Marina Projects

What Marina Projects does

Marina Projects is a specialist international marine leisure consultancy, founded in 2001 and headquartered in the United Kingdom with regional offices in Hong Kong and Nicosia, Cyprus. The firm covers the full lifecycle of marina and waterfront development, delivering nine integrated service lines: concept design and master planning, feasibility studies and market research, business planning, marina and waterfront design, procurement and project management, operational and management services, environmental and legislative advice, property consultancy, and marine licensing and consents. Its senior team holds over 200 years of combined industry experience, and the firm cites completion of more than 400 projects across 20+ countries and a portfolio supporting over 1,000 marinas and waterfront developments.

The firm is also an operator, not just an advisor. It holds a long lease on James Watt Dock Marina in Greenock, Scotland (~200 berths, with Serco as anchor tenant at the surrounding Marine Trade Centre), and wholly owns subsidiary Whitehaven Marina Ltd (400+ berths, northwest England, acquired 2009). These operated assets serve as live operational reference points feeding the consultancy's advice and produce a parallel managed-services revenue stream.

Commercially, Marina Projects operates an enterprise field-sales model engaging private developers, marina operators, government bodies, and harbour authorities on a project-by-project basis, supplemented by multi-year framework agreements such as the four-year term deal with Marina Developments Ltd (MDL) covering licensing, project management and technical support across MDL's 18-19 marina portfolio (with £4.8 million of capital works delivered in Winter 2024/25 alone). Pricing is not publicly disclosed; contracts are bespoke per project. The firm's competitive positioning rests on regulatory expertise (marine licensing, EIA screening, multi-jurisdictional consents), embedded industry influence (co-authorship of the TYHA Code of Practice), and its hybrid operator-consultant model that competitors offering pure advisory services cannot replicate. Customer logos span MDL, Windermere Marina Village, Guernsey Ports, Ards and North Down Borough Council, Ballymore (Brentford Project), Porto Montenegro, Portonovi, Beaulieu Enterprises (Buckler's Hard), Yarmouth Harbour Commission, the Albanian Ministry for Industry & Energy, and Serco. The firm is privately held (Marina Projects Ltd., England) with no disclosed external institutional investors.

Name

Marina Projects

Legal name

Marina Projects Ltd.

Website

https://marinaprojects.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Marina Projects is a UK-founded specialist international marine leisure consultancy covering feasibility, design, licensing, project management, and operations for marina and waterfront developments, serving private operators, developers, and government clients across 20+ countries, while also operating two of its own marinas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marina and Waterfront Consultancy

NAICS

Other Support Activities for Water Transportation (48839), Marinas (713930), Support Activities for Water Transportation (4883)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Project Management & Owner’s Engineering / Technical Consultancy (Spec Writing, Bid Support, Site Support) (IMAJAGAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Port Rehabilitation, Maintenance & Asset Renewal (Repairs, Strengthening) (IMAFAJAL), Port & Harbor Construction (Quays, Wharves, Berths) (IMAFAJAA)

Keywords

• Marina consultancy
• Waterfront development
• Marine licensing
• Marina design
• Marina project management

Headquarters

HQ city

Gosport

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Marina Consultancy Services: Specialist consultancy services including feasibility studies, market assessments, master planning, marina design, technical services, project management, procurement, and operational management for waterfront and marina developments worldwide.
2. Marina Operations: Operates and manages marina and boatyard assets for private and corporate clients through two wholly operated UK marinas - James Watt Dock Marina (200 berths, Greenock, Scotland) and Whitehaven Marina (400+ berths, northwest England).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Marina Projects is a specialist international marine leisure consultancy that delivers end-to-end services for marina and waterfront development worldwide, covering concept design and master planning, feasibility studies and market research, business planning, marina and waterfront design, procurement and project management, operational management, environmental and legislative advice, property consultancy, and marine licensing and consents. In addition to consultancy, the firm directly operates two wholly-managed UK marinas (James Watt Dock Marina and Whitehaven Marina), generating ongoing marina operations revenue.

Product overview

Marina Projects is a specialist international marine leisure consultancy offering a comprehensive suite of services covering the entire spectrum of marina and waterfront development. The company provides nine distinct consulting services including concept design and master planning, feasibility studies and market research, business planning, waterfront and marina design, procurement and project management, operational and management services, environmental and legislative advice, property consultancy, and marine licensing and consents. Additionally, Marina Projects operates two wholly-owned marina facilities (James Watt Dock Marina in Scotland and Whitehaven Marina in England) that serve as operational demonstrations of their consultancy expertise. The service portfolio progresses from initial feasibility and planning phases through to design, procurement, project delivery, and ongoing operational management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Concept Design & Marina Master Planning Master planning service producing realistic deliverable waterfront development concepts for marina and waterfront projects, supporting clients from early-stage concept to actionable master plans.
• Marina Feasibility Studies & Market Research Feasibility analysis of marina, boatyard, and waterfront opportunities, including comprehensive market assessments to inform go/no-go investment decisions by marina developers and operators.
• Marina Business Planning Business planning, viability studies, and financial appraisal services for marina development projects, providing the economic case for new or expanded marina assets.
• Waterfront & Marina Design Sustainable marina design and waterfront development services covering concept through to detailed technical design for clients seeking specialist marine architecture and engineering outputs.
• Marina Procurement & Project Management Procurement and project management services that ensure marina and waterfront projects are delivered to achieve client aspirations and vision, on time and to specification.
• Operational & Management Services Operational consultancy and management services covering marina operations, including agent-based marina management for private and corporate clients (e.g., Hythe Marina Village, Ocean Village Marina).
• Environmental & Legislative Advice Expert guidance on environmental and legislative requirements for marina and waterfront projects, with an unparalleled record of securing licences and consents within challenging environments.
• Property Consultancy Services Tailored marina development property advice for waterfront developments, supporting developers and operators on property-related aspects of marine leisure schemes.
• Marine Licensing & Consents Expert representation and proactive case management to secure marine licences, including MMO licence applications, EIA screening, and Harbour Works Consents across England, Scotland, and Wales.
• James Watt Dock Marina A wholly-managed marina on the River Clyde in Greenock, Scotland, offering around 200 fully serviced pontoon berths for craft 7m to 100+m, with deep water access. Operations are run by Marina Projects following a 2023 long-lease handover, supported by Serco as anchor tenant providing commercial marine services.
• Whitehaven Marina A wholly-managed marina on the northwest coast of England offering over 400 fully serviced pontoon berths and extensive quay wall berths for larger boats, operated by Marina Projects' subsidiary Whitehaven Marina Ltd since 2009.

