MDL Marinas to invest £60m over next decade on improvements

The UK’s MDL Marinas announced today that it will continue with its £60m investment programme planned for the next decade, despite 2020 being a year of postponements, cancellations and putting things on hold.

One-fifth of this year’s £5m investment across MDL’s UK marinas has been spent on dredging and upgrading the pontoon systems. Quay walls and breakwaters have also been improved.

“As always, most of the investment we make is not always the most visible, such as dredging and pontoon refurbishment,” says Tim Mayer, MDL’s sales and marketing director. “But it would be very noticeable if we didn’t complete these major works, and would impact heavily on a customer’s experience of our marinas. Our aim is always to provide excellent infrastructure and facilities for our core boating clientele – everything else that we do expands on that, enhancing the experience for all.”

MDL says it takes meeting the challenge of improving its environmental impact very seriously. Three MDL marinas (Hamble Point Marina, Cobb’s Quay and Ocean Village) have solar panels installed, producing 118,447 kWh of electricity last year. A further two locations are to receive solar panels in the very near future. MDL also has 20 charging points across its locations for all variety of vehicles, including Teslas.

Specialist Filtabund filtration systems have been installed at certain marinas, and very soon at Hamble Point Marina as well, filtering micro-particles and oils from the wastewater generated by boatyard services. There is now a planned programme to roll out these green filtration systems across other marinas.

Over the next 10 years MDL will invest a further £60m in its marinas. Some will be spent on environmental initiatives, and some will be spent on diversifying its business, making it more inclusive and its locations more attractive to boaters and non-boaters alike.

The majority of investment, however, will be spent on upgrading facilities, new marina hardware and the provision of services.