waterfront. Donatella Zucca reports
Due to the multi-national influence of the Knights of Malta, who ruled the island from the mid 1500s for the next 250 years, Malta has many historic centres with different cultural and artistic characteristics. It is a richness that makes it one of the most fascinating islands in the Mediterranean, and renovation and reclamation work in places such as Marsamxett are accelerating in the build up to 2018 when Valletta will be the European Capital of Culture.
Malta is visited by over half a million cruise ship passengers every year and by the wealthy owners of superyachts and their plentiful crews. The Maltese flag is advantageous for high-end yachts whether staying permanently or passing through on the many routes to other parts of the Mediterranean. According to Minister Konrad Mizzi, the yachting industry has enormous potential and, in recent years, the
Maltese Ship Registry has seen a marked increase of 14%.
There are currently eight marinas offering berthing to visitors, and at least six of these are set to benefit from the ongoing renewal plans for
Marina di Valletta soft opened in June and has attracted a lot of interest from potential berth holders.
the capital, the Valletta Peninsula and all surrounding waterfront. Laguna Marina, overlooking Grand Harbour at the heart of Valletta’s seafront, is well equipped with floating pontoons and CCTV security and offers berths for motorboats of 17m (56ft) and above with maximum 2m (6.5ft) draft. Centre stage in Cottonera is Grand Harbour Marina – an icon in the Maltese ‘marinascape’ – and in Kalkara Bay, the small, private Kalkara Marina. In Marsamxett Harbour and Valletta Sliema, visitors can find Msida and Ta’Xibiex Marina with 720 berths for vessels up to 20m (66ft) and Manoel Yacht Marina in Gzira, which can accommodate boats of up to 80m (262ft) and offers appropriate water/ energy and waste collection services.
These facilities are now augmented by newly opened Marina di Valletta in Sa Maison. Nestled close to the majestic city walls between La Pietá and Floriana in a World Heritage site, the marina has been designed to make its own aesthetic contribution to the ‘Valletta City Gate’ urban regeneration; a project that includes access to the centre of Valletta, the new parliament buildings, a restoration of the opera house, a new city gate and restoration of the sixteenth century walls.
When complete, Marina di Valletta will offer over 270 berths for vessels of 10 to 28m (33 to 92ft) and have additional space for superyachts up to 50m (164ft). Marina di Valletta Ltd has invested €7.45 million in the project and
Grand Harbour Marina continues to dominate the superyacht berthing sector in Malta.
WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENTS
has a 25 year management concession. The waterspace, planned by Artelia, led to contracts being awarded to Dutch company Orsta and Italian firm Ingemar. Orsta built the outer floating breakwater and a 200m (656ft) long inner breakwater of concrete and local rock. This protects an Ingemar floating marina system with four piers. “We were commissioned to supply mooring equipment, footbridges and piers; a total of 512m [1,680ft] of pier and four bridges,” Ingemar founder and CEO, Lorenzo Isalberti explains. The project was an excellent addition to Ingemar’s portfolio in Malta, which includes the provision of floating docks for Msida Marina – first a doubling up and then, this year, an extension – installations at Mgarr on the Maltese island of Gozo and equipment for the Marsaxlokk fishing port.
Niki Travers Tauss, who led the project on behalf of Marina di Valletta Ltd, is managing director of Esprit Yachting Sales, Service & Charter and oversees the Maltese Flag yacht ownership structure. He answers specific questions:
Q: Has public money been included in the investment?
A: No. It’s all been financed by AzimutBenetti and the consortium of Maltese investors.
Q: Will the marina be completely finished in August?
A: We had a soft launch in early June by opening two pontoons with power and water, opened two more at the end of June and opened the car parks. In November, construction begins on the building that will be home to the club house, offices, Azimut-Benetti’s sales outlet and a
cafeteria bar with terrace.
Q: Have berths already been allocated?
A: There is a lot of interest. We prefer to rent berths out annually or on even shorter leases but there are also 90 berths for 10 to 20 year leases. Annual berths are for vessels of 18 to 30m (59 to 98ft). We have a dozen visitor berths and on the outer part of the breakwater there is 120m (394ft) of space for yachts above 24m (79ft) and at least two spaces for vessels of around 40m (131ft).
Q: Do you have sufficient fuel facilities and shoreside power to support vessels above 40m (131ft)?
A: The pier has been designed for vessels of this length and the distributor is alongside. Trucks can get very close to yachts for supplies.
Laguna Marina is a recently completed motorboat mooring facility at the heart of Valletta’s seafront.
The power pedestals have been selected to give the correct power. We do not have boat hoists or cranes because these services are available elsewhere on the island.
Q: Care of the environment is becoming more and more important. What are you doing specifically in this area?
A: We are the first marina in Malta to have in-slip pump-out and we are very much respecting the history of the site in terms of our aesthetics. There will be gardens on the promenade and electric scooters are available to our customers.
Ing. Marco de Paolis, director of marina development and property for AzimutBenetti, picks up:
Q: Why build a marina in Malta?
A: Esprit Yachting, of which Niki and his father are the main partners, are our dealers in Malta and we have a relationship of trust. We have long cultivated the idea of creating a marina as a business proposition as the demand for moorings is always increasing and it’s an important support for commercial activities. The marina gives us the chance to offer new customers a guaranteed berth from the day after purchase.
Marina di Valletta has a system of Ingemar floating piers within a sheltered basin protected by an Orsta outer floating breakwater.
Royal Perth Yacht Club, Western Australia, A marina with 400 turnkey berths on the water and everywhere
"Everything here is designed for the comfort of the boat owners"
This prestigious marina, originally created in 1952 by a group of pioneer sailors, was completely renovated in 2008 by Poralu Marine.
A comprehensive study was undertaken for the new development incorporating innovative high-level design and engineering. A seamless process from the initial dismantling of the old structures to the installation of new floating structures saw minimal disruption to the Club and its members.
Aesthetics, the design of the gangways and the versatility of the Poralu system have all been put to use to create a marina offering exceptional services with particular attention to detail and the needs and wants of berth holders.
The design of the marina allows Members to use golf buggies to supply equipment and provision to their boats with ease. In addition, as essential part of the design incorporated access for the Club’s Sailing program for people with disabilities.
With wonderful views, each Pen has access to wireless internet and comes complete with a serviced terminal that includes electrical outlets and freshwater.
Stewart Walton General Manager Royal Perth Yacht Club
WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENTS
Azimut-Benetti and marinas
• Moscow Marina, an oasis of prestige and success, overlooks Lake Himki, 20 minutes from the city centre. It covers an area of 45,000m² (53,819yd²) and has 190 berths, includes the exclusive Royal Yacht Club and has a service area of over 10,000m² (11,960yd²) that includes commercial spaces and a good restaurant. The marina is managed by AzimutBenetti.
