Bellingham Marine and NSW officials settle local residents’ apprehensions with tasteful rebuild of community marina.
Sydney, NSW, Australia – 20 June 2018 – Proving that you can’t keep a good marina down, the century old Elizabeth Bay Marina recently opened again in its new incarnation.
Local residents swell with pride over the revitalized Elizabeth Bay Marina. Bellingham Marine and the NSW government worked together to honour the public wishes to maintain the quaint vibe of the marina.
The marina is located in Elizabeth Bay, a harbourside suburb of Sydney. The facility and its wood pontoons were in a state of disrepair. The NSW government decided it was time to do some upgrades to improve the marina’s functionality and available amenities. Among the concerns voiced were those of safety due to the deterioration of the docks.
Residents worried the marina would be turned into a superyacht behemoth. They didn’t want to lose the serene atmosphere of the affluent neighborhood. Past proposals had sought to increase the marina size from nine berths to over 40 berths for boats up to 30 metres long. Homeowners were adamant that the marina not be filled with large party boats that would block the view of the waterfront and cause noise disturbances.
“When the project was first raised, there was much concern expressed by local people,” said one homeowner. “The finished result is a credit to those involved and we now have a new facility that the local community can be proud of.”
Bellingham Marine Australia worked with the authorities to develop a layout that would satisfy everyone involved. The new facility only grew to 13 berths, those ranging from 12 to 15 metres. There are also 47 swing moorings surrounding the marina as well as a 4 metre wide skirted wave attenuator to protect the site.
C.M. Ferrer, the European licensee of Bellingham Marine, was awarded the ISO 9001 certification in recognition of its industry leading quality assurance program.
C.M. Ferrer, the European licensee of Bellingham Marine, was awarded the ISO 9001 certification in recognition of its industry leading quality assurance program.
Bellingham, Washington, USA – 30 May 2018 – International marina builder, Bellingham Marine holds itself and its licensees to very high standards. The company is pleased to congratulate its European licensee, C.M. Ferrer, on obtaining their ISO 9001 : 2015 certification. The Spanish plant has been recognized for its industry leading quality assurance program by a third party certification body.
ISO certification is a way for developers and marina owners to be sure they are working with a quality manufacturer, as verified by a third party. Certification requires an in-depth quality assurance plan and thorough inspections of the plant and its operations.
“At Bellingham Marine we’re proud of our commitment to quality work and processes,” said Everett Babbitt, president and CEO of Bellingham Marine. “Today’s news of C.M. Ferrer’s ISO certification recognizes the efforts of the entire team.”
Bellingham Marine representatives travel to the U.S. to see what leading marina developers and designers are building. The goal – spread good ideas and foster innovative thinking across Australasia.
A group of 30 senior industry leaders from around the globe met in the U.S. to ensure customers worldwide have access to the best and most innovative marina design available.
Brisbane, QLD, Australia – 17 May 2018 – Local marina expert, Bellingham Marine, is fueling competitiveness and innovation with a recent tour of prominent U.S. marinas. Management from the company’s Australia, China and New Zealand divisions travelled to the U.S. to tour some of the States’ top marina properties. During their time in the U.S., the team also met with a group of 30 senior industry leaders from around the world.
Bellingham CEO and President, Everett Babbitt, says, “The future of the industry depends on nurturing international collaboration. We want to ensure customers worldwide have access to the latest and greatest in marina design.”
“Collaboration has the power to spark innovation. Everyone brings unique knowledge and skills to the table,” shared John Spragg, Bellingham Marine President of Australasia and the Middle East. “Connecting our international teams ensures cross-pollination of the latest trends and developments.”
The opening of the new marina marks a significant milestone for the region, which moved mountains (or an island rather) to make it happen.
Lake Taupo, New Zealand – 6 March 2018 – Situated on the caldera of a supervolcano, you will find the largest freshwater lake in New Zealand. A trout fishing mecca, Lake Taupo quickly became a popular holiday spot. Tourists come from near and far to enjoy the warm, clear waters and natural volcanic hot springs.
Motuoapa Marina underwent a complete renovation, featuring the latest FRP technology in its new docks.
Motuoapa Marina was constructed over 50 years ago on the south shore of Lake Taupo. The village of Motuoapa was just a small settlement at the time. Catering to small fishing vessels, engineers designed the marina with a circular basin. Featuring a large island in the middle, short finger piers rimmed the edge. When the marina was given the go ahead for redevelopment in 2016, designers knew the island had to go.
How exactly does one remove an entire island? The first step was to bring in 1-tonne bags of gravel to build a dam at the marina’s entrance. Once the access was blocked, contractors began pumping water out of the basin.
The water level was taken down to ½ meter deep. At that time, crews brought in dredging equipment and began to dismantle the island. The soil from the island was then used to reclaim land at the northern end of the marina. This created several acres to be used as picnic, recreation and parking areas for guests.
“It’s an exciting time for our community,” remarked Deputy Harbourmaster Toni Maulder. “The project was complex but the new marina was well worth the wait. It allows boats to be berthed safely in deeper, cleaner water with modern compliant facilities for berth holders and the general public to enjoy.”
The new floating fuel dock, ship store and adjoining docks at Marathon Marina had only been open for two months when Irma hit. To the amazement of the marina’s owner, the new docks survived undamaged.
Marathon, FL, USA – 30 January 2018 – The new Marathon Marina fuel dock had just reopened to the public when Hurricane Irma rampaged through the Florida Keys. Ranked as one of the most powerful Atlantic storms on record, Irma left a trail of destruction across the region.
A testament to the rugged durability of Bellingham products, the floating docks at Marathon Marina survived Hurricane Irma completely unscathed.
“We saw what Irma had done to the islands before ours and were mentally preparing ourselves. You have to plan for the worst,” shared Robert (Bob) Leef, owner and operator of Marathon Marina.
“We had poured everything we had into our new docks – time, energy and financial resources. The project consumed us for over a year and a half. We were just beginning to feel the liberation of being on the other side of the project when Irma hit.”
“The possibility that all our toil could all be swept away in a single day, was more than we could bear,” Bob stated.
General Manager, Susan Prichard, and key marina staff returned to the marina on September 13th, four days after Irma had passed over Marathon Key. “I can’t describe the feeling of relief we felt when we saw the new building and docks were still standing. Unmarked among horrific destruction” Susan recalled.