A year of growth, achievement and innovation

Premium marina owner and operator D-Marin achieved remarkable things in 2023, expanding its portfolio and strengthening commitment to innovation, environmental stewardship and customer experience.

“We are pleased that 2023 was an exceptionally successful year for D-Marin,” says CEO Oliver Dörschuck. “Our ambition is to pioneer the sector with our focus on three strategic pillars: exceptional customer service underpinned by digital innovation; high engagement for the environmental and local communities (ESG); and the growth of the number of marinas in our selection of premium marinas. We clearly can see measurable success in all these areas, building a great company for our people, our customers and for today and future generations.”
Growing the portfolio
Last year D-Marin added ten marinas to its portfolio and entered three new territories, Spain, Malta and Albania. Concurrently, D-Marin formed a strategic alliance with the Azimut Benetti Group, aiming to develop an integrated network of marinas and enhance the yachting experience throughout the Mediterranean. As at December 2023, the Group offered 13,000 berths in nine countries with ambitious plans to acquire or partner with more marinas in 2024.
As 2023 drew to a close, highlight acquisitions included Marina degli Aregai and Marina di Lorenzo in Liguria, bringing the number of D-Marin marinas in Italy to a total of five and boosting the total portfolio to 26 marinas across the Mediterranean and Gulf regions.
The new marinas were carefully selected to fit with the company mission to provide an enriched yachting experience to its customers and are located on the Riviera dei Fori, a 58km (36mi) stretch of stunning coastline steeped in natural beauty and cultural heritage.
Marina degli Aregai is one of the largest marinas in the Liguria region, with 961 berths accommodating yachts up to 50m (164ft). The marina offers 24-hour mooring assistance, a shipyard, a vibrant shopping complex with over 20 shops, restaurants and a hotel.
Marina di San Lorenzo is a premium marina with 268 berths for boats up to 40m (131ft) and a recent investment in superyacht berths. It also offers hotel amenities, with a spa and private beach.
Innovation and environment
D-Marin’s commitment to innovation is evident through significant initiatives introduced throughout the year. These include the launch of a customer app, with features like true online booking and annual online renewal; introduction of free boat sensors for remote monitoring; and installation of smart pedestals for remote control of energy and water consumption.
The company places high priority on environmental and social responsibility and made a €1.7 million investment in green energy by installing solar panels in Turkey and Croatia, covering 71% of its energy consumption across five marinas – the equivalent of the annual consumption of 1,345 households.
D-Marin also donated over €70,000 to youth sports, culture and volunteer and social causes in Croatia, Greece and Turkey while being actively involved in environmental initiatives engaging local communities. It conducted training sessions and HSE awareness sessions, emphasising its commitment to sustainable marinas and was rewarded with a Silver EcoVadis award for sustainability, and the Blue Flag Award for 14 of its marinas.
Customer experience
In addition to its achievements in innovation, environmental sustainability and community engagement, D-Marin recorded exceptional Net Promoter Scores (NPS) for 2023. The NPS, seen as the gold standard of customer experience, is used by millions of businesses globally to track how they are perceived by customers. The results are calculated by how likely a customer is to recommend a service to a friend or colleague.
For the third consecutive year, the Group witnessed a noteworthy increase in its NPS, demonstrating a remarkable improvement of seven points to reach a value of 51 in 2023. The elevated NPS aligns D-Marin with premium and luxury brands such as Apple, Microsoft and Gucci, showcasing its commitment to excellence in customer satisfaction.
“The significant increase of the NPS reflects the dedication of the D-Marin team, consistently enhancing services based on valuable customer feedback,” notes CCO Dean Smith. “This commitment is at the core of D-Marin’s operations, further satisfying our position as the preferred choice for yachting enthusiasts seeking premium marina services. We utilise the NPS results to monitor customer views in real time and look forward to continuing our outstanding customer excellence throughout 2024. We are deeply committed to improving our services.”
This dedication to customer excellence has been recognised by prestigious awards including Best Overall Marina at the Abu Dhabi Maritime Awards for D-Marin Turgutreis marina, the globally prestigious IF Awards for pioneering approach to customer experience, and the digital award from the Greek Yachting Association.