WATERLINE September 2026 Environment, Decarbonisation & Sustainability
CONTENTS 4 CEO UPDATE 6 NEW SPONSOR 7 CLEAN MARINA 8 FEATURE ENVIRONMENT, DECARBONISATION & SUSTAINABILITY 24 INSURANCE 25 LEGAL LINES 26 GOLD ANCHOR 28 MARINA TRAINING INSTITUTE 32 INDUSTRY NEWS 34 MARINAS28 35 MARINA OF THE YEAR AWARDS 36 NEW MEMBERS 37 INDUSTRY MOVES 7 WATERLINE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Suzanne Davies ceo@marinas.net.au OPERATIONS MANAGER Chris Stone manager@marinas.net.au ADMINISTRATION & MEMBERSHIP COORDINATOR Ros Lindsay admin@marinas.net.au INDUSTRY TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR Lily Peel education@marinas.net.au WATERLINE EDITOR Suzanne Davies WATERLINE COORDINATOR Kellie McMillan waterline@marinas.net.au DESIGN & PRINTING Worldwide Printing St Leonards Ph: 02 9460 6767 | stleonards@worldwide.com.au COVER IMAGE d'Albora Akuna Bay Marina PLATINUM SPONSOR ADDRESS 405/20 Bungan Street, Mona Vale NSW 2103 POSTAL PO Box 398 Mona Vale NSW 1660 P + 61 2 9439 5806 E info@marinas.net.au W marinas.net.au The Waterline Magazine is distributed both in print and digitally. Each issue is published to marinas.net.au and promoted on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. DISCLAIMER This publication has been provided by the MIA for the personal benefit of its members to whom it is addressed. Whilst all due care has been taken with respect to its preparation and publication, MIA makes no representation or warranty to any person in relation to the accuracy of the within material. Members are urged to take their own advice in relation to their respective business needs and decisions and not rely on the contents of this publication. 33 22
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4 | WATERLINE September 2026 CEO UPDATE September 2026 It was good to take a breath following the hard work that goes into delivering Marinas26 — though it turned out to be only a quick one. Our biennial conference and trade show requires booking well in advance, given the space needed to run simultaneous trade, exhibition and social programming. I began investigating options for Marinas28 a year ago, and at our recent MIA Board meeting it was resolved that we will return to Brisbane for the event — this time to the exciting new riverside precinct of Queen’s Wharf. It promises to be something totally different again — read more on page 34. Q3 is routinely one of the busiest periods for the MIA, as it’s when our education calendar kicks into full swing, and this year was no exception. I have to single out our Industry Training and Development Coordinator, Lily Peel, for the incredible effort she put into organising ten hugely successful days of educational activity in Perth. The program kicked off with a five-day residential Intermediate Marina Management (IMM) course held at Fremantle Sailing Club, where enrolments reached a record 30 participants — enough that Chris Stone joined Lily to help deliver it. The group was split across two streams to ensure the course didn’t compromise on its educational standards. Such strong numbers made for great networking too, and this cohort will carry the friendships and connections they built for the rest of their days in the industry. Many have already committed to the Advanced Marina Management (AMM) course in 2027, so they’ll get to reunite then. The IMM was followed by a Perth Regional Member Meeting, where marinas from around WA gathered to share updates and hear from the MIA and our sponsors. Friday brought a Study Tour covering new works around WA, including Walcon’s new build at Swan Yacht Club, and a strong focus on dry stack facilities — a drawcard that attracted a full bus load of almost 50 members. And Lily wasn’t done yet: she rounded out her Perth visit with a Straddle Carrier Operation & Maintenance course over the weekend. A huge thanks must go to Lily and Chris, and to everyone who supported the program, including Shelley Grice, of the Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure WA and an MIA Director, who helped rally such strong local attendance and enthusiasm. Thanks also to those who travelled to WA to deliver lectures, including Bruce Birtwistle CMP, Lorraine Yates CMP and Lyndon Turner, plus Steve Ottaway CMM, who — despite being local — seemed to be involved in some way on nearly every single day. Beyond Perth, the quarter also delivered an Advanced Marina Management course in Queensland, Emergency Preparedness and Oil Spill Response training, and several highly relevant and well-attended webinars. Thanks too to everyone who joined us in Melbourne for our Regional Meeting at Royal Brighton Sailing Club. Looking ahead, keep an eye out for expressions of interest on two upcoming study tours: a Manufacturer & Marina Infrastructure Study Tour in November, and a Thailand Study Tour provisionally set for February — read more on page 31. In other news, the MIA is delighted to welcome a new Gold Sponsor: d’Albora Marinas. As by far the region’s largest marina group, d’Albora has grown rapidly since its acquisition by MA Financial — expanding from 10 to 17 marinas — and has made clear its intention to invest further in the support the MIA provides to industry. Our thanks to d’Albora and MA Financial for their support and the trust they place in our association to deliver on industry needs. Outside the MIA bubble, it’s boat show season. On the back of a successful Sanctuary Cove, the BIA Ltd’s Sydney International Boat Show at Homebush was a resounding success, with strong reports of business done. By the time this goes to print, BIAWA will have delivered the Perth Boat Show, and BIAV will be readying for the Melbourne Boat Show, running 15–18 October. It’s great to see our industry remaining so active, despite some economic headwinds. I hope your Q3 has been just as successful, and I’ll look forward to catching up with many of you during a packed Q4! Reliable Barriers for demanding marine environments i i i i i engineered to protect i built to last i Reliable Barriers for demanding marine environments engineered to protect built to last www..marriinaquiip..com
