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2017 March April Marina World

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TALKING SHOP Can Akaltan

TALKING SHOP Can Akaltan CMM is the enthusiastic, forward-thinking general manager of Cesme Marina, Turkey. Promoting the perfect marina experience There is a saying in Turkey: “Once you become wet by the sea, you can never leave it again.” For Can Akaltan, one of the world’s youngest Certified Marina Managers (CMMs), his first boating experience at an early age led to a lifetime love of and dedication to the sea and yachting. Aged just 34, Akaltan - who is general manager at Camper & Nicholsons Marinas International (CNMI) Cesme Marina in Turkey - has applied his years of experience on the sea to running a successful operation on land. Charlotte Niemiec invites him to talk shop Although he grew up in a coastal town, Akaltan was studying at a Maritime Faculty when he was first introduced to marinas and yachting. After graduating from university, he began working as a megayacht agent in Bodrum, Turkey. Between 2006 and 2012 he worked as a captain on five superyachts, ranging in size from 27- 74m (88.5-243ft). “I see my yachting experience not only as part of my job, but as part of my way of life,” he says, “and I believe this can only be achieved by being introduced to boats at an early age.” Transitioning from superyacht captain to marina manager enabled him to set up home in his country of birth, Turkey. He admits that while “being a superyacht captain is the best job in the world” because of the adventure, excitement and exploration it afforded him in his twenties, he felt a growing need for more “mental stimulation”. His present position provides that challenge. His decision to return to Turkey was made, in part, to start a family, but also because he is proud of Cesme Marina and optimistic about the Turkish marina industry. “Turkish marinas are relatively new and well built,” he notes. “Although the number of berths [in Turkey] has increased dramatically over the last decade, the total number makes up just 5% of the total berths in the Mediterranean. But the industry is expected to grow in the coming years.” The marina is located on an ancient and strategic port just 45 minutes away from Turkey’s cosmopolitan and third largest city, Izmir, and its international airport. It has been an important port throughout the history of the Ottoman Navy due to its proximity to transit routes and fresh water supplies. There are numerous beaches and picturesque bays on the peninsula and the destination has become a port of call for elite Turkish society. With its restaurants, shops and bars, the marina aims to bring different kinds of people together in a safe environment, with high levels of customer service. The marina currently operates 400 berths accommodating vessels from 6m (20ft) up to 60m (197ft) superyachts. It has received a number of awards, including “Best architectural project” at the Arkitera Architectural Awards in 2010; “Best Marina” at the Golden Anchor Awards in Istanbul in 2011; “Best Tourism Investment” at the 4th Izmir Tourism Awards in April 2012; and a Jack Nichol PIANC Marine Excellence Design Award in 2014. Akaltan is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the marina. His success is evident: under his leadership, occupancy has grown from 79% to 100% and he has added 52 www.marinaworld.com - March/April 2017

TALKING SHOP 21 new berths to increase overall capacity. Nevertheless, he is relatively new to marina management. While he acted as assistant marina manager at CNMI’s Grand Harbour Marina Malta for two months, he spent most of his time there on superyacht operations. Shortly afterwards, he became marina manager at Cesme but, within two months, assumed the position of general manager, with the help of the CNMI management team. Dan Hughes, business development director at CNMI, flew out to help him with the unexpected step up. “He has boundless energy and enthusiasm and is always receptive to new ideas,” Hughes says. “He has great attention to detail and is fastidiously on a mission to deliver the perfect marina experience to all his clients and guests – and he encourages his staff to do the same.” Akaltan says he learned more from the CNMI team in three days than in three months alone at the marina. “Every CNMI team member is an expert in their field,” he says, “and they have the perfect combination of experience and knowledge.” Akaltan has recently been awarded a Marine Tourism MSc, following the completion of his certificate as CMM. The programme was intense, requiring considerable study, but he was nevertheless determined to succeed. He says: “The most difficult part was writing the thesis, due to the heavy research and planning required. I had to sacrifice my days off and most of the weekends. But the subject of the thesis excited me a lot.” He wrote on best marina management practices, including efficient energy saving, waste, recycling and other environmental issues in the modern marina. “I wanted to do something good for the environment and for future generations,” he explains. “Some of the best management practices are best applied when they’re taken into account at the design stage. There are some very easy practices such as, for example, using laptops instead of desktop computers (laptops consume five times less energy), using only rechargeable batteries and using water efficient shower heads.” More than willing to put his plans into action, he has implemented best management practices at Cesme Marina and continues to do so. “We have introduced environmentally-friendly practices – even simple things such as scanning boat documents rather than photocopying them in the front office, which is also a more efficient way of archiving and storing yacht information, especially when you’re dealing with around 1,500 boats per year.” Nevertheless, he says, he has “only made small tweaks to the marina”, as the system already in place was working well. When it comes to the “perfect” marina, he believes it should offer a good location, a service well beyond expectations, with the least amount of negative impact on the environment. Today, he says, “boat owners are looking for easy and quick access to their yacht from an international airport, as well as boutique restaurants and shops close by. Security and privacy are expected at the highest level.” Additionally, captains expect detailed information on local weather and docking options, with easy waste disposal at hand and enough room to carry out maintenance work. For the crew, good facilities in which to socialise, as well as fitness facilities, are a must. Akaltan’s ceaseless energy sees him lining up new challenges for the year ahead, including learning Spanish, joining the 1,500 swimming race, strengthening his knowledge in finance for business purposes and continuing to drive perfection at Cesme Marina. www.marinaworld.com - March/April 2017 53

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