Marinetek wins Monte Carlo contract

State owned authority, Ports de Monaco, has selected Marinetek to undertake first-phase renovation at Port Hercule in Monte Carlo. The marina, which is the main yachting facility in the principality, is world famous for its luxurious yachts and associated jet-set lifestyle and is situated right in front of the Monaco Grand Prix track.

Marinetek will replace three old fixed piers with its Concourse and Super Yacht floating concrete pontoons. These are the largest and strongest pontoons in Marinetek's extensive portfolio and have been designed specifically for mooring the biggest yachts. Similar pontoon combinations have been installed to date by Marinetek at flagship marinas in Dubai's Palm Jumeirah and in West Palm Beach, Florida.

The massive concrete floats, each weighing up to 55 tons, offer great stability, high freeboard and exceptional capacity for the utilities required by demanding yachts. The pontoons will be safely secured using new, fully tested mooring cleats and the Seaflex By-Pass mooring system. The floats will be manufactured at Marinetek's Croatian factory, delivered by ship to Monte Carlo and installed during the winter. The project will complete in April 2011, just in time for the next Monaco Grand Prix.

In the final stages of the tender process, Marinetek competed hotly with other key suppliers from around the world but secured the contract due to its long and respected track record in world class projects and its superior technical solution – 6m wide pontoons specifically designed for the superyacht market.

“This is the best you can get in this business! Monte Carlo really is an exclusive reference that everyone in the Marinetek family can be proud to have earned,” says Marinetek CEO, Ilkka Seppälä, who was elected in June as a member of the World Entrepreneur of the Year Academy in this very city.

The site conditions, with deep waters and continuous swell, and the timeframe of the fully custom designed project will make for special challenges. But, when complete, Port Hercule will fully meet customer specifications and offer permanent berthing for vessels over 30m (100 feet) in length.