• Marina di Viareggio in Viareggio, Tuscany, Italy has a dock run by Lusben refit shipyards that is partly used by the AzimutBenetti Group. It also has an area for rentals and a megayacht quay. The marina has 15,000m² (17,940yd²) of water space with 50 berths for boats of 20 to 65m (66 to 213ft), dockside pedestals and CCTV security.
• Marina di Livorno in Livorno, Tuscany, Italy is planned as part of a redevelopment plan for the port and adjacent area. There will be two basins accommodating 200 berths and an area dedicated to refit and maintenance. Negotiations are still under way, however, for state grants.
• Marina di Varazze, Varazze, Liguria, Italy is managed by Marina di Varazze Srl, the marina division of Azimut. It is an elegant and environmentally friendly facility with over 800 berths and 144,000m² (172,222yd²) of water space, seafront apartments, restaurants, bars and shops.
This is an enviable position to be in when there is a shortage of berths so the dealer benefits. Malta is a good market area, a transit point for people sailing in the Mediterranean and the stage for many important nautical itineraries.
Q: Your marina faces another port with 720 berths. Are you not worried about the competition?
A: No. There’s a waiting list. Malta still has so many boats moored up at hard-to-reach buoys and on average the marinas have a low level of equipment and services. We aim to have high levels of quality especially when it comes to services and we are tending to attract a clientele that is largely Maltese and not very satisfied with what’s been available to date. Over the last few years, there has been a lot
of building activity in Malta and many historic centres are now highly valued. Malta is in a recovery and rebuild phase that is being accelerated by the 2018 focus for Valletta as the capital of culture. We will be within this world that is rich in important history and now newly valued. Our quays are dominated by bastions that are being restored to their original splendour.
Q: How is the marina positioned in comparison with others in Malta?
A: In terms of luxury and prestige, we certainly can’t compete with Camper & Nicholsons at Grand Harbour Marina. They’re able to moor a large number of megayachts and they do very well. But we have great opportunities for boats up to 24m (79ft).
Above & below: The Floriana waterfront in Valletta is seeped in architectural glory.
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MARKET UPDATE: ESTONIA
Taking to the water
by Carol Fulford
Bordering Russia to the east, Latvia to the south and with a northern coastline looking across the Gulf of Finland to Helsinki, Estonia has a rich and varied heritage and plenty of space within its 45,227km² (17,462mi²) mainland and island borders for a population of just 1.3 million. A battleground over several centuries for Denmark, Germany, Russia, Sweden and Poland, and conquered by Danes, Germans, Russians and Swedes not necessarily in that order and often more than once, Estonia won independence ‘in perpetuity’ in February 1920 under The Tartu Peace Treaty only to discover that ‘perpetuity’ didn’t after all last forever.
In 1940, Estonia was annexed by the Soviet Union; in 1941 it was occupied by Nazi Germany; and in 1944 it was reoccupied by the Soviets. In the course of the collapse of the USSR, Estonia regained independence in 1991 and joined the EU and NATO in 2004. Over the past 26 years, while proudly flying the blue, black and white tricolour, Estonians have travelled, embraced the digital age with open arms – inventing Skype along the way – and benefited from EU funding to restore and restructure heritage sites. The coastline and waterfront that was locked down by the Soviet has now been returned to the people who can enjoy all the associated leisure and sporting opportunities that this brings.
Song of opportunity
Famous for its music festivals and huge collection of folk songs, Estonia marks time to a new post-Soviet refrain of opportunity. “We’ve lost a generation of seafarers because of the Soviet ban,” explains Jaano Martin Ots, CEO of the Estonian Small Harbour Development Centre and co-author of Estonian Cruising Guide. “Sailing was
discouraged during Soviet times but racing was encouraged because of the Soviet drive to win Olympic medals.”
This meant that competitive sailing was permitted in Pirita near Tallinn in the Gulf of Finland but a chain was actually installed across the bay to stop people sailing out to sea and leaving the country.
Over the past few years, there has been increased interest in sailing, according to Ots, and the emphasis now is on having sailing schools at the country’s relatively new chain of marinas. Ots and others formed an association in 2011 as a lobby group to encourage government support of a marina network and then set to work establishing this
Baltic Sea sailing distances. Courtesy: Estonian Cruising Guide
Kakumäe Marina, just west of Tallinn, is in the process of being developed. A 300berth floating pontoon system is complete, an upgraded access road is under way and plans are in hand for varied shoreside infrastructure.
network. The aim was to create marinas about 48km (30mi) apart to enable day sailors to cruise the coast. The project was backed by Estonian authorities, bilateral projects with Latvia, and EU funds. “We need more marinas south of Pärnu but we’ve largely achieved the aim,” Ots confirms. “Five or six years ago there were very few marinas.”
Today, there are around 2,000 regatta/advanced sailors and 25,000 registered leisure boats in Estonia, but most are motorboats or recreational fishing vessels. The majority of boats moored seasonally at marinas are Estonia-owned but visitors are given a warm welcome. “There is always space at the marinas as there are no natural harbours or safe mooring places elsewhere,” Ots admits. “A harbourmaster has an obligation to find space.”
He refers, on this basis, to the socalled ‘guest harbours’. “There are 186 ‘marinas’ in Estonia but many are very small and many are in very shallow water and only suitable for dinghies or small recreational fishing boats. Around 50 can accommodate larger boats and these are styled as our ‘guest marinas’.”
Marinas are owned by local authorities, private entities, the military and police. Private marinas are not always for public use, are mostly quite small and have sole access to the water. “Everyone in Estonia has a right of access to the waterfront but if people build a marina in front of their property it becomes private – no public right of way,” observes Indrek Ilves,
CREATING CERTAINTY
marina manager at Kakumäe Marina. Ilves, in addition to his work developing Estonia’s new flagship marina (see Marina World January/February 2017), is completely dedicated to promoting watersports and works enthusiastically with the Estonian Yachting Union, with an aim to boost membership to 10,000 in ten years. “At the end of April this year we held the 2nd Estonian Sailing Congress and had 200 delegates,” he says. The Congress and the Union share an initiative to talk to local government to promote boating and stress the financial benefits that boating spend brings to the country. The Union has also gained government support for a travelling sailing school called ‘Friends of the Sea’. This brings canoes, paddleboards, dinghies etc., for children to try out and runs courses on safety, kayak training etc., including evening courses for all ages. The cost is either minimal or free. “We are now in our second year and we hope to visit six or seven locations every year. In our first year we had 900 participants,” Ilves confirms. “We have government sponsorship for three years and then will need to find a new sponsor.”