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6 | WATERLINE September 2026 NEW SPONSOR D’ALBORA MARINAS GROUP BECOMES A GOLD SPONSOR OF THE MARINA INDUSTRIES ASSOCIATION The Marina Industries Association (MIA) is pleased to announce that d’Albora Marinas Group has taken up Gold Sponsorship of the association. The commitment signals d’Albora Marinas Group’s support for the MIA’s work as the peak body for the marina industries across Australia, Asia and the Pacific, and reflects the group’s growing engagement in the broader industry — from professional training and accreditation through to environmental best practice and industry research. d’Albora Marinas has expanded rapidly since being acquired by MA Financial Group in April 2023. What began as a tenmarina portfolio has grown to 17 locations across Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria, following a sustained program of acquisition and capital investment. Recent additions include Tin Can Bay Marina on the Great Sandy Strait, with 172 wet berths, a full-service boatyard and fuel facilities; East Coast Marina in Manly, Brisbane; and Gold Coast City Marina & Shipyard, one of the Asia-Pacific’s bestknown refit and superyacht service facilities, which settled in May 2026. In February 2026 the group also acquired GoBoat Australia, the electric picnic-boat operator, extending d’Albora’s reach into accessible, low-emission boating experiences across seven destinations. Alongside acquisitions, d’Albora is investing in existing assets. At d’Albora Pacific Point Marina & Boatyard on the Gold Coast, 54 new berths have been delivered, and a second stage has planning approval, including a 14,000 square metre commercial marine precinct with new work sheds, office space, additional wet berths and expanded dry storage. At full build-out the site is planned to serve more than 1,400 berthing customers. Brad Couper, Head of Alternative Real Estate at MA Financial Group, said the sponsorship reflected a deliberate view about the role industry associations play in a maturing sector. “A strong industry needs a strong association behind it. Associations like the MIA do the work that no single operator can do alone — setting standards, building the skills base, gathering credible data and speaking for the sector when it matters. As an investor in Australian marine infrastructure, we have a direct interest in the industry being well organised, wellregulated and well understood. Supporting the MIA at Gold level is a straightforward way to help make sure that capability is properly resourced for the long term.” d’Albora Marinas Managing Director Julien Pouteau said the group’s decision was grounded in the practical value its teams draw from MIA programs, events and industry data. “The MIA’s training, best practice guidance and operational support are important tools in the day-to-day running of marinas. Many of our team have benefited from MIA training, including the Intermediate and Advanced Marina Management programs, and several of our managers hold globally recognised certification through the Global Marina Institute, of which the MIA is a founding member. That gives industry a common language and a common standard across very different sites. The MIA also brings the industry together. Its events, conferences and networking create the forums where important industry discussions happen — where operators, suppliers and regulators are in the same room working through the issues facing the sector. It is also important to have a body like the MIA collecting data from across the industry. Credible, industry-wide data demonstrates the value the marina sector delivers and validates the claims the industry makes when advocating on behalf of members. Gold Sponsorship is our way of putting something back into programs our people and our marinas rely on.” MIA Chief Executive Officer Suzanne Davies welcomed the commitment. “We are delighted to welcome d’Albora Marinas Group as a Gold Sponsor. d’Albora has been an active participant in MIA training and accreditation for many years, so this is a natural deepening of a long relationship rather than a new one. Support at this level allows us to keep investing in the things members tell us matter most — workforce development, accredited training pathways, the Gold Anchor and Clean Marina programs, and the research that helps our industry make its case to government. When a group of d’Albora’s scale steps forward in this way, it sends a clear signal about the value of a well-resourced, professional industry body.” d’Albora joins the MIA’s group of Sponsors and Partners supporting the association’s mission to develop and support sustainable marina industries through leadership, guidance, education, accreditation and research across the Australian, Asian and Pacific marina sectors. Details of all MIA sponsors and partners can be found on the MIA website. For a sponsorship prospectus, contact Suzanne Davies, MIA CEO ceo@marinas.net.au
