Mooring Post
April/May 2024

– Delivering news to marina professionals –

BELGIUM: Landmark conference addresses end-of-life boats
The Belgian EU Presidency, in collaboration with the European Commission and European Boating Industry (EBI), convened a landmark conference in March at the prestigious Egmont Palace in Brussels to address the pressing issue of end-of-life recreational boats.

GLOBAL: Promoting diversity
The International Council of Marine Industry Associations (ICOMIA) has formed a Diversity Committee in response to requests from members, and in an effort to raise the profile of this topic. Reports show that increasing diversity not only reinforces greater social responsibility but can also drive growth and innovation.

USA: Suntex
joins with Almar
Suntex Marina Investors, the largest stand-alone recreational marina owner in the USA by marina count and boat slips, has joined forces with Almar Marinas.
Almar is the largest operator of coastal marinas on the west coast of the USA and an established marina management company. Its portfolio consists of eight owned marinas across California – located between Marina Del Rey and Oakland – and another nine marinas managed on behalf of third-party owners in California and Hawaii.
Bryan Redmond, CEO Suntex Marinas, and Randy Short, CEO Almar, stress the shared values of both companies. Short says: “Our philosophy at Almar is that a marina is not just a place for a boat to berth, it’s a complex set of diverse and interrelated activities designed to meet the needs of boaters and the public. Suntex absolutely knows this and practices those philosophies every day, which is why we’re so delighted to be working together toward a future where we all have a chance to create a quality resort-like experience that is safe, clean, secure and friendly for our customers and our communities.”

SPECIAL FOCUS:
Covetable Assets
Key professionals in the US real estate sector discuss market trends for buying and selling marinas. Is interest on the up? How do you prepare for sale? Where are the most covetable assets?

USA: AMI Conference & Expo calls for seminar proposals
The Association of Marina Industries (AMI) is inviting proposals for breakout and workshop topics for the 2025 AMI Conference & Expo (29-30 January, Broward County Convention Center, Fort Lauderdale, Florida).
The team is looking for subjects relevant to the business of marinas and boatyards, from operations to management, for an audience ranging from entry-level to senior and executive management.
The deadline for submissions is 01 June 2024.
Further information: www.marinaassociation.org

AUSTRALIA:
Precincts keynote sets scene for Marinas24
The keynote Designing Marina Precincts is set to be the highlight of the Marinas24 conference (Royal International Convention Centre, Brisbane, Queensland 27-29 May).
Marina precincts are lifestyle precincts that enhance the boating experience by blending boat storage and maintenance facilities with ancillary services such as retail spaces, dining and entertainment, accommodation, water sport activities and meeting and event spaces.

USA: Phase one rebuild completes at Gulf Harbour
Gulf Harbour Yacht and Country Club in Fort Myers, Florida, which sustained severe damage by Hurricane Ian, has reopened with new Golden Marine Systems (GMS) docks.
Phase one of the ambitious project, which comprises an impressive selection of 101 slips for boats up to 80ft (24m) in length, was completed just 18 months after the storm hit.

SRI LANKA: Marine tourism master plan announced
Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) have announced a marine tourism master plan which, according to local media, includes partnership with the Sri Lankan Navy and the Chamber of Marine Industries.

USA: Kentucky forum examines marina owner fees
A congressional forum was held in March in Jamestown, Kentucky to examine inconsistent fees levied by the US Army Corps of Engineers against marina owners.

UAE: ITC inaugurates Saadiyat and Rabdan marinas
According to Emirates News Agency (WAM), the Integrated Transport Centre (ITC) of the Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT), in cooperation with Abu Dhabi Maritime, part of AD Ports Group, has opened Saadiyat Marina & Ferry Terminal and Rabdan Marina. The inauguration marks a significant milestone in enhancing maritime connectivity and infrastructure in Abu Dhabi.

Highlights from Marina World January/February 2024

Dock Maarten develops new megayacht dock
Dock Maarten in the Caribbean island of St Martin has built two of the largest private megayacht slips in the region.

Luring megayachts to Golfito
Floating dock systems have been a crucial part of the redevelopment of Marina Bahia Golfito in Costa Rica.

The base behind the race
How Marina Lanzarote prepared to host the RORC Transatlantic Race.

From the Marina World archives -
Global Review news highlights and project round-ups for
2023, 2022 and 2021

Redesigning
Hurricane Hole
BAHAMAS: Hurricane Hole Marina at Paradise Landing was restyled in 2021 to offer berths for larger vessels and form part of a master-planned marina community.

National marinas adopt superyacht focus
ITALY: Determined to permanently host the largest of yachts at marina berths, Italian marinas are working hard on top class infrastructure.

Restoring Dinner Key
USA: The biggest wet slip marina on the eastern seaboard, Dinner Key Marina was completely restored following devastating damage caused by Hurricane Irma. Its phased redevelopment delivered upgraded facilities and nearly 600 slips.

Future Features

July/August 2024
Dry Storage
Floating Buildings & Structures
Editorial deadline: 03 June
Advertising deadline: 19 June

September/October 2024
ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE: A-Z Guide to Pontoon/Dock & Decking Manufacturers
Building a Marina Portfolio
Dockside Utilities
Editorial deadline: 02 August
Advertising deadline: 13 August

November/December 2024
Waterfront Developments
Yards & Yard Machinery
Editorial deadline: 20 September
Advertising deadline: 13 August

To discuss editorial opportunities for these issues, contact:
Carol Fulford – carolfulford@marinaworld.co.uk
For details on print and digital advertising options, contact:
Julia Hallam (Europe, Middle East & Asia Pacific) – juliahallam@marinaworld.co.uk
Philippe Critot (The Americas) – pcritot@marinaworld.com