INDUSTRY NEWS

New sign-ups for Pick a Pier

During the first quarter of 2022, Pick a Pier has signed up over 30 new marinas. The AI-driven platform was founded in 2017 by a team of passionate boating enthusiasts using technology solutions to connect boaters and marinas,

Marinas from across Europe have joined Pick a Pier’s platform, including

UK-based Emsworth Yacht Harbour.

Other new signings include Blue

Flag-certified Marina di San Lorenzo, the 830-berth Port de La Baule Le

Pouliguen, Portugal’s Marina de

Lagos, The Netherland’s Jachthaven

Waterkant and Real Club Náutico

Castellón in Spain, as well as many others across Europe.

One particular benefit of the Pick a Pier platform for marinas is the Italy’s Marina Punta Verde has joined Pick a Pier.

Left to right: Darren Oh, SUTL General Manager (Business Development); Teo Joo Leng, SUTL Group General Manager; James Roy, Marina Director, ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove; and Jonathan Sit, General Manager, ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove.

inclusive payment service that makes the lives of both boaters and marina staff easier and enables marinas to provide fast and smooth service.

Giorgio Ardito, President of Marina Uno, said: “We are excited to get on board with Pick a Pier especially to help in communicating with our existing berth-holders and promoting the marina to new visitors”.

Tom Marfleet, Marina Manager at Emsworth, added: “We look forward to using Pick a Pier to help us optimise our berth availability and reduce the admin burden for both us and our boaters”.

Idan Cohen, CEO of Pick a Pier, commented: “Our mission is to make boating more accessible, convenient and sustainable. Marinas using the services of Pick a Pier are able to offer an increased level of customer communications and service, resulting in maximised profitability. It also allows marinas to provide boaters with quick responses, excellent customer service and easy access to berthing.

“We are excited to have new marinas on board with Pick a Pier and know they will instantly benefit from optimised operations and unlocking berths to accommodate boaters. By joining Pick a Pier, these marinas have access to boaters and berthholders in real-time using our intuitive platform that provides a new level of transparency, communication and profitability.”

Singapore marina achieves Five Gold Anchor Platinum status

ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove Singapore has been awarded the Five Gold Anchor Platinum accreditation by the Marina Industries Association (MIA). This Global accreditation is the highest accolade that the industry awards and is reserved for marinas that offer their customers a comprehensive unique marina experience by providing tailored, personalised service and an outstanding array of high-quality facilities and amenities.

The ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove is a premium waterfront lifestyle destination offering 270 wet berths, including 32 suitable for superyachts, and 60 dry berths; facilities include an infinity pool, fitness centre, members’ lounge, modern spa, tennis courts, restaurants and bars, and a luxury 26-room hotel.

The award was presented at the Marinas22 International Conference and Trade Exhibition Gala Dinner in front of over 250 members of the industry. Andrew Chapman, MIA President, gave the award to ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove General Manager Jonathan Sit, Marina Director James Roy, parent company SUTL Group General Manager Teo Joo Leng and SUTL General Manager (Business Development) Darren Oh.

While presenting the award, Andrew Chapman said, “The Global Gold Anchor rating system is designed to provide boat-owners and marinausers with an easy reference system like hotel star ratings. Marinas are independently assessed against over 86 separate criteria, which cover management processes, the condition and maintenance of the marina, environmental practices and the ancillary facilities and services. The assessment also involves an anonymous customer survey to further ensure it delivers on its promises”.

Suzanne Davies, CEO of the MIA, commented: “ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove has been a Five Gold Anchor Marina for many years, but the recent marina upgrades and the integrated services offered through the hotel and hospitality areas make it a worthy Platinum recipient and we are very proud to make the award”.

In accepting the award, Jonathan Sit General Manager, ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove, said “ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove Singapore is honoured to be the first Five Gold Anchor Platinum marina in South-East Asia. With a focus on service, community and environment, we are constantly striving to improve and attain excellence in these areas. We hope to replicate the same standard across all ONE°15 Marina properties globally. Finally, we wish to thank the MIA for this recognition”.