September 2026 WATERLINE | 7 CLEAN MARINA COMPLIANCE CURRENCY WHY CLEAN MARINA ACCREDITATION IS BECOMING THE LANGUAGE REGULATORS AND LANDOWNERS SPEAK By Chris Stone, MIA Operations Manager Across Australia's waterfronts, a subtle but consequential shift is changing the way marinas are held to account. Crown land managers, port authorities and environmental regulators are asking harder questions and expecting better evidence. Where a handshake and a good track record once sufficed, landowners and regulators now want documented, independently verified proof that a facility is managing its environmental obligations properly. Increasingly, the Marina Industries Association's (MIA) International Clean Marina Program is emerging as the most credible way to provide it. Clean Marina has always been a voluntary program, recognising marinas, yacht clubs, boatyards and slipways that reduce pollution and embed environmental best practice since the first Australian assessments in 2005. What has changed is the context around it: the accreditation is no longer read simply as marketing flourish but as compliance currency – evidence an operator can put on the table with the landowner and the regulator. Most Australian marinas operate on public land and water under lease or licence, and those conditions of tenure are tightening. Lease terms increasingly require lessees to comply with environmental law, address contamination and pollution obligations, and hold pollution insurance. Few leases yet name Clean Marina outright, but every one imposes obligations the accreditation evidences. When a land manager is weighing a lease grant, variation or renewal, a current, independently audited Clean Marina certificate shifts the conversation from assertion to evidence. As Brett Field, Manager of Commercial Leasing for NSW Crown Lands notes: “The Clean Marina Program aims to drive a robust framework for environmental stewardship and operational compliance. Crown Lands, considers that these aspirations closely align with the operational objectives of its new Marina Leasing Framework, which is in the final stages of development." The same alignment holds with regulators. A marina holding an Environment Protection Licence must prepare and test a Pollution Incident Response Management Plan; agencies expect plans covering waste, discharge and spill response; fisheries agencies require permits and early consultation for works that may affect fish habitat. The core of a Clean Marina assessment - spill response, emergency planning, chemical registers, staff training, stormwater and waste controls, fuel handling - is the same evidence regulators ask for, and unlike some accreditations, Clean Marina audits outcomes, not just paperwork. That is no accident: several regulators helped design and develop the program. The result is less friction, delay and cost for operators who can show their systems have been independently verified. The credibility extends to insurers, too. Fuel leaks, pollutant escapes and vessel-incident clean-up costs are exactly what a Clean Marina audit interrogates. Lyndon Turner, CEO of Nautilus Marine Insurance, points to fuel handling as a standing focus, noting that having fuel on site means making sure “there are robust processes in place and that equipment is adequate and inspected regularly” - the same disciplines the accreditation assesses. Turner calls the MIA’s resources “fantastic opportunities for members to strengthen their business and risk management practices, regardless of the size of their marina or club”. Beyond compliance, the audit itself has practical value. Conducted by an independent environmental specialist every three years, it gives operators a structured reason to review systems, spill kits, signage, stormwater controls, training records and contractor agreements that can otherwise drift in a busy facility – often surfacing improvements that would otherwise go unnoticed. The payoff is a reduced risk of fines and prosecutions; cost savings through more efficient resource management; a stronger reputation with berth holders, the community and government; and a ready-made evidence pack for any lessor, regulator or insurer who comes asking. The program’s international standing adds further weight. The MIA delivers Clean Marina accreditation across Australia, the Asia-Pacific and beyond, and since the UK’s Yacht Harbour Association adopted it in 2021, uptake across the UK & Europe has grown quickly. Operators are being measured against a benchmark that carries credibility well outside their own jurisdiction. Few Australian leases mandate accreditation by name today, but as Shellharbour shows, that is starting to change, and the operator who is already accredited when a lessor makes the shift holds a clear advantage. Accreditation is best understood not as a marketing exercise but as compliance infrastructure - the most efficient way to evidence environmental compliance to a lessor, regulator or insurer, well before the questions start. For more information about the Clean Marina Program, visit marinas.net.au or contact Chris Stone, MIA Operations Manager manager@marinas.net.au Shellharbour City Council is one landowner that already requires it, embedding Clean Marina and Gold Anchor as lease conditions for Shellharbour Marina. “They want us to meet a standard, the community wants us to meet a standard, and both accreditations provide us the framework to do that. It's good for the landowner and ourselves, it makes it an easy process for everyone to follow and understand,” says Les Binkin CMM, Managing Director of Shellharbour Marina. Become an accredited Clean Marina The 5 steps to becoming a Clean Marina The Clean Marina Program is a voluntary MIA accreditation program for marinas, yacht clubs, boat clubs and boatyards. It gives operators a simple, proven system for best-practice environmental management — cutting pollution and costs, and reducing the risk of fines. 1. Sign the pledge and MIA Code of Ethics. 2. Complete the guidebook and 124-point self-audit. 3. Host a site visit from a Clean Marina consultant. 4. Score 85% or above on the audit. 5. Receive your certificate, flag and website listing. Benefits: • National recognition and a media release • Clean Marina flags, logos and marketing materials • Lower costs and less risk of environmental fines & prosecutions • Provides expert advice on how to reduce pollution impacts • Improves environmental conditions, benefitting local ecosystems, communities and businesses. Chris Stone, MIA Operations Manager manager@marinas.net.au | marinas.net.au Take the pledge. Fly the flag.