Government investment
MARKET UPDATE: ESTONIA
or so berths but most have access to good shoreside facilities including showers, laundry, sauna, free WiFi etc. Aside from two small guest mooring sites on Lake Peipus, the SL network is concentrated on the east coast of Saaremaa, in the Gulf of Riga region,
Koguva Harbour
Sixteen of the ‘guest marinas’ in Estonia come under the SL Marinas umbrella, a trademark of state-owned company Saarte Liinid Ltd. SL Marinas was formed out of a post-Soviet government decision in 2013 to boost tourism by building a marina at every ferry port. The company also runs all the commercial aspects of every port and harbour site. The marinas vary in size, from a single pontoon to 70
Old City Marina
Kuivastu Marina has just 50 berths but many more boats are accommodated during regattas.
West Estonia and at ferry points at Naissaare in the Gulf of Finland and Sõru on Hiiumaa.
“We also have one new marina near Kihelkonna on the west coast of Saaremaa to add to the portfolio and have bought a private harbour on the island of Vilsandi [off the west coast of Saaremaa] as a ferry service has to be established,” confirms Meelis Saarlaid, who is harbourmaster for 12 of the company’s 16 marinas.
Obviously, Saarlaid travels extensively between the marina sites but meets
Situated on the northern coast of the island of Saaremaa, Koguva is the best preserved nineteenth century village in Estonia, rich in architectural landmarks and with a strong historical connection to the fishing industry. A very popular summer tourist attraction, Koguva is ripe for sensitive development and Ragnar Pöllu and partners at NGO Anchor saw the potential to transform the old harbour into a marina for modern fishing boats and visiting leisure craft.
NGO Anchor bought the old fishing station when it went into liquidation and, with EU funding, has created a fisherman’s museum cum restaurant. Accommodation is also available and soon to be augmented when a four bedroom boutique hotel is completed. If location says it all, Koguva Harbour has it all. As Pöllu points out, “when the sun sinks into the sea, we’ve got a million dollar view.”
With deep water and 110 berths, Old City Marina is perfect for anyone wanting to stay right in the centre of Tallinn. Owned and operated by the Port of Tallinn, the marina offers smart amenities and secure berths for vessels up to 50m (164ft) but, as it is in the midst of a busy port, patience is required when entering or leaving the marina.
A mix of mooring options is offered – at fixed quays and floating pontoons. Top Marine completed the 119-berth floating pontoons in 2011 using its Heavy Duty concrete pontoons and mooring fingers. Old City is ripe for redevelopment and a master plan has been drawn up to make the best of its 54ha (133.4acre) space and better connect the harbour with the historic city.
MARKET UPDATE: ESTONIA
Roomassaare Harbour enjoys a good racing heritage and offers 70 berths at a 20-year-old Marinetek floating pontoon system.
Marina World in Roomassaare Harbour, a 20-year-old 70-berth marina that has a good sailing club and racing heritage. Every summer season, the marina welcomes around 200 visiting boats –mostly from Germany – to its Marinetek floating pontoon system.
“Roomassaare enjoys a busy season but the busiest in the group are Kuivastu Marina and Ringsu Harbour on the island of Ruhnu [Gulf of Riga]. We intend to double the number of berths at Ringsu. We currently have 38,” he says.
Finding room for all at Kuivastu Marina – which opened in 2012 on the easternmost tip of Saaremaa – can be a challenging exercise for harbourmaster Olev Vahter but one suspects he takes to the task with relish. “We’ve 50 berths but during regatta time we find space for many, many more,” he chuckles. Events like the Muhu Väin Regatta (Moonsund Reggatta) attract a big following. In the 2016 Moonsund event, for example, Kuivastu Marina hosted 125 boats carrying a total of 800 people. The overall visitor level for the 2016 season was 847 boats carrying a total of 2,581 boaters. Fortunately, the marina has good, modern shoreside facilities.
SL Marinas runs a customer programme with a discount scheme to encourage members to cruise between
Pirita TOP and Pirita KJK
its facilities and has been working with newly established Estonian software specialist Marina Ahoy in the development of a marina management and reservation system. Marina Ahoy co-founders Hannes Koppel and Relika Metsallik-Koppel have developed a reservations App for boaters that offers a real time overview of berth availability and self check-in options. All boaters check in and out of every marina using the system thus providing SL with valuable data on how each marina is used and streamlining reservations. All berthing fees include use of power and water so no system is required for separate billing but the team is currently
Pirita TOP (Tallinn Olympic Yacht Centre) and Pirita KJK (Kalev Yacht Club - pictured) are adjacent facilities with good infrastructure.
KJK has 170 berths for boats up to 24m (79ft) and 3.5m (11ft) draft at quayside moorings and floating pontoons with fingers. TOP can berth 325 boats and accepts vessels up to 50m (164ft), 2.8m (9ft) draft.
Kalev Yacht Club, founded in 1948, trained many Olympic sailors and has 600 club members. It has recently undergone a pontoon extension undertaken by Top Marine and is one of several marinas in Estonia to join the Helloports berth reservation system. Launched in spring this year, Helloports is operated by Estonian Small Harbour Development Centre and is part of the Smartports project. The service currently connects marinas and sailors in Europe, North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula enabling boaters to book and pay for berths and other services at the marina of their choice. It’s simple, secure and provides boaters with a single
developing software to control security gate access.
Going cruising
In cruising terms, Estonia can be divided into five geographical sectors: the Gulf of Finland; West Estonia; the island of Hiiumaa; the island of Saaremaa; and the Gulf of Riga. In addition to this, there are two major lakes – Peipus, which is bisected by the Russian border – and Lake Vörtsjärv. Estonia’s only fully navigable river, the Emajõgi (‘Mother’ in Estonian) runs for 100km (62mi) from one lake to the other via the city of Tartu.
source of information that enables them to compare berth prices and marina facilities. The marina benefits from electronic payments and the gathering of customer data.
Riga City Marina, Latvia:
MARKET UPDATE: ESTONIA
Gulf of Finland
The north coast of Estonia stretches for 140nm along the south coast of the Gulf of Finland; a busy waterway with deep waters. There are no natural harbours and only a few places to anchor but there are good marina facilities, particularly in and around the capital city Tallinn. The eastern border with Russia is marked by the River Narva, which is navigable for 14km (8.7mi) to the city of Narva and a tiny marina. Boaters must take great care, however, to observe correct distance from the border marker buoys so as not to enter Russian waters without permission. Between Tallinn and Narva, guest marinas are evenly spaced albeit generally small, offering from three to 40 berths.
Visitors heading for Tallinn – the best preserved medieval city in northern Europe – have several marina options, and access to all that a bustling, picturesque city can offer. The best examples include The Seaplane Harbour (Lennusadam); Old City Marina; Pirita KJK (Kalev Jahtklubi); and Pirita TOP (Tallinn Olympic Yacht Centre). Collectively, these offer over 600 berths. The floating installations were completed at Kakumäe Marina to the west of Tallinn on 1st May, offering 300 berths.
