UAE-based Septech Emirates has recently installed the first marina at The Palm Jumeirah development, Dubai, under a licensing agreement with Bellingham Marina Australia (BMA) – considered to be the world’s oldest and largest marina design and construction company.

Under the agreement, Septech Emirates will market, manufacture and install the Unifloat concrete floatation dock system. It has set up a purpose-built Dh10 million ($2.67 million) factory to manufacture Bellingham products.
“A concrete floatation dock system is the preferred system in most countries around the world for a number of very good reasons and marina developers in the region will be delighted to find this product is now available right on their doorstep,” says David Heffernan, managing director of Septech Emirates.
“There is a lot of scope in the Middle East region, particularly in the UAE, for such products. Because of the size of boats in this region and the need for public access, concrete floatation systems such as the Unifloat are essential. With more than 14 million sq ft of Unifloat (concrete floating) docks installed across the globe in the past 40 years, they have proven to be stronger and more stable.
“The concrete deck surface is safe, permanent, and is finished with non-skid walking surface and it does not rot, burn, corrode, loosen or rattle as in other systems,” he says.
Septech Emirates has adopted everything from BMA, right from selection of materials to manufacturing process and installation.
While BMA has previously exported its Unifloat system to the Middle East from Australia, the relationship with Septech means faster and better all-round service for marina developers.
The Dubai-based wastewater management specialist Septech Emirates has joined forces with BMA based on its expertise in precast concrete.
John Spragg, general manager of Bellingham Marine Australia, says: “We needed to establish a reliable partner in the Gulf to meet the growing demand from the region’s marine industry.
“Septech Emirates’ infrastructure and expertise in precast concrete means we can now purpose-build floating concrete marinas in the Middle East for the first time.  This creates cost advantages at the build stage of the development, while giving the added benefits of lower maintenance costs in the future for the owner.”
“Concrete floating marinas are also environment-friendly. Growth on concrete pontoons promotes marine life and a marine cycle that wasn’t there before,” says Heffernan. “There is only a minor disturbance to the sea bed because the entire structure floats. The growth of marine life also adds protection to the pontoons, providing another impenetrable layer.”
“Each marina system is custom-designed and engineered to meet the specific needs of the project because we understand that each marina environment is unique. Septech offers a complete solution – design, manufacture, installation and maintenance of marinas,” he adds.
Another BMA product Unistack, a shore-based marina system, also has a huge potential in the market, says Heffernan. Created to meet the growing demand for dry storage facilities, Unistack accommodates boats up to 50 ft (15.24 m) long. Once inside Unistack’s dry storage structure, boats, along with their gel-coat surfaces, canvas and upholstery, are protected from harsh weather conditions, he adds.
Unistack offers the following benefits:
• Can be customised to meet any owner requirement;
• Racks are engineered to be adjustable and are easily reconfigured for boats of varying sizes and weights; and
• May be designed to accommodate retail concessions, repair and maintenance facilities and office space.
Septech also has a separate marina division for after-sales service. “We see a huge potential for these products in the market,” says Heffernan.
Besides The Palm, Septech has completed a few marinas in Abu Dhabi and Oman. It has also tendered for several large projects for the Dubai Municipality, ports and customs, large public joint stock companies and international hotel groups.
Septech (www.septechemirates.com) will be displaying its products at the Dubai International Boat Show scheduled to take place this month (March 17-20). Representatives of Bellingham will also showcase the company’s products.