8 | WATERLINE September 2026 FEATURE ENVIRONMENT, DECARBONISATION & SUSTAINABILITY DESTINATION PROTECTION THE NEXT PHASE OF SUSTAINABLE MARINAS By John Hogan, Director, Marine Structures When we wrote Sustainable Marina Development in 2012, we argued that marina sustainability needed four tenets, not three: ecological, economic, social and destination. The usual three pillars are still important, but I remain convinced that Destination Protection is the missing piece. Apart from a pure working industrial marina, most marinas only work over the long term if they protect and improve the place people come to enjoy. The difficulty today is that sustainability has been discussed so often that some people glaze over as soon as the word appears. It can sound expensive, worthy, on trend and lacking specificity in a real business plan. We can’t make a marina less economic or simply toss in some greenwash. What we need are practical steps that work. So perhaps the next step is to bring sustainability back to earth. What are the simple, practical, inexpensive actions that show the community marinas are serious? I always liked d’Albora Marinas back in the day, when they used a simple proximity switch as a people counter at the gangway entrance. It is not glamorous technology. It will not get invited to speak at a climate conference. But it tells a useful story. How many people are actually using the facility? When do they come? What does that mean for the coffee shop, toilets, bins, security, events and local businesses? That sort of information is powerful. At rent renewal for a cafe, actual foot traffic is better than a hopeful guess. For council, it helps show the marina is not a closed boat park. It is public-facing waterfront infrastructure. For the community, it proves the marina is being used, valued and shared by more people than berth holders alone. This is where social sustainability becomes practical. Count school visits. Count sailing students. Count clean-up day volunteers. Count people on the boardwalk, dogs at the cafe, visitors at an open day and jobs supported by marina tenants. None of this requires a new breakwater or a million-dollar grant. It requires discipline, a spreadsheet and someone who remembers to check the counter or better still put it into a simple dashboard or your AI bot! The same idea can be applied across the marina. Count pump-out use, water refills, recycling volumes, public access, event attendance and participation in habitat days. Track how many people complete a learn-to-sail course, how many school groups visit, how many local trades are supported and how often public areas are used. These are not wasted statistics, instead they are evidence that the marina is contributing to its destination. The ecological tenet still matters deeply. Marinas sit at the water’s edge, so we must protect water quality, reduce pollution, manage waste and design with the surrounding ecosystem in mind. But many useful steps are modest: better bin placement, pump-out promotion including lessons on how to use it, visible water-quality reporting, stormwater checks, floating litter collection, habitat improvement and practical customer education. People believe what they can see. Visible action is important. A sign or a TV monitor showing recent water-quality results, how much floating litter has been collected, or a simple display explaining a habitat project can do more for community confidence than a glossy policy hidden on a website. If the marina is doing the work, tell people. If the marina has more to do, tell people that too. Honesty has a surprisingly low capital cost. The economic tenet should not be treated as the enemy of sustainability. A marina that cannot make a commercial return will not have the resources to maintain high standards. Equally, a poorly designed asset with high maintenance, or, worse, poorly managed with no maintenance is not sustainable. Whole-of-life value, durable infrastructure, easy maintenance and reuse of components are practical sustainability. In many cases, the best sustainable decision is also the best commercial decision. Use products that last. Make services easy to access and repair. Reduce energy waste. Plan layouts that can adapt as vessel sizes and customer behaviour change. Buy once, buy well and avoid creating the next expensive disposal problem. We should also be honest about resource use. Many boats spend most of their life parked. That does not mean boating is bad, but it does mean we should think harder about utilisation. Boat clubs, shared ownership, charter, training fleets and better access for non-boat owners may deliver more enjoyment from fewer underused assets. A new electric boat may be right in some applications, especially regular short trips with clean charging, but it is not automatically the best carbon outcome if it hardly ever leaves the berth. This is where marinas can help people participate without owning a boat. Cafes, boardwalks, sailing schools, paddling, events, viewing areas, volunteering, citizen science and clean-up days all connect people to the water. The more people who enjoy and understand the riparian zone, the stronger the constituency for protecting it. This is also an opportunity for the Marina Industries Association (MIA). Imagine a simple voluntary framework where marinas report a handful of practical measures: people through the gate, school visits, waste collected, pump-out use, water-quality checks, tenant jobs, events, clean-up days and habitat projects. Aggregated across the industry, that becomes a powerful story about marinas as managed, useful, community-connected riparian assets. MIA already has a biennial industry snapshot called the HAMIS (Health of the Australian Marina Industry Survey), which provides some insight into the proactive sustainability initiatives of marinas such as investment in solar and battery infrastructure, however further sustainability data could be added to show some compelling trends. It could feed Clean Marina, Fish Friendly and the Marine Sustainability Pledge. It could produce more Waterline case studies, conference sessions and practical templates that any marina can use. Most importantly, it would help the industry tell its story with evidence. Destination Protection is really about stewardship. It asks whether the marina will still be valued in 10, 20 or 30 years. Is it cleaner, safer, better used, more resilient and more loved by the community? Does it create a better waterfront experience for people on boats and people onshore? The next phase of sustainability does not need more sermons. It needs evidence, humour, humility and practical action. Count what matters. Share what you learn. Fix the simple things. Make the marina better tomorrow than it was yesterday. If we can do that, sustainability stops being a slogan and becomes part of how good marinas are run. The most sustainable marina is not sterile. It is clean, useful, lively and valued by people onshore and afloat. Low-cost sustainability can start with simple data: an example could be the mass of waste collected in a DPOL machine like this.