West Estonia
An area of national parks and conservation areas, and the welcoming small island of Vormsi with its 12-berth marina, Estonia’s west coast has a very jagged coastline with few bays deep enough to be entered by boat. The main city of Haapsalu, a resort area made famous by the therapeutic mud in its shallow-water bays, has three marinas: Grand Holm (70 berths); Veskiviigi (62 berths) with the long-standing Haapsalu Yacht Club; and Westmeri (70 berths). There is a 35-berth marina in Dirhami to the very north of the region and a 28-berth deep water facility at Rohuküla that has megayacht mooring.
Hiiumaa
Hiiumaa is the second biggest island in Estonia with a jagged shoreline of 365km (227mi) surrounded by around 200 small islands and islets. Visitors enjoy beautiful hiking trails, quiet forests and excellent surfing, and the island is renowned for its historic lighthouses. There are five modern guest marinas: Heltermaa (42 berths); Kärdla Yacht Harbour, which opened in 2014 with 60 berths; Orjaku (40 berths); Roograhu (15 berths); and Sõru (15 berths).
Kuressaare Yacht Harbour
Developed on the original site of Saaremaa Sea Sports Club, which was built in the early 1900s as the first leisure boat harbour in Estonia, Kuressaare Yacht Harbour was designed from the outset as a visitor facility.
The existing City-owned harbour and buildings were completed in 1999 with the help of EU funds under the PHARE programme. Access to the open sea was provided by a 2.9km (1.8mi) long canal and protection afforded by extremely costly breakwaters. “Originally, the canal was to be 50m [164ft] wide and 3m [10ft] deep but this proved too expensive,” explains Oskar Jõgi, who has been harbourmaster at Kuressaare for the past 15 years. “The end result is 30m [98ft] wide and 2.5m [8ft] deep.”
The marina berths were completed in 2005 using 210m (689ft) of Top Marine timber pontoons to create 133 berths. The contract was a major early commission for the Estonian pontoon manufacturer and comprises three 70m (230ft) long piers and a 90m (295ft) long quay that is generally used for extra mooring space during
Saaremaa
Estonia’s biggest island at 2,992km² (1,155mi²) is also the second biggest island in the Baltic Sea. Saaremaa has long been valued as a vacation and tourism destination and its central city Kuressaare has two marinas –Kuressaare City Harbour (132 berths) and Roomassaare Marina (70 berths), which has deep waters and offers alongside berthing for vessels up to 120m (394ft).
Saaremaa has 12 marinas evenly spaced around the coast, and a 33berth facility on the island of Abruka.
events. Plans are in hand to expand the marina at the end of the pier near the fuel station but a lot of dredging will be required.
Although a visitor facility, Kuressaare remains loyal to its ‘sea sports club’ roots, offering club training for seven to nine-year-olds and ice sailing training, and works with the local high school helping children to learn to sail and respect the sea. The marina also hosts many nautical events including the Midsummer Eve Rally.
Kuressaare is a popular spa resort and is particularly busy during the summer season but the yacht harbour, which is within comfortable walking distance of the town centre, provides good extra revenue. “I’ve calculated that each person spends €180 over a two night stay and this equates to approximately €240,000 for the town from May to October,” Jõgi reveals.
The smallest marina is Veere Fishing Harbour, which has deep water berths for just six boats but can accommodate an 80m (262ft) vessel. The recently built yacht harbour at Kuivastu has 50 berths and attracts a high level of visitors, and Mõntu Fishing Harbour at the southernmost point of the island is currently expanding its pleasure craft quay to accommodate a total of 20 boats.
Gulf of Riga
Visiting boats can moor up at six marinas in the Estonian part of the Gulf of Riga although marinas at Manilaid,
KIA ORA, WELCOME TO NEW ZEALAND
Nestled between three stunning harbours and surrounded by picturesque islands Auckland is a boaties paradise. It is not hard to see why one in five households own some sort of boat.
The proposed dates for ICOMIA 2018 coincide with the Volvo Ocean Race Auckland stopover in 2018. Delegates will be able to enjoy the ‘Marine Showcase’ on offer including live entertainment and top hospitality packages both on and off the water.
We look forward to seeing you here!
► Further information
illio illion of sea, coast and islands make up
magnificent
Hauraki Gulf Marine Park
Kõiguste Marina
Currently offering just 12 berths but with plans for 60 and significant shoreside development, Kõiguste Marina has a five star location with unspoilt hinterland, deep clean waters and extensive birdlife. Coowner Külli Akkermann received approval of the project as Marina World closed for press and hopes that building will start in September this year with a view to a grand opening for the 2018 season.
The marina – previously busy and successful before being destroyed by Cyclone Gudrun (Erwin) in January 2005 – started out in life as a Russian military site (hence the deep water) but has all the makings of an exclusive retreat.
Jansson Akkermann has plans for an office and berth holder facilities building, and a restaurant or small
hotel. Twelve holiday homes are also under construction. In the 2016 season, 60-70 boats visited – most from Germany, some from Finland – and stayed for one or two nights.
Seaplane Harbour (Lennusadam)
Part of the impressive Estonian Maritime Museum, Seaplane Harbour is home to most of Estonia’s historic ships and offers guest berthing for 50 vessels at a specially built pier.
Located on the west coast of Tallinn Bay, the harbour runs a tour boat and hosts nautical activities. “They bring life into the harbour,” asserts harbour master Lauri Väinsalu. “The Sail Training Association holds events here and the Tall Ship Race passes through and stops over this month [July]”.
Seaplane Harbour is in the midst of waterfront land ripe for redevelopment and enjoys deep water, a rare commodity in Estonia where coastal water is invariably shallow. Without a doubt, surrounding buildings in years to come will be regenerated to create a waterfront destination and more berths could be in the offing. “There’s a plan to build a huge breakwater and a 2,000 berth marina in the Bay of Tallinn,” Väinsalu says. “I reckon it will happen in ten to twenty years.”
Munalaid and Pihelgalaid have only ten berths between them. By far the largest marina is Pärnu Yacht Club at the mouth of the River Pärnu and close to the centre of Estonia’s summer capital city. During high season, tourists flock to Pärnu for its sandy beaches and lively nightlife making it a popular holiday destination. The marina has 140 berths for boats up to 20m (66ft).
The Estonian islands of Ruhnu and Kihnu, popular in the summer with Estonians and Latvians alike, each have small marinas.
Building marinas
Estonian marina builder Top Marine has constructed most of the leisure harbour infrastructure in the country since the company was founded back in 1996. Now, although having built up a business that sees it exporting marina systems throughout Europe and into Asia, CEO Andry Prodel and his team retain a market leading position. The most recently completed project is Kakumäe Marina just west of Tallinn.
“For the 300 berths here, we installed 1,100m (3,609ft) of pontoons and fingers with a mix of concrete floats and concrete decking, and plastic floats with timber decking,” Prodel tells Marina World. “The total comes in at 2,200 tonnes of floating solutions.”
