The new federation would continue to function as part of ICOMIA, acknowledging that marine manufacturers have a big stake in the future of marina growth and development to provide berthing space for new, and increasingly bigger, boats. As a matter of policy, the federation would be open to all bona fide marina organizations.

In many developing boating-market countries, there is an identifiable cadre of marina operators, but little or no recreational marine manufacturing, and therefore no local manufacturers’ group with whom they can ally. The view of the IBFC is that because such non-affiliated marina associations have been welcome to participate in the committee, they would be welcome to participate in a global alliance of marina organizations under the auspices of ICOMIA.  

The advantages of an international federation of marina organizations may seem academic to the individual marina operator, but they are too important to be missed.

A federation can provide a worldwide forum for the discussion of problems plaguing marinas around the world. A recent IBFC survey found that the most common problems include environmental restrictions; supply and demand; a scarcity of available, affordable waterfront space; financing; permitting complications that delay and drive up the costs of construction and improvement projects; dredging; resistance by local private residential property owners to allow a marina in the neighborhood; and government indifference to the needs of marinas, coupled with a lack of understanding of the marina’s importance to the economy.  

By networking and sharing information about how to overcome these problems, through an international federation, national and regional marina associations will be better able to help their members and the greater marina community. To facilitate the exchange of information, it is recommended that ICOMIA set up an international Web site distinctly for marinas with links to members, Web sites.

An international marinas organization would have more prestige and credibility in educating government regulators about the economic benefits and environmental compatibility of marinas.

Probably the biggest challenge to organizing marinas as a global force will be convincing them that there are political and financial benefits to them. However, the experience that the IBFC has had to date in attracting more and more marina groups to their meetings encourages the group to believe they have struck a responsive chord.

Ron Stone is a senior advisor with the National Marine Manufacturers Association and chairman of the ICOMIA Boating Facilities Committee. He served as NMMA’s director of facilities and government relations for more than four decades. He is the founder of the States Organization for Boating Access.