September 2026 WATERLINE | 9 FEATURE ENVIRONMENT, DECARBONISATION & SUSTAINABILITY When space is tight and manoeuvrability is key, ASCOM delivers. Our customisable solutions fit perfectly without costly marina modifications. ANOTHER NEW ASCOM BHT 75 COMMISSIONED IN TWEED HEADS, AUSTRALIA CE Certified Italian Made Machinery & Hard Stand Equipment Fully customisable machines to maximise your capabilities Scan for the project video POWERING DOWN THE FOOTPRINT PRACTICAL ENERGY STRATEGIES FOR A MORE SUSTAINABLE MARINA SECTOR Marinas run pumps, lighting, security, workshops, hoists and increasingly EV and vessel charging around the clock, often on ageing infrastructure, in environmentally sensitive locations. For operators, decarbonisation is becoming a real differentiator with berth holders, insurers and councils, not just a compliance box to tick. Experience across marina operators in Australia shows the most effective sustainability strategies rarely start with a bigticket investment. They typically start with visibility, move through procurement, and only then into infrastructure. START WITH WHAT YOU CAN MEASURE Marinas are collections of many small, always-on loads, so energy use is easy to underestimate. A proper energy assessment of meter data, tariffs and peak demand usually uncovers savings that need no capital works at all. Incorrect tariffs and unmanaged demand charges are common and fixing them frees up budget for what follows. PROCURE AS A GROUP Individually, most marinas are too small to attract competitive wholesale pricing. Collectively, they represent a load retailers will compete for. Group procurement tenders have delivered real savings without asking any business to change how it operates, building headroom that later funds solar, battery and electrification work. SOLAR, STORAGE AND ELECTRIFICATION Marinas typically have daytime-heavy loads (workshops, hoists, retail tenancies) alongside constant baseline loads for security and refrigeration, making them good candidates for solar sized to daytime draw. Battery storage adds resilience as much as savings: riding through an outage is often as valuable as storing solar for later use. Sizing to actual site load matters more here than in most commercial settings. As shore power, electric tenders and EV charging become more common, marinas start to look like small-scale electricity networks. Getting tariffs and generation right first avoids bill shock later. LESSONS FROM THE FIELD • Sequencing matters: tariffs first, generation second, electrification third. • Peak demand, not total consumption, drives bills. Hoists, pumps and chargers switching on together can trigger demand charges that dwarf the energy cost itself. • Collective action beats going it alone, through group tenders and association advocacy. • Resilience is now part of the sustainability conversation. WHERE TO FROM HERE Treating energy as a strategic asset rather than a fixed cost is the shift that matters most. A straightforward tariff review is usually the lowest-risk, highest-return first move. Choice Energy works with marina operators across Australia on energy procurement, commercial solar and battery solutions, and is a proud supporter of the Marina Industries Association. For more information, contact: Alycia McCarthy | Partnerships Specialist | Choice Energy 0478 670 420 | alycia.mccarthy@choiceenergy.com.au choiceenergy.com.au
10 | WATERLINE September 2026 FEATURE ENVIRONMENT, DECARBONISATION & SUSTAINABILITY THE VALUE OF PREPARATION A MARINA INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE By Nick Smith MA Financial Group, Sonya Wilmen and Peter Bellingham Coverforce Marine, Boyd Metcalff Saber Claims Management and Stephanie Muller Coast Underwriting Major incidents rarely arrive with warning. When they do occur, the difference between chaos and control often comes down to the preparation, systems and relationships established long before the event itself. The fire at “The Spit” Marina earlier this year provides a valuable case study in the importance of preparedness, planning and coordinated response. While no marina operator hopes to face an incident of this nature, the event highlighted how investment in risk management, staff training, emergency procedures and environmental response planning can significantly influence outcomes. By sharing the experience from the various perspectives of those involved in the response, we hope to reinforce the importance of being prepared well before a crisis occurs and provide practical insights that may assist other marina operators in strengthening their own response capabilities. THE MARINA PERSPECTIVE: PREPAREDNESS DRIVES OUTCOMES From the moment the incident was identified, the priorities were clear: protect life, support emergency services, safeguard the environment and minimise further impacts to marina infrastructure. While the event unfolded rapidly, the response was underpinned by extensive preparation. The marina's Emergency Response Management Plan was immediately activated, trained personnel moved into their designated roles, pollution containment equipment was deployed, and emergency services were supported on site. Importantly, critical fire-fighting infrastructure had been tested only weeks before the incident. Hydrants, pumps and associated systems were ready to perform when needed most, providing confidence that key response measures would function as intended. The incident also highlighted the strength of d'Albora's broader marina network. Experienced personnel from other Sydney locations were mobilised to assist, while additional environmental response equipment was sourced from across the portfolio. This ability to quickly scale resources proved invaluable as the response evolved. Despite the scale of the incident, the marina was operational the same day, with fuel operations and broader marina services continuing while response and recovery activities remained focused on the affected area. That outcome reflected more than good fortune. It demonstrated the value of planning, training, investment in infrastructure and a commitment to ongoing risk management. As the recovery progressed, environmental management became a key focus. Debris recovery, seabed assessments, regulator engagement and remediation activities continued long after the immediate danger had passed. The experience reinforced that environmental response planning should carry the same importance as fire response planning, particularly within sensitive marine environments. Perhaps the most important lesson was that preparedness is more than having the right equipment. It is the result of strong leadership, disciplined risk management and well-practised procedures. d'Albora's ability to respond quickly, support emergency services, protect the environment and continue broader operations was a direct reflection of the systems, training and resources already embedded across the business long before the incident occurred. The fire tested those processes, and they performed exactly as intended. Nick Smith - MA Financial Group (owner of d’Albora Marinas) THE INSURANCE BROKER PERSPECTIVE: WHEN THE FIRE IS OUT, THE WORK BEGINS While the immediate response is critical, one of the biggest misconceptions surrounding major marine incidents is that the insurance claim begins and ends with the visible damage. In reality, this is often when the most complex stage of recovery begins. A marina fire is rarely just a fire. Incidents involving vessels can quickly become environmental events, salvage operations, regulatory matters and multi-party insurance claims involving marina operators, vessel owners, contractors, government authorities and multiple insurers. One of the key learnings from this incident was the importance of early engagement. Notification occurred immediately, allowing specialist marine claims resources to be mobilised from the outset. This ensured that marina management, insurers, adjusters and contractors were aligned early and able to work towards common objectives. Strong risk management and preparation by d'Albora significantly contributed to the effectiveness of the recovery process. The systems, documentation, training and operational discipline already in place allowed the focus to remain on managing the incident rather than creating processes during a crisis. The environmental response also highlighted the complexity that can follow a marina fire. Debris removal, seabed inspections, environmental assessments and regulatory approvals often continue for months after physical repairs are completed. Returning to normal operations is not simply a matter of replacing damaged infrastructure. Environmental and regulatory obligations must also be satisfied. One of the most common questions asked following major losses is why certain parts of a claim take time. The answer is often far more practical than people realise. Environmental obligations, salvage operations, regulatory requirements, contractor engagement, damage assessments, cost substantiation and ongoing investigations may all be occurring simultaneously. Where multiple vessel owners and insurers are involved, information must be assessed and coordinated across numerous stakeholders. While this process can sometimes appear slow from the outside, it exists to ensure decisions are made using complete and accurate information and that all parties are treated fairly. The role of a broker during this period extends well beyond lodging a claim. It is about advocacy, communication and helping clients navigate a complex recovery environment. Strong relationships between marina operators, brokers and insurers often become one of the most valuable assets available during a crisis. Sonya Wilmen & Peter Bellingham - Coverforce Marine THE INSURER PERSPECTIVE: SPECIALIST EXPERTISE MATTERS Large and complex marine claims require more than standard claims handling. They require specialist expertise, rapid decision making and access to experienced marine professionals. Marine incidents do not operate to business hours, and neither should claims support. Early intervention allows evidence to be preserved, mitigation measures to be implemented and recovery planning to commence before issues escalate. A key component of managing major marine incidents is ensuring the right specialists are involved from the beginning. Early appointment of qualified marine surveyors, adjusters and technical experts helps establish clear reporting pathways, accurate damage assessments and practical recovery strategies. The value of specialist marine insurance extends well beyond the policy wording itself. Access to experienced claims professionals who understand marina operations, salvage challenges, environmental obligations and regulatory requirements can have a significant impact on the overall outcome. For marina operators, effective recovery relies on more than infrastructure and procedures alone. It requires collaboration between marina management, contractors, regulators, brokers and insurers, all working towards the same objective. Boyd Metcalff – Saber Claims Management Stephanie Muller - Coast Underwriting LOOKING FORWARD While no marina operator wants to experience an event of this nature, incidents like The Spit provide valuable lessons for the broader industry. Regular testing of fire-fighting infrastructure, robust environmental response planning, adequate vessel insurance requirements, strong broker and insurer relationships and clear communication processes all contribute to improved outcomes when significant events occur. The greatest lesson may also be the simplest. The fire itself may last hours. The recovery journey can continue for months. Preparation, communication and specialist expertise make that journey easier. And when all three are in place before an incident occurs, the industry is better positioned to protect lives, the environment, critical infrastructure and the communities that rely on them.
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12 | WATERLINE September 2026 FEATURE ENVIRONMENT, DECARBONISATION & SUSTAINABILITY RETHINKING MARINAS HOW THE INDUSTRY IS QUIETLY REDESIGNING ITSELF AROUND THE ENVIRONMENT By Christophe Saune, Group Growth Director, Wearth Group Why marina operators worldwide are treating environmental performance as core engineering, not an afterthought. The marina industry doesn't need another lecture on climate urgency, it needs a clear-eyed look at what's actually being built, tested and proven in ports and marinas around the world. This article walks through different areas of marina life cycle where meaningful change is already underway: design and construction decisions that cut carbon footprint and protect the seabed; management practices and certifications that turn good intentions into measurable results; on-water technologies tackling pollution and rebuilding biodiversity at the source; and the increasingly important question of what happens to a marina's infrastructure once its life ends. The throughline isn't sacrifice — it's better engineering. To better place environmental initiatives in today’s context, it’s worth first highlighting the pressures marinas are currently facing on a sustainability front and understand why the environment is now a boardroom issue. POLITICAL Coastal and marine policy is tightening almost everywhere marinas operate, from EU water framework directives to Australian state-level biodiversity offset schemes. Port authorities increasingly tie concession renewals and expansion approvals to demonstrated public benefit and environmental performance, not just safety and capacity, which is starting to drive construction norms and standards. ECONOMIC Water restrictions, hydrocarbon liability, and endof-life disposal costs are shifting from externalities to line items. A marina that still relies on potable water for hull washing, or faces demolition costs for non-recyclable infrastructure, is carrying a cost its competitors are already engineering away. SOCIAL Marinas carry a reputational weight beyond their own clientele. For a public that rarely sets foot on a dock, marinas are seen as enclaves