Built on the site of a former Soviet fishing boat marina with very shallow water, Kakumäe underwent a significant dredging project that essentially moved the marina basin further out to sea and used spoil to build up the shoreline. It was a radical move for Estonia. “There was some local objection but this changed when people could see that we really were going to build a marina and that the site wasn’t just an excuse for a property development,” admits marina manager Indrek Ilves.
Now that the floating elements are complete, attention is being turned to constructing a new access road, sports facilities and ultimately a boutique hotel and spa.
While Kakumäe is the latest Estonian flagship for Top Marine, competitive marina builder FloatMe Marinas has hopes for a large contract for floating walkways on Lake Peipus. In business for eight years, FloatMe manufactures floating pontoons and platforms using plastic or concrete floats and local impregnated pine decking. Although enjoying a small share of the Estonian market with recent contracts such as
CGI for Kõiguste Marina (above) which currently offers just 12 berths (below).
Karlova Harbour in Tartu, business partners Marek Vikat and Andres Agan are keenly eyeing export opportunities, particularly in Germany and the Netherlands.
“The problem in Estonia is money,” says Vikat. “Most of the marinas are built with EU funding and the decking for modern impregnated timber pontoon systems has a 10-15 year life. You can get the funds to build the marina but no ongoing funds to look after it.”
Despite its commendable efforts to foster young sailors and the ultimate marina customer base that this will hopefully bring, funds are core to the future of Estonian marinas. “Marinas in Estonia don’t make money – and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise!” asserts Jaano Martin Ots. “The money comes from services, like restaurants and cafés, so these are crucial.”
Pärnu Yacht Club
Situated in Estonia’s summer capital, Pärnu Yacht Club is a private club owned by its 217 members. It was founded in 1906 and has held regattas for over 100 years. In 2013, a 120-berth floating Top Marine Heavy Duty pontoon system with mooring fingers was installed along with appropriate dockside pedestals. Unlike many pontoon systems in Estonia, the Pärnu system remains in the water all year round.
Pärnu is currently working on a master plan to improve its general landscaping and promenade, and augment its popular and excellent restaurant with a café. The club has also purchased the nearby quayside fuel station
MARKET UPDATE: ESTONIA
Karlova Harbour
Although technically there are six marinas on the Emajõgi River in the university town of Tartu, Karlova Harbour is the only facility accessible to visitors and the general public, and with a recent expansion from 50 to 100 berths is by far the largest.
Built in 2014 by the Tartu City Government and run under a concession by Seto Line, it offers good modern facilities with a café, sauna, laundry and caravan park. Investment in berth expansion earned Seto Line a concession expansion – from an initial five years to ten years (from 2016) – and the move has attracted new boaters. “We have good occupancy during the May to October season with the bulk of boats owned by locals who use them at weekends,” development manager Helen Jors confirms. “When the season ends, we lift the boats out of the water and store them in the caravan park.”
Seto Line contracted FloatMe Marinas to build the 50-berth second phase, adding four visitor piers to the original Top Marine pontoon system. The marina also has a self-service floating fuel station, pump-out point and green energy. “All heating and hot water comes from solar panels and a heat pump,” Jors reveals. “This was the Tartu Government’s first experiment with this type of system.”
with song, dance and boat displays and an evening concert, takes part in the city festival at the end of August and hosts a concert every month.
The events programme reinforces the importance of ‘Mother River’. “Over the past five years, the City has taken the river
more seriously – with riverside benches, visitor docking platforms etc. More free short-stay dock spaces are planned near the city centre. In two years’ time we hope that a walkway will have been completed along the river,” Jors ventures.
Visitors and berth holders flock to the marina for many events throughout the summer. The season opens on 1st May
from the government via the City as it is the only one in the area that has water access. The investment is wise but much renovation is required.
“Our challenge is to make everything more attractive for visitors, who come here on average for three or four days specifically to visit Pärnu,” explains club commodore Väino Hallikmägi. “The club is
In addition to running the marina, Seto Line operates two tour boats for river cruises and believes there could be opportunity for small boat hire in the future.
very good for city revenue.”
Nautical and social events also help to boost visitor levels. “We have outdoor concerts, theatre and a seasonal opening ceremony and this year we organised the Nordic Youth Championship for the second time. This is a big event that last time attracted 220 boats and around 1,000 people,” Hallikmägi confirms.
IoT MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE
The marina management software sector is fast paced. What changes do you think we will see in the near future and how can marina operators best future-proof the systems they run?
“It’s all about the customer experience. Building the best software isn’t just about using the latest tech. It’s also about knowing how it’ll be used. I think it’s essential to keep one eye on the users and the emerging trends in their habits.
For example, over the next ten years we firmly believe customers will increasingly opt for self-service solutions. Whether it’s pre-booking marina services or managing their own needs on-site, customers seem to want more control and less hassle. This has led to the development of fully-integrated solutions offering the simplest customer experience possible.
“We see a fast move towards interconnectivity in the marina management software space. It is no longer sustainable to have a point of sale system, a customer relationship management system and an accounting system that don’t talk to each other.
One of the ways we can provide this experience is by giving customers more ways to interact with a marina. So you could have one customer who books a berth with a text message that feeds right into the booking system, another who manages their marina services online, and another who doesn’t even need to enter their details because the system remembers them from their first booking.
As customers become more comfortable with these services, we’ll see new trends emerge. Already, features like live maps, real-time financial data and multisite systems have gone from experimental to essential.
But staying ahead of these trends is a full-time job. So when it comes to future-proofing, the best solution will always be the system that moves with the times, keeping you up to date with the technology and the people who use it.”
Graham Laidler, technology director, Harbour Assist, UK E:graham.laidler@harbourassist.com
In order for the software to deliver promised benefits, including increased revenue, lower administrative burden and better customer engagement, it needs to be connected. The marketing and social media needs to be connected to the marina management system, which needs to be connected to the inventory, point of sale and accounting systems. And all of these systems will ideally be web-based and accessed via web browser or mobile App.” Rocko Stojiljkovic, co-founder Molo, E:rocko@getmolo.com
opportunity will not only increase customer satisfaction but also improve the bottom line of the business. This will happen for a number of reasons but mainly because common tasks that now require the exclusive attention of a (paid) marina employee, will be carried out by the customer and the machine, automatically. And this can easily happen, even during non-working hours while the customer is sailing towards your marina and you are doing something else. I find this really extraordinary.”
John Barbanas, project manager Successful Software, E:ibarbanas@successful-soft.com
“We are living in extraordinary times. And these extraordinary times are offering tremendous opportunities for people who are ready to act on these opportunities. Take the Internet for example. The Internet has dramatically transformed the way we communicate, collaborate and do business.
