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November December 2018 Marina World

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Hazelett Marine

Hazelett Marine Conservation Elastic Mooring Systems For Yachts and Docks BESPOKE DRY STACK BOAT STORAGE SYSTEMS sales@wickens.co.uk DESIGNED & MANUFACTURED IN THE UK www.hazelettmarine.com 15 135 Palmer West Lakeshore Court Suite Drive, 212 APO Box 600 South Colchester, Burlington, Vermont 05446-0600 Vermont, EMAIL: info@hazelettmarine.com 05403 Office: TELEPHONE: 802 (802) 399 2627 863-6376 Email: FAX: (802) info@hazelettmarine.com 863-1523

MARKET UPDATE: MALDIVES Berths - at last - for boaters’ paradise For the sea-bewitched mariner, the Maldives is an Eden. Its extensive cruising grounds, scuba diving and fishing offer much for the boat owner and non-boat owner alike. The snag? Nowhere to moor up – until now. John Paul, marina operator of the country’s new Crossroads Yacht Marina, tells Marina World how this is set to change. Charlotte Niemiec reports The centrepiece of plans for the Maldives’ newest and largest resort, Crossroads, is the nation’s first dedicated leisure marina, which will cater for 30 vessels up to 60m (197ft) in length. Developed by Thailand property company Singha Estate and managed by Abu Dhabi-based Jalboot Holdings, it will be located on Emboodhoo Lagoon, a 15-minute speedboat ride from Velana International Airport and the capital city of Malé. Dedicated marina space The Crossroads marina will add muchneeded space for boaters. While nearly every resort in the Maldives has some form of luxury yacht offering, these are on a limited scale, Paul explains. Vessels are invariably owned by the resort or their business partners and pontoons are limited to provision of half a dozen berths. Often, private yachts are not welcomed at these resorts. “While luxury fibreglass yachts have been built in the Maldives since at least 1979, the fact is that only recently has ‘for personal use’ represented anything more than an exclusive three or four percentage points of the luxury vessel owner base,” Paul says. “Given the Maldives’ reliance on marine transport, this may come as a surprise. However, as key as marine transport is to the lifeblood of the nation – her highways are the inter-island seaways! – the very fact of this as a logistical necessity Left & below: Crossroads, the newest and largest resort in the Maldives, will feature a centrepiece marina and a variety of landside amenities. has been a key factor in the late development of a luxury part of the domestic boating industry.” But times are changing: rising incomes and standards of living, along with an increase in the number of visiting international private leisure craft, has prompted the government to endorse Crossroads with a generous land lease so as to offer a safe and luxurious harbour to this growing owner-segment. While resorts in the Maldives primarily focus on the high-end tourist market, Crossroads is aiming to be more accessible to a wider part of the market, encompassing families and higher middle earners. Not just focused on the Western/ European market, it is designed to appeal to growing numbers of tourists from Asia. A key feature of the project is the connection with an international small luxury ferry operator to connect the resort directly to Malé and the international airport. Finalising the design Before joining Jalboot to set up the marina and operation, Paul worked at Dubai Marina Yacht Club (DMYC) for two and a half years. “It was here that I witnessed first hand the fruits of what great vision and big plans can achieve. DMYC is arguably the Middle East’s most successful yacht club and most definitely its most profitable marina,” he says. “When I was presented with the plans www.marinaworld.com - November/December 2018 43

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