of private wealth occupying public coastline, and that perception shapes how willingly local communities, councils and regulators grant them room to operate and expand. It feeds directly into planning objections, tighter permit conditions and slower approvals. Visible environmental stewardship — clean water, thriving marine life, transparent practices — is how the industry earns its social licence to operate from people who will never own a boat but will always live with the coastline's health. TECHNOLOGICAL What was once prohibitively expensive is now commercially mature and widely available at marina project scale, rather than niche innovation - which makes environmental initiatives something people and users increasingly expect. ENVIRONMENTAL Marinas sit at the exact interface climate change is reshaping fastest: sea level rise, storm frequency and intensity, freshwater scarcity, and biodiversity loss in coastal habitats. This isn't a potential threat; it's the physical operating environment of every marina worldwide. LEGAL Liability for pollution incidents, combined with the polluter-pays principle, is pushing responsibility frameworks for marine infrastructure in the same direction — proactive environmental design is becoming the cheaper legal position, not the costlier one. Taken together, these six forces don't just encourage environmental investment in marinas — they're beginning to make it a condition for staying commercially viable and insurable over the long term. With that in mind, here’s a look at initiatives worldwide that are developed to encourage sustainable practices. DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION INITIATIVES For decades, marina construction has followed a simple logic: build it strong, build it once. But strength alone no longer meets the brief. Markets are evolving faster than ever, and resilience in marinas now depends on the ability to react to that change. Modularity solves that problem; reconfigurable dock systems that can be resized, relocated, or reassembled as a marina's berth mix evolves avoids the wholesale demolition and rebuild forced by fixed solutions. The environmental case is straightforward: less waste generated, fewer embodied carbon emissions locked into structures that may only last a 10–15-year redevelopment cycle. Anchoring systems are being challenged in similar ways, with piling drawing criticism in a growing number of locations over its lack of flexibility, the carbon footprint of steel pile production, and the seabed habitat disturbance caused by pile driving. Underwater, anchoring is having its own quiet revolution; elastic mooring systems, Sweden’s Seaflex and New Zealand's Marine Flex, are now widely used across sensitive coastal environments. Marine Flex's systems have been deployed in a seagrass restoration program at Shoal Bay, NSW - proof that mooring hardware can support habitat recovery rather than work against it. The materials conversation is shifting too. Docking systems using recycled and bio-sourced content — such as Poralu Marine's Harmony finish, built from recycled aluminium, polyethylene, and expanded polystyrene, with rice-husk composite decking — cut a dock structure's carbon footprint by 64% compared with conventional materials, without compromising the structural integrity throughout its working life cycle. MARINA MANAGEMENT PRACTICES: TURNING INTENTIONS INTO STANDARDS Freshwater scarcity is becoming a genuine operational risk for marinas, particularly in regions facing seasonal restrictions. Boat washing and hull cleaning traditionally consume large volumes of fresh water - a resource increasingly rationed by local authorities during dry periods, sometimes forcing careening areas to scale back a large share of their activity. Desalination-based cleaning stations, such as Monawa “Ecostation” system, address this directly: seawater is desalinated on-site and used for washdown and hull cleaning, dramatically cutting freshwater consumption. Installations in several French ports have increased available washing capacity with no additional environmental cost, simply by using an abundant local resource instead of a scarce one. Alongside the hardware sits a management question: how does an operator know which practices actually matter? Certification frameworks help answer that. The Marina Industries Association's (MIA) International Clean Marina Program and Europe's Ports Propres scheme both formalise best practices across stormwater control, spill prevention, waste handling and biodiversity, turning intentions into auditable standards. The result, reported across certified marinas on both sides of the world, is measurable: reduced exposure to fines, documented water quality improvement, and — in several French cases — the visible return of flora and fauna to previously degraded water basins. WASTE AND BIODIVERSITY: STOPPING POLLUTION AT THE SOURCE Fuel and oil leaks during refuelling remain one of the most persistent and cumulative low-grade pollution sources in marinas. Conventional floating booms and other absorption techniques are Ecostation Monawa. Source: monawa.fr
September 2026 WATERLINE | 13 +61 (0) 438 548 163 www.butchartmarineservices.com.au greg@butchartmarineservices.com.au QUALITY MARINE SERVICES High quality and innovative solutions to boat hoisting, transportation, storage and marina facilities. Australia’s No.1 Boat Stands FEATURE ENVIRONMENT, DECARBONISATION & SUSTAINABILITY deployed, where possible, but often with a reaction time too slow to control the full spread. At Port of Saint-Tropez's Phare Vert fuelling station in France, The Searial Cleaners installed the InvisiBubble: a submerged, perforated pipe generating a continuous column of air bubbles from seabed to surface, forming an invisible barrier that contains hydrocarbons at the point of leakage, without obstructing boat traffic - turning pollution response from a reactive cleanup into an immediate, on-site containment. It echoes a principle Australia's Seabin helped popularise years earlier: intercepting debris and hydrocarbons at the source, inside the marina, rather than downstream or in the ocean. Habitat is the other half of the equation. Living Seawalls, developed in Sydney Harbour and now installed worldwide, retrofit textured panels onto flat seawalls and pilings that mimic rockpools and crevices; monitored sites show markedly higher species counts than bare infrastructure of the same age. France's Ecocean has pursued a parallel path with Biohuts®: small, submerged nursery structures installed beneath floating docks that shelter juvenile fish. Both point to the same insight: hard infrastructure doesn't have to be a biologically dead space. END OF LIFE: DESIGNING FOR WHAT COMES AFTER The environmental cost of a marina is rarely settled at construction — it's settled decades later, at demolition. Composite and mixed-material structures are impossible to separate, sending tonnes of material to landfill when a facility is finally decommissioned, a significant issue given the growing reach of the polluter-pays