Marina operators need to make sure that their present (or future) management systems provide their customers with the flexibility to selfservice via the Internet on a 24/7 basis. Boaters are also consumers and, as consumers, most of them have already used the Internet to communicate, book air plane tickets, buy goods from eShops or manage their bank account. Soon, the majority of them will expect the same level of service from their marina. And this trend is something that marina operators must recognise and include in their planning. The automation provided by this
“Marina management software as wearable technology is becoming a musthave. Marina staff should have ability to “take their office with them” when leaving for a dock walk, events etc. Customers also expect the ability to “take the marina with them” and want to communicate and order services from any mobile device. Forwardthinking marinas will have almost all processes and services automated to give marina staff more time for added value activities and to improve customer relationship.
Security that is more accessible for marinas of all types will be a big differentiator for marina management software solutions in the future. The solution has to provide SSL/HTTPS certified connection, backup and UPS.
CRM is the heart of a good marina management software solution. Software’s capability to deliver customer experience is requested by 94% of marina managers within our Marina Master database worldwide. Innovative marina managers should
MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE
MIMO
consider every experience and moment of truth with their customer as a gold mine for their strategy.
Management reports and analytics will take centre stage enabling management to forecast marina situations, customer behaviour and more.
Cloud adoption will continue to rise while enabling better data access, flexibility, security and lower infrastructure costs.
The marina management solution that is flexible enough and develops continuously according to a marina’s needs and trends will win the battle in the rapidly evolving and maturing marina management sector.”
Tone Britovšek, MSc, president, Marina Master, E:tone.britovsek@irm.si
“Early internet pioneers toted that the “world wide web” would change the world forever, but I’m not sure they really understood the strength of their statement. Even in the last two years, the pace at which the use of modern web application technology has increased is off the charts. Marinas that are not focusing their attention on web-based solutions that deliver real-time communications between their employees and their clients could struggle to catch up with the early adopters.
any way that they can prevent their competitors from using our webbased technologies, we know we’ve provided them with a great service. While we appreciate their interests in protecting their turf, it is generally a short time before competitive marinas are forced to meet the level of service and customer expectations delivered by the early adopters.
The evolution (and revolution) behind mobile device technology and the expectations carried by consumers is definitely something to pay attention to. While the marine industry as a whole has been slow to adopt modern technologies, those that already have are operating on a completely different plateau.
When our clients ask if there is
As more real-time web and mobile technologies come to fruition, we believe the nay-sayers will eventually toss their clipboards and dry-erase boards wayside. BoatCloud serves two very distinct segments of the industry with two specialised web and mobile applications. Today, BoatCloud is used by drystack storage marinas and boat club operators in seven countries – managing just over 250,000 reservation communications each month.”
Todd Wagner, vice president Anderson Software, E:todd@andersoft.com
Marina Parque das Nações (Lisboa, Portugal)
Quay Marinas switches to cloudbased software
For marina managers, keeping on top of multiple jobs by multiple staff in multiple sites can be as exhausting as it sounds. Quay Marinas is a perfect example. With over 3,000 berths across seven sites throughout the UK, director Paul Rye knows a thing or two about running a tight ship.
“We’re committed to giving our customers the best service, whether they’re in Bristol or Bangor,” Rye asserts, and to help achieve this Quay Marinas has recently upgraded to the new cloud-based, multi-site system Harbour Assist. “Our solution needs to offer the consistency and reliability our customers expect. We now get a constant live overview of tasks, payments and operations throughout
every site, from any location. Our customers can use the online portal to make payments and view transactions. While we can handle their information, take online and mobile payments, manage marina maintenance, and generally keep up to date with everyone and everything.”
Harbour Assist commercial director Nick Gill explains the benefits: “Cloud technology means the software
works in any location without needing servers at every site. This saves on maintenance and IT support and vastly improves data security. Everything is subjected to strict industry-standard penetration and security tests.”
So, while marina managers still can’t be everywhere at once, a multi-site solution could be just as good.
E: info@harbourassist.com
Providing Solutions for Marinas Worldwide
The leader in innovative boat lift solutions, Golden Boat Lifts has launched a separate dock manufacturing company, Golden Marine Systems. Leveraging the American Welding Society-certified workforce of ISO 9001-certified Golden Boat Lifts, the new company's products are built to the highest standards using only premium quality marine grade aluminum and stainless steel.
MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE
Seven questions for your software company
With all the change that has taken place in the marina software industry over the last few years, US-based Scribble Software believes that it can be hard for marinas to distinguish between good change and bad change, and to decide which software company is most suited to their needs.
To help marinas navigate their search, the company poses seven questions it believes marinas should be asking.
u How long has the company been in business? “No offence to the new guys, but longevity in software companies is important. The last thing you want to do is pay thousands of dollars for software and then not have any support because the company went out of business or be wondering who you’re supposed to call because there’s a new owner.”
v Has the company added to its product line over the past year? “That’s right – one year. Companies that are adding to their product line on a regular basis are companies that are listening to their customers and keeping up with technology.”
w Has the company published a new release of their software, say, every
year? “It’s important to know that your software will be updated, maintained, improved upon.”
x Are online services and expansion to mobile devices offered? “Let’s face it. The world is moving to the internet. That means you’re going to need online services like online bill pay and document signature capture. Make sure the software company you choose is moving ahead with the times and offering software Apps that you can use anywhere.”
y Does the product line meet your current and future needs? “It’s great to do reservations well, but it’s even better if that reservation software will connect seamlessly with your point-ofsale, launch, service and fuel software. Getting all your needs met with one software company isn’t easy, but it’s also not too much to ask for. And even if
Custom design
Built around your needs
slipways, Wise Boat Hoists can travel throughout the boat yard or marina. They can even load trailers and trucks. At Wise we utilise only the best materials in the construction of all hoist components. Particular emphasis is made on increasing durability and reducing maintenance costs.
you don’t currently have a restaurant on your property, you should still consider your future plans. Does the software company have options for your future expansion?”
z Has the company added to its support team in the last year or two? “Besides having a great product, all software companies should have a solid and growing support team. Everyone needs support from time to time, and you want to know you will be in good hands when you need it. Ask for the date of their last support team member hire.”
{ Do they care about you? “This one might be hard to figure out at first. Start by looking at the answers to the above questions. If you answered yes to those questions, then most likely you’re looking at a company that cares about its customers.”
E: sales@posscribble.com
Greek marina automates for success
The beautiful Greek island of Rhodes in the South Aegean is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe, famous worldwide for the ‘Colossus of Rhodes’, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Rhodes is also famous for its ‘Medieval City’, the Palace of the Grand Masters and the castle that surrounds it (a UNESCO World Heritage Site).
Boaters from all over the world visit the city of Rhodes for its natural beauty, history, culture and Mediterranean cuisine and many can now enjoy a stop-over at the new luxurious Rhodes Marina just 2.5km (1.5mi) away from where the Colossus once stood.