James Roy, Marina Director, ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove, commented: “We are committed to providing a great berthing experience for all boaters and envision being the superyacht hub of the region. To this end, the marina has taken a proactive step to reconfigure the marina (just 15 years into its operation) to accommodate more superyachts and upgrade our facilities to match the power and infrastructure demands of the industry in the near future. The Five Gold Anchor Platinum award is a remarkable achievement and a great encouragement for us to continue delivering the best service standards”.

ASSOCIAT E MEMBER

MIA releases marina industry report

Coastal clean-ups by D-Marin

The Marina Industry Association (MIA) has released its latest Health of the Australian Marina Industry Survey Report. Conducted every two years since 2011, the survey continues to provide a comprehensive, comparable and evolving perspective on the economic, social and environmental performance, and contributions of Australian marinas. The survey is largely funded by maritime planning and design experts, International Marina Consultants.

Conducted in late 2021, the findings are based on a sample of over 46% of Australia’s 290 club and commercial marinas, and given the high response rate and consistency of the survey instrument and its respondents, the resultant data is considered valid and reliable. Researcher and report author, Dr Ed Mahoney of Michigan State University, noted, “The response rate again demonstrates the industry’s acute interest in having access to scientifically-collected data that allows for identification of trends and assessment of the financial performance and economic contribution of this important industry”.

The resilience and strength were evident when key data was presented to over 320 industry professionals by MIA President, Andrew Chapman at the Marinas22 International Conference and Trade Exhibition on the Gold Coast. The performance highlights from the 2020-21 data indicate industry turnover exceeding $730 million, direct employment of over 3,300 people, government tax and lease payments of $95 million, along with capital investments of over $183 million. Furthermore, the industry engaged nearly 8,700 independent contractors and provided tenancy to over 1,900 businesses.

Chapman explained, “The findings indicate inadequacy of supply in many locations around the country. It shows that strong occupancy rates and waiting lists have continued to grow over the last decade despite an increase in storage spaces. This bodes well for the future of our industry as it indicates further opportunity, particularly given the increasing pipeline of new vessels on order from manufacturers – they are all going to need somewhere to store their boats”.

The report breaks performance down by state along with marina size and type (club, non-club marinas). The varying services provided by marinas, including food and beverage, fuel and commercial tenancy are reported on, and comments made on the differing effects of the pandemic on the industry.

A complimentary copy if the 106page report has been distributed to all participating marinas and is available for purchase on the MIA website: www.marinas.net.au

On 20 June, D-Marin, a sociallyresponsible operator of premium yacht marinas, pledged its commitment to organise beach clean-ups near its marinas in Croatia, Greece and Turkey.

Areti Priovolou, Health, Safety and Environment Officer at D-Marin, said: “Care for the environment is both a passion and principle of ours at D-Marin and we have robust environmental and social responsibility policies in place. We have pledged to devote efforts to protect the landscape and wildlife surrounding our marinas and the beach cleanups are a great example of our commitments in action. There is nothing more likely to inspire change than to see in person the vast quantities of rubbish collected from our coastlines.

“We can all play our part to ensure we have cleaner, healthier beaches and oceans for everyone to enjoy, and we encourage our employees, local community, other businesses and environmental groups to join us and support our efforts.” D-Marin clean-up team in action near Göcek Marina, Turkey.

D-Marin’s beach clean-ups have already begun in earnest at some of its marinas, with some 14 cubic metres of rubbish removed from the sea by a team at its Mandalina marina in Croatia. Others are set to take place over the coming weeks. Teams made up of local volunteers, D-Marin staff and, in some cases, representatives from local environmental protection associations have helped collect kilos of waste from nearby beaches and seabeds, with even more set to be cleared.

Beach clean-ups are an effective way to reduce the amount of pollution that reaches the oceans where it can cause harm to wildlife. They unite communities by providing a shared goal to tackle an issue that impacts everyone. They raise awareness and galvanise people to make sustainable choices in their everyday lives to reduce the amount of waste they produce, recycle wherever possible and help prevent pollution building up in the first place.

New pump-out for Chichester Marina

Marine sanitation specialist LeeSan has just completed the installation of a new pump-out system on the fuel pontoon next to the lock at Premier

Marinas’ Chichester Marina.

