Safe Harbor Marinas understood to be negotiating multiple purchases in Australia

Market speculation from Australia suggests that Safe Harbor Marinas (SHM), the world’s largest marina operator, is on the cusp of making multiple purchases in the country. IBI made known last month that a team of three from SHM were looking into international purchases including Jeremy Rose in Australia.

Rose told IBI: “There have been rumours at boat shows since 2019 but we have not signed on the dotted line for any deals yet. We do have a healthy pipeline of projects and an announcement might be made at the back end of the year.”

The fact that Australia has been closed to foreign visitors for much of the past two years could have been a dampener on what SHM is planning there.

In response to a suggestion that SHM might make double-digit marina purchases by September, Rose commented: “I am not that busy.”

Last month IBI made known that Rose has responsibility for looking at purchase opportunities between Port Douglas in northern Queensland down the Australian east coast and round as far as Melbourne.

Currently one of the rumoured SHM targets is the GCCM (the Gold Coast City Marina & Shipyard) located in the Gold Coast Marine Precinct at Coomera. The company is currently expanding its current facility which will result in a doubling of the size.

Trenton Gay, the CEO of GCCM, told IBI: “The rumours are rife at the moment: I would be interested to hear who is peddling these stories. Every few years this one pops up. The marine industry does love a good rumour.”

He added: “I can confirm that we still own GCCM and there are no signed contracts at hand. Over the years we have entertained a number of potential courtships but you know what they say, until the money is in there is no deal. I must admit we have received quite a lot of interest from both local and international groups over the last period: they seem to come in waves at times.”

He explained: “We are actively working on our Stage II design which is known as the Titan Yard. This is a 20ha (200,000m² or 49 acre) site just upstream from the existing marina. We purchased this land in 2007, planning for the increased size and number of yachts in the future. GCCM is currently at 17.5ha. This site will cater for vessels 75m (246ft