UK: Walcon Marine has signed a contract with British Marine to continue to deliver the marina at the annual Southampton International Boat Show (SIBS) for the next 15 years. The marina is among the largest recurring temporary marinas in the world.
“We are delighted that British Marine has shown its confidence in our ability to deliver new marinas well into the future,” says Walcon Marine managing director James Walters. “We built our first marina for what has become one of Europe’s largest on-water boat shows in 1973. Since then, it has grown and evolved into what it is today, a facility hosting 350 power and sailing boats of all types and sizes.”
Robert Parton (left) president of British Marine shakes on the contract deal with Walcon managing director James Walters.
The build up and break down of the marina is a major logistical feat. Each year, work begins early in the spring when the fabrication of the pontoons gets underway, with finalisation of the layout following sometime later. The next phase is to install around 50 piles using Walcon’s piling rig, after which the process to install almost 10,000m² (107,600ft²) of pontoons begins. The pontoons are brought in by sea on Walcon’s barges. Last of all, just a week or two before the show opens, and with the boats already coming in, the three bridges that link the marina to the shore are installed. “It is a major planning and logistical challenge,” Walters adds, “but the experience that we have accumulated over the years serves us well. Since we installed our first SIBS marina back in 1972, SIBS has experienced all sorts of weather, including some serious storms and the waves that go with them, but SIBS has come through thanks to our heavy duty wave attenuating pontoons that form the outer perimeter and which also host the largest yachts, tall ships and other vessels.”