principle. Eco-design approaches increasingly favour products that make material separation at end of life. Mono-material, easily recyclable components, modular fixings rather than bonded joints, and decking that can be unbolted rather than demolished all help turn infrastructure into a potential source of revenue rather than a waste problem. It becomes a design discipline where the same modularity that eases mid-life reconfiguration also simplifies eventual disassembly and material recovery. None of what is described here requires marinas to choose between profitability and sustainability, between performance and environmental responsibility - they are increasingly becoming part of the same decision. Low-carbon construction, seabed protection, water-saving initiatives and pollution-containment systems are no longer pilot projects; they are embedded into marina development and management processes. The operators moving first won't just be greener, they’ll be better positioned commercially, operationally and reputationally for decades ahead. Tomorrow’s marina isn't a compromise between financial viability and biodiversity, the solutions exist, and it comes down to today’s choices. Ecocean Pylon Biohuts®. Source: Ecocean website
14 | WATERLINE September 2026 FEATURE ENVIRONMENT, DECARBONISATION & SUSTAINABILITY KEEPING THE WATER CLEAN INSIDE ONE°15 MARINA'S APPROACH TO WASTE AND CONSERVATION WASTE MANAGEMENT AT THE SOURCE Ocean currents, weather systems and boat users all contribute to the waste that reaches the marina, so ONE°15 Marina takes a proactive approach to waste management to keep its water clean. Waste management methods employed in the marina include: • Collec’Thor waste collecting machines, which collect approximately 3,600kg of floating debris a year. • A waste pump-out service prevents blackwater discharge into the water, collecting more than 33,000 litres a year. • Waste engine oils from boats are collected for recycling, amounting to approximately 6,800 litres a year. • Balloons and confetti are prohibited in the marina and on charters. • Large volume recycling bins are placed at all marina gates to encourage boaters and charterers to recycle their rubbish before leaving. • Implementing penalties for littering and unauthorised fishing. Beyond waste management on water, the marina is working to reduce its carbon footprint through energy-efficient air conditioning and kitchen appliances, centrally controlled temperature management, energy consumption monitoring, and automated appliance shut off times. EDUCATION & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT One person can’t save the oceans, but many can. ONE°15 Marina regularly engages its members, volunteers, partners and the public through events that raise awareness of ocean and coastal conservation, including: • ·Annual marina/beach clean ups involving members, environmental groups and volunteers. To date, close to 800 volunteers have collected more than 600kgs of rubbish. • ·Coral Garden Tours, educating members and the public on ocean conservation and coral restoration. 480 visitors have taken part across 34 tours, including students, educators, volunteers, industry partners and seniors. • ·Complimentary berthing during Singapore stopovers for vessels sailing for environmental and humanitarian causes, including: - Energy Observer: a vessel that produces hydrogen via electrolysis of seawater and combines renewable energies to navigate the globe with zero direct emissions, showcasing the capabilities of renewable energy. - Planet Solar: the first boat to complete a round-the-world trip powered solely by solar energy. - Historical Vessel Vega: a 130-year-old vessel committed to humanitarian works such as delivering donated educational and medical supplies to remote island communities in South East Asia. - Blue Water Edufest: which uses cash prizes from donations, sponsorships and a charity auction to fund scalable environmental projects led by young people across South East Asia. - WWF Sharks and Rays Monitoring Project: a three-year donation through Blue Water Edufest is funding a WWF programme that surveys shark and stingray populations in Singapore waters, providing indicators of marine ecosystem health. A CONTAINMENT SOLUTION THAT CAN SUPPORT YOUR MARINA'S ENVIRONMENTAL CASE By Antoine Repiton-Preneuf, Business Development Manager Asia-Pacific & Americas, The Searial Cleaners For marina managers and fuelling station operators, environmental compliance is an ongoing concern, not just a oneoff hurdle at construction. Whether the goal is securing a new operating permit, renewing an existing licence, responding to a regulator's request for stronger safeguards, or simply reducing the environmental footprint of daily bunkering operations, being able to point to a proven, monitorable containment method makes the conversation easier. InvisiBubble, by The Searial Cleaners, is a submerged bubble curtain: a diffuser line on the seabed releases a continuous wall of fine air bubbles, creating a rising current that contains surface hydrocarbons and limits sediment resuspension. Because it stays underwater until activated, it leaves the quay and the water surface completely clear, with no impact on navigation, mooring, or day-to-day operations. THE SAINT-TROPEZ PILOT PROJECT InvisiBubble's first deployment in France was delivered in partnership with the Port de Saint-Tropez harbour authorities, at the Phare Vert fuelling station, one of the port's busiest bunkering points. A few details that may be useful for evaluating a similar installation: Location and scope: installed directly at an active fuelling berth, covering the containment zone around the point of refuelling rather than the whole marina basin. Integration: the diffuser line and air supply were routed through the quay's existing utility ducting, and the compressor unit was sized to sit within the footprint of the existing fuelling station infrastructure, no major civil works were needed on the quay itself. Installation method: the diffuser line was fixed to the quay wall and anchored to the seabed by divers, using concrete anchor blocks, a process that did not require the berth to be closed for an extended period. Operational impact: the curtain is only activated when there is an oil leak, so it does not run continuously and does not obstruct manoeuvring or mooring at any other time. Visibility: the installation drew media attention beyond the marine sector, with a French national broadcaster covering it as part of a wider segment on environmental practices in marinas. Beyond fuelling stations, the same principle applies wherever a marina needs a mitigation measure it can point to without giving up quay access, from dredging and construction works near operational berths, to sensitive habitat protection, to general bunkering zones. For more information, contact The Searial Cleaners searial-cleaners.com Aerial view of the Invisibubble curtain activated at the Phare Vert fuelling station, Port de Saint-Tropez
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