Quantifiable outcome

• Delivered £4.8 million of capital works for MDL across 18 marinas in Winter 2024/25
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• The Yacht Harbour Association (TYHA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 July 2025Marina Projects is collaborating with TYHA to update the TYHA Code of Practice, an industry benchmark for marina design, construction and operation. Mike Ward, Managing Director of Marina Projects, serves as a leading international marina design expert supporting this initiative. The new 8th Edition will be launched at ICOMIA World Marinas Conference in Venice, October 2025.
• SercomajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 9 August 2023Serco serves as anchor tenant at James Watt Dock Great Harbour site, providing commercial marine services including towage and passenger transfer for Defence sector customers. Lease covers 6 hectares of land and water as part of Marine Trade Centre development.
• Marina Developments Ltd (MDL)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 April 2023Four-year service contract covering licensing support, project management and technical support for MDL's marina portfolio including Hythe Marina Village and Ocean Village Marina. Two workstreams: dredging campaign delivery and annual capital works programme.
• The Yacht Harbour Association (TYHA) Clean Marina ProgrammecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 December 2021Marina Projects worked with TYHA to develop criteria for the Clean Marina Programme, contributing expertise in marina design, operations and best practice. Programme focuses on environmental standards including blackwater capture, hazardous waste segregation, and sustainable practices.
• Marina Developments Ltd (MDL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFour-year term agreement between Marina Projects and MDL for provision of licensing support, project management and technical support for MDL's extensive marina dredging and capital works programmes across their 18-19 marina portfolio. Marina Projects delivered £4.8 million of capital works in Winter 2024/25.
• BallymoremajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMarina Projects commissioned by Ballymore for concept and technical design of Workhouse Dock and Town Wharf at The Brentford Project in West London, providing specialist marina consultancy services for the riverside development.
• Walcon Marine LtdmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerUK specialist pontoon contractor completing marina construction works. Worked on Windermere Marina Village redevelopment (£4m) and Buckler's Hard Yacht Harbour (£2m). Same contractor that carried out original Buckler's Hard build 40 years ago.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Camper & Nicholsons Marinas: Global marina consultancy and operator with heritage in superyacht berthing, offering design, development, operations and management services. Highly comparable given Marina Projects' work on Porto Montenegro and other superyacht facilities.
• Bellingham Marine: World-leading marina design-build firm specialising in floating dock systems, master planning and marina construction. Overlaps with Marina Projects on marina design and waterfront development though more focused on construction delivery.
• Beckett Rankine: UK-based civil and marine engineering consultancy specialising in marinas, harbours and waterfront structures. A close specialist peer on marina design, dredging and marine licensing.
• Westrec Marinas: US-headquartered marina consultancy and management firm providing feasibility, design, operations and asset management services for marinas and waterfronts worldwide. Directly comparable to Marina Projects as a specialist international marina consultancy.

Broad incumbents

• Arup: Global engineering consultancy with significant waterfront, port and coastal infrastructure practices. Overlaps with Marina Projects on masterplanning and large waterfront regeneration schemes such as The Brentford Project.
• IGY Marinas: International marina operator and developer managing a global portfolio of superyacht and leisure marinas. Comparable on marina operations and development advisory, though more operator-led than consultancy-led.
• ABPmer: UK-based marine consultancy providing environmental, metocean, coastal engineering and consenting services to ports and harbours. Comparable on the marine licensing and EIA screening work that Marina Projects offers.
• Walcon Marine: UK specialist pontoon contractor and marina builder. Listed as a delivery partner on Marina Projects' Windermere and Buckler's Hard schemes, making it both a collaborator and adjacent competitor in marina construction.
• Royal HaskoningDHV: Global engineering consultancy with a maritime and water business covering ports, harbours and coastal developments. Comparable on waterfront masterplanning and EIA work but operates as a much broader multidisciplinary firm.

Others

• MDL Marinas: UK's leading marina operator with 18+ marinas. Listed as Marina Projects' largest framework client under a four-year term agreement, making it both a strategic customer and a comparable reference point for marina portfolios.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/marina-projects-ltd

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Marina Projects