Rhodes Marina opened in June 2015 and has 424 wet berths (a further 181 are to be added in the second phase of the project), a dry dock with repair facilities that can accommodate up to 250 boats and a fuel station. Shore facilities include a complex of modern buildings that currently provide space for laundries, showers and toilets, a restaurant, a coffee bar, a supermarket, a hair salon and a helipad. In the second phase more shops, a gym, banking facilities, eight luxurious villas and a conference and events building with capacity for up to 1,300 people will be added.
use their choice of telecommunication services and pay the fees when settling their account at the end of their stay. The telecommunications infrastructure is provided by Samsung Telecommunications.
Rhodes Marina selected Successful Software’s Successful Marina management system to operate its entire marina and boatyard operations. Successful also built the marina a unique telecommunications interface, which allows marina customers to
Via these services, the customer can enjoy high speed internet connections (through Wi-Fi, or fibre optic cable), dedicated telephone landline(s), even Cable TV with exclusive content, directly (and privately) aboard their vessel. The services are activated and deactivated remotely via Successful Marina and the charges are automatically logged to the vessel
and the customer without the latter, or the marina personnel, having to do anything. In addition to this, the customer does not have to pay for the services directly, but can settle one invoice covering berth costs, boatyard expenses, electricity, water, lift out, etc. The end result is a streamlined operation that frees up time for marina personnel and the customer.
“We are very pleased with the level of automation we achieved in this project,” John Barbanas, project manager of Successful Software said. “By communicating with the telecommunications platform of Samsung, we are able to provide a unique hospitality solution that is also hassle free for the marina customer.”
The future plan is to extend the integration of Successful Marina to the service bollards so as to retrieve electricity and water costs directly and then charge them to the vessel and the customer without human intervention. E: ibarbanas@successful-soft.com
Rhodes Marina prior to opening in June 2015 was installed with a Successful Marina management system.
Pacsoft success with mobile solution
The latest Pacsoft online/offline mobile solution allows safe collection of data even when WiFi is unreliable or not available. This enables the user to go in and out of WiFi connectivity and still perform all data-related functions.
The module currently provides dock-checking, new rental bookings, on-vessel check-in/check-out, shortening or amending bookings, meter readings, mobile point of sale
(for fuel sales etc), customer request recording, and operational notes, both for subsequent follow-up.
Pacsoft managing director, Chris Thomas, sees future potential in
expanding the features of the mobile module to include mobile collection of asset condition and status, and boatyard operational data recording. E: chris@pacsoftmms.com
FIBERGLASS GRATINGS
Attractive
Extremely
Won’t
Non-Skid
Custom
MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE
Taking a lead with customer service
Multi award winning Soldiers Point Marina in Port Stephens, Australia has taken another leap into the future of customer service with the introduction of a unique smart-phone based application called V-Assist. Marina staff have worked with Slovenia-based software supplier Marina Master to build the service, which has been successfully tested and is now rolling-out to customers.
With the emphasis on making light work of going boating, V-Assist keeps the marina on alert when customers come near the marina on land or on the water. Each customer is issued with two tags, similar to those used for toll roads, one for the car and one for the boat. On approach by road, an alert is triggered as the vehicle passes a sensor about 3km (2mi) from the marina. This identifies the customer’s car and generates a text message to the porter to advise that the customer is approaching.
This allows the porter to greet the customer, park their car in the customer car park or valet undercover area, unload supplies and assist with taking the customer’s luggage, shopping etc., to the boat, stowing the items and making the boat ready for its owners.
In the case of a boat returning to the marina, a sensor is triggered when the boat enters a 500m (1,640ft) zone around the marina and a message is sent to the dock master to advise which vessel is approaching. This readies assistance for mooring and for the porter to assist with unloading and return to the customer’s vehicle if required.
Copies of all text messages are sent to the marina duty manager to allow for management overview and to monitor service standards.
Customer reaction has been excellent, with a highly positive response. Marina manager, Darrell Barnett, commented: “V-Assist allows us to be sure we are not missing opportunities to enhance the service we provide to our customers. We have the warning to be ready for them to arrive either by vehicle or vessel!”
V-assist links with the Marina Master myMarina App to promote ease of communication for all marina customers.
The myMarina App,a free download from the iTunes store or Google Play, opens up a wide range of services to the boat owner. Customers can view high definition live stream TV of their
boat berthed on the marina, 24/7, using any smart phone.
The App also allows the customer to request assistance for things such as parking; obtaining a courtesy car; unloading and taking supplies/luggage to the boat; pre-fuelling the boat; wash down, turn on of fridges, air con etc; ordering ice, food and alcohol; and assistance with leaving and arriving at the marina.
The App is easy to activate and use, with a user name and password set up via the Marina Master software system operated from the Soldiers Point Marina office.
Making life easy for customerswhether on land or water - also means offering appropriate ‘fuel’. Soldier’s Point has recently installed a Tesla high-speed Destination Charging Unit for use by customers and visitors and has been pleasantly surprised by the number of Tesla drivers using the charger for Model S and even a few Model X cars.
The Tesla Destination Charger uses a high-speed power wall connector, similar to the unit Tesla vehicle owners install in their homes and offices. It charges at a rate of 22kW and is available at self-park bays at the front of the main marina building. Drivers can now ensure that they are fully charged and ready for even the longest drive home.
Barnett is right behind the decision. “We are striving to be leaders in our industry and see this as another opportunity to provide unique services to our customers,” he said.
DockMaster ‘returns’ under new partnership deal
MyTaskit, the US organisation known for its comprehensive task coordination and business management software solutions, has entered into a formal partnership with Valsoft, a Canadian company specialising in the acquisition and development of vertical market software companies.
The partnership aims to provide expanded software solutions to the marine industry, with DockMasterthe well-regarded marine business management software - at the core. Since 2015, DockMaster has been known as the operations module of MyTaskit Pro. As part of the new partnership, DockMaster will once again be a stand-alone branded product.
The business alliance gives Valsoft the rights to the DockMaster brand and intellectual property, as well as operation of DockMaster products and services. The MyTaskit and DockMaster teams will work together daily, ensuring the partnership results in continued strategic development, deployment, support and integration of both DockMaster and MyTaskit Pro software products. Cam Collins, previously senior vice president at MyTaskit, has been named president of DockMaster, and
will continue in this role as the leading executive of operations. Additionally, Kevin Hutchinson, CEO and founder of MyTaskit, is joining Valsoft’s board of advisors. Hutchinson says the partnership is aimed at continued growth and enhanced product development.
“When Valsoft approached us, they were looking to invest in the continued success of our marine software products,” Hutchinson said. “As our discussions evolved, we found that by committing to a strategic collaboration, we would be able to grow the capabilities and demand for both of our products. This partnership focuses on delivering more extensive product solutions to our existing customers and the marine industry as a whole, while also opening up opportunities to partner with other niche marine software providers.”