The original LeeSan pump-out system, which this unit replaces, was a diaphragm pump controlled from a stainless operating panel. It was installed 20 years ago in 2002 and has been extremely reliable over its long working life.

However, to ensure that the marina’s service is fully up-todate, the old unit has now been removed and replaced with a new, updated, LS60W Pump-Out

Station. Internally, this features a Rheinstrom Bronze 2 inch diaphragm pump and dual inlet and outlet valves.

There is a built-in safety control panel and a 15 metre suction hose, with its globally- recognised, standard probe valve, which was developed by LeeSan. The whole system is housed in one very neat stainless-steel cabinet.

Normally manned by an operator from Premier Marinas, this installation is the latest in a series of programmed ‘updates’ by the marina operator following installations at Brighton Marina, Sovereign Harbour and other sites.

See video on YouTube: www. leesan.com/marina-pump-out/ case-studies/chichester-marinapump-out-system.aspx

Report calls for sustainable superyachts

MB92, the world-leading superyacht refit, repair and maintenance group, has released its second sustainability report, assessing the options that could help the existing fleet of over 6,000 superyachts reduce its significant carbon footprint.

While superyacht builders and designers have been searching for solutions that can take the sector towards a zero-emissions future, there has been less focus on futureproofing the existing fleet until very recently. Nevertheless, there are many actions that yacht-owners can undertake that can have an immediate impact in reducing their environmental impact.

In preparation for this second report, ‘Technology and the Oceans’,

MB92 consulted key stakeholders from the industry for a broad discussion on current and future innovations that might help the industry improve its ecological footprint and how these necessary upgrades can be made an attractive proposition for owners.

The report highlights the most likely alternatives to diesel as a fuel, how a more holistic approach is required instead of holding out for a silver bullet and the role of regulations in driving change within the industry.

“We have to be able to solve this situation now,” said Pepe GarcíaAubert, Chairman of the MB92 Group. “If we don’t, we are endangering not only the future of our industry, but the world as we know it today.”

Rob Papworth, Operations Director at MB92 La Ciotat and moderator of the panel discussions, added: “A strategic alliance of the key decision-makers in our industry must take a collective responsibility to drive our industry forward. In this time of doubt, we must use our strengths as innovators and perfectionists to show that with a shared passion we can drastically lessen our impact on the environment and our oceans. After all, our livelihoods depend on it”.

MB92 is committed to assuming a leading role in helping yachts become more sustainable. Its shipyards are among a handful in the world that are actively investing in providing a more sustainable refit process from 100% green-supplied onshore power, comprehensive waste management, particle filtration systems and data collection systems to accurately monitor progress.

Larnaca Marina inaugurated

Nicos Anastasiades, President of Cyprus, who has held the post since 2013, recently inaugurated Larnaco’s marina and port project, which he declared represented a historic milestone for the country.

Work on the site began in early April and, with a budget of 1.2 billion Euros, will be the largest-ever infrastructure investment on the island. The Israeli-Cypriot consortium, which won the Larnaca Marina tender in 2020, aims to create a 600-berth marina for vessels up to 115 metres in length.

The first phase of the project will take around five years to complete.

ICOMIA launches Asia Working group

The International Council of Marine Industry Associations (ICOMIA) has announced the new ICOMIA Asia Working Group (IAWG). A key aim for the new group is to ‘achieve traction on common issues relating to regional co-operation, such as border agreements and customs, immigration, and quarantine procedures (CIQP)’.

Previous efforts to unite national boating associations in the region include the Asia Boating Dialogue, which was last held in 2020 as a two-part webinar series and led by the Singapore Boating Industry Association (SBIA) and Hong Kong Boating Industry Association (HKBIA), with the support of ICOMIA.

The mission of the IAWG includes providing international leadership and guidance on issues concerning the development of the leisure marine industry through discussion, research and networking.

Lawrence Chow, Chair of ICOMIA Asia Working Group, said: “The formation of the IAWG marks the strong potential of growth for the boating industry in Asia. ICOMIA Members will now have access to key insights and developments in Asia. In parallel, the IAWG would be an ideal platform to spread the experience gathered from the various ICOMIA committees to emerging markets in Asia, inspiring different markets to set up their own marine industry associations in the future”.

A view of the world-famous Raffles Marina in Singapore.