Marina Dock Age, July/August 2002

Lessons of the International Marinas Conference
by Ron Stone

COMIA’s recently concluded international conference in Sydney was as much about removing barriers and avoiding pitfalls in the profitable operation of today’s marinas as it was about creating opportunities for the development and growth of tomorrow’s marinas.  

Clean Marinas

The experience with marinas and pollution in the United States, according to speakers from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection is that most marinas do not require regulation to be motivated about clean waters. More often than not they are keen to take all necessary precautions against spills or discharges of pollutants that can cost business and the goodwill of the community.

Edwin F. Drabkowski, from the Office of Water at EPA, told the conference how the federal government evolved from a regulatory approach to active support of a voluntary education program for marinas. Work group sessions conducted by EPA around the nation in the early 1990s, which deliberately sought the industry’s input, helped cultivate a positive attitude among marina managers. The end result of this government partnership with industry has been a set of recommended environmental best management practices for the achievement of clean marinas nationwide.

One very significant spin-off of the federal policy is that it has motivated state governments to institute their own Clean Marina education programs and broadened the momentum for voluntary implementation. The Florida Clean Marina program, as described for the Sydney conference by Jan DeLaney with the Florida environmental agency, is a perfect example.  

There are strong signs that the Clean Marina program is catching on across the United States. It has been put into practice by Maryland, Georgia, the Carolinas, Virginia, Connecticut, Texas, and Arizona, as well as by the Tennessee Valley Authority. Also, a National Clean Marina workshop is in the works.

The United States is well down the road to adopting federal standards for handicapped accessibility at public recreational boating facilities, implementing the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). David W. Obern’s paper informed IMC 2002 that the rules were in the final internal review process, and are expected to be published in mid–2002, and enforceable in another two to three years.

The consensus is that enhancing accessibility benefits marina operators and users alike, and in most cases requires only a modest investment. Yet, it must be recognized that some cases defy technical solution, and so reasonableness must enter the equation.

For example, gangways slope at marinas on tidal waters and reservoirs subject to dynamic fluctuations in water levels; this will always pose a technical problem in accommodating persons with disabilities. Therefore, some flexibility must be given to designers and operators in applying the new requirements.

Several case studies presented at IMC 2002 made it evident that around the world marina development has become a centerpiece for waterfront revitalization and a way of attracting tourist business.

From South Africa, Captain Bill Shewell, Harbor Master of Cape Town’s Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, told of the stunning success in transforming an underutilized section of a commercial harbor into a marina and restaurant and shopping complex. Continue »