Valsoft CEO Ouissam “Sam” Youssef
said his company is looking forward to a long-term partnership with MyTaskit. “We approached Mr. Hutchinson about a partnership between our two companies to bring back the DockMaster brand and invest in the marine industry software leader. We will carry on Kevin and his team’s legacy of 100% customer success. We will continue to work closely with Kevin, Cam and the entire MyTaskit and DockMaster team to make sure our customers have all the tools they need to compete in today’s technology era.”
Valsoft and MyTaskit have additionally formed a co-marketing relationship for MyTaskit Pro’s coordination product, a task coordination software solution for marine service companies. This agreement will support the continued data integration between DockMaster and MyTaskit Pro, and both companies expect future software integrations and product enhancements to follow.
E: info@mytaskit.com
Digital transformation for modern marinas
“Technology has profoundly changed the way we live, work and do business and marinas are obviously no exception to this rule. In order to stay in business, we have to embrace change and adapt to new market trends,” says the Croatiabased Marinacloud team.
This is the philosophy and motivation behind the Marinacloud project, launched at METS 2016 and enjoying growing interest month on month. The software has been developed by a team of experienced marina managers and IT engineers who have spent years modelling the best operational procedures of a successful marina in the digital age. “Our goal was not to create ‘yet another marina software package’, but to provide a complete digital transformation of the way marinas do business in the modern age,” explains Marinacloud founder and CEO Kresimir Zic.
Marinacloud delivers three fundamental benefits to marina operators: a significant increase in operational efficiency; a substantial increase in customer satisfaction; and ‘numbers’ - exact indicators of
performance, which help managers run a business based on facts and not feelings.
The software improves every single detail of daily marina operations: email integration; automatic invoicing; customer relations; resource planning; interactive high-quality vector mapping; contract management with attached documents; embedded business intelligence and reporting; smart alerts; integration with video surveillance to monitor berth occupancy; and its unique award-winning ‘proactive boat care concept’, which is used for protocol inspection of every boat in the marina and produces weekly reports for customers. The system uses Oracle
Cloud technology, which the company believes is probably the best cloud technology available today, to ensure business continuity and protect data from any kind of digital threats.
The Marinacloud team is currently exploring state-of-the-art technology like Internet of Things, Business Intelligence and boat automation and is finding innovative ways to implement them in order to enhance marina operations. The team improves its product with monthly updates.
Marinacloud has recently been promoted at the MMIAK conference, Seoul and at Boot 2017, Düsseldorf. E: info@marinacloud.net
MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE
Index to Advertisers
Bellingham Marine, USA 6 & 7
Best Marine Solutions, USA 59
Bluet, Finland 34
Camper & Nicholsons Marinas, UK 10
Conolift by Kropf Industrial, Canada 34
Dura Composites, UK 26
Eaton Marina
Power & Lighting, USA 14 & 15
FGM, Italy 44
GH Cranes & Components, Spain 54
Gael Force Engineering, UK 48
Gigieffe, Italy 42
Gold Anchor Award Scheme, 44
Golden Boat Lifts, USA 49
Grupo Lindley, Portugal 48
Hazelett Marine, USA 22
Hiscox, UK 36
IMBC, USA 52
IWMC 2018, New Zealand 41
Ingemar, Italy 16
Inland & Coastal Marinas, Ireland 47
JLD International, Netherlands 56
Livart Marine, China 24
METSTRADE, Netherlands 20
M-Tech, Australia 25
Maricer, UK 48
Marina Master by IRM, Slovenia 48
Marina Projects, UK 22
Marine Travelift, USA 60
Marinetek, Finland 4
Markel International, UK 42
Martini Alfredo, Italy 26
Orsta Breakwater, Netherlands 50
Oscar Siches/ Marina Matters, Spain 44
Pacsoft, New Zealand 50
Plus Marine, Italy 18
Poralu Marine, France 30 & 31
Rolec Services, UK 12
Roodberg - a brand of Frisian Industries, Netherlands 36
SF Marina System, Sweden 2
Seaflex, Sweden 8
Seijsener Marina Services, Netherlands 50
Scribble Software, USA 52
Strongwell, USA 54
Structurmarine, Canada 29
Successful Software, Greece 56
Superior Group, Australia 56
Top Marine, Estonia 39
Twinwood by Soprefa, Portugal 52
Vileo Marinas, Finland 33
Walcon Marine, UK 18
Wise Handling, UK 51
Global interest builds for BerthMaster Online
Since its launch just over a year ago, Rolec’s BerthMaster Online marina management system has been attracting great interest from all over the world.
The system, which incorporates the latest in mobile phone technology, allows boat owners to manage and pay for their electricity and water services via their mobile phone, tablet or any other web enabled device.
The technology included within BerthMaster Online comprises components from industry leaders including Vodafone, Omron and Worldpay, and provides both the marina operator and boat owner with significant extra levels of control over electricity and water services at every berth.
Rolec operations director, Holly Brown, commented: “We have always been confident that the new BerthMaster Online system would be a success and are delighted with how well received it has been in the marina industry. This new system is yet another world first from Rolec and represents a huge step forward in marina services management and control.”
the first to adopt BerthMaster Online - is described by Rolec as the world’s first mobile phone operated marina. Michael Prideaux, managing director of Haslar owner Dean & Reddyhoff
Over recent months BerthMaster has been installed at several marinas in countries that include Greece, Saudi Arabia, Cyprus, Bahrain, the Seychelles and Dubai. According to Brown, further projects are in the pipeline.
BerthMaster Online enables boat owners to use their mobile phones to:
• Switch on/off of their own electricity and water services, eliminating the necessity to visit the marina office.
• Gain 24/7 access to their own electricity and water accounts from any location in the world.
• Pay in advance or on account for their electricity and water services via the BerthMaster Online WorldPay payment platform using either Visa, MasterCard, Amex or PayPal.
• Receive email alerts in the event of loss of power or an unauthorised electrical disconnection at their boat. Haslar Marina in Portsmouth, UK -
Marinas Ltd, explained the decision to invest in the system: “We wanted to choose a utility system that put the customer experience right at the very heart of the design of the system,” he said. “We chose BerthMaster Online for two reasons. Firstly, what we were looking for was a really robust physical infrastructure. The second thing we were looking for was a system that we would confidently know would last us for the next 20 years.”
“Because technology is moving so quickly we wanted to take a leap ahead and go for the most advanced metering system that was available to us,” he continued. “The other key feature, of course, is that there is no need to read the meters ever again. The system has been so well designed. It is so slick that it is transforming both the customer experience and the operational side for us.”
“I am very confident that this will be the “go-to” product for the next ten years. I can’t see anything else on the market that is available getting close to it.”
