22 Sep 2011

Salamanca Group officially unveils Marina Port Vell

By Esther Barney

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Barcelona's expansion as a Mediterranean yachting hub continued with the official unveiling of the Port Vell development plans by investors Salamanca Group at the Monaco Yacht Show. President of Marina Port Vell Martin Bellamy, also group chairman and chief executive of Salamanca Group, described how the increased capacity for superyachts at the site - coupled with the expansion of adjacent MB'92 to become one of the largest refit facilities in the world - would create a "marine cluster" in the city of Barcelona. Salamanca aims to create the "premier marina in the Med" at Port Vell.



Also present at the press conference were Port Vell's longstanding general manager Gabriel de Sandoval, who continues to be involved in the everyday running and development of the marina, and Norma Trease, director of sales and marketing for Salamanca Marine Ltd.


Construction will start on 15 November (after the local boat show) and once redevelopment is finished in 2012 - the current target completion date being 8 September - there will be 30 large berths available for superyachts between 60 and 90 metres. There will be provision for some larger vessels up to 180 metres moored alongside near the IMAX Cinema on the far side of the port, and berths for smaller vessels from 15 metres will also be available for the locally owned fleet. Fifty per cent of the berths will be for sale, and the current water ownership concession of 24 years has 15 remaining.

At a time when traditional berthing hotspots along the French and Italian Rivieras are teeming with superyachts, viable alternatives provide an attraction. According to reports, Porto Montenegro, which opened in May 2009, had a busy summer season and many marinas in the Balearics and Spanish mainland are pushing to attract superyachts to their shores. Bellamy commented that although Salamanca struggled to find a model marina on which to base Port Vell, the group saw Port Adriano and Porto Montenegro as comparable projects.

The management aims to make Marina Port Vell not just a destination for superyachts but primarily a home port. The location in the heart of a world-class cosmopolitan city is attractive for both superyacht owners and the crew who would be living there the consultation with existing marina consultancies, captains and crew has provided a host of ideas for facilities to attract long-term residents. For superyacht owners and guests there are the obvious attractions of the city and its proximity to popular cruising destinations such as the Balearic Islands. For the crew, there will be a restaurant with access solely from the quay, a reception and full concierge service, the "officers' club" crew lounge and high-speed internet. A wide range of service providers - including agents and provisioners - are located nearby to assist the crew in their everyday needs of operating a large luxury yacht.

Integrated into the docks will be waste water, shore power and bunkering systems. Work on reinforcing the docks - particularly those near the Centro Historia Contemporánea de Cataluña in Plaça Pau Vila - will be the largest task of the redevelopment. Current plans show that there will be three floating docks and three fixed docks. The marina currently meets the requirements for ISO 14001 certification, and Salamanca plans to again meet the standards necessary after redevelopment is complete. Bellamy emphasised the importance of environmental considerations with the project, adding that there will be full recycling facilities and that high shore power capacity with an efficient supply will allow the moored superyachts to turn off their generators and reduce emissions.

Away from the marina, there are the obvious attractions of Barcelona, renowned for its vibrant culture and developed infrastructure it was also recently voted the best beach city in the world. There are 20 golf courses within an hour of the city, says Bellamy, as well as the Barcelona Heliport across the harbour.

Following the press conference, talk among the guests turned to the increasing number of marinas competing for business in the region. As Bellamy highlighted, it was widely agreed that marinas in 2011 require a USP to ensure that business continues to roll in.



Related Links

Marina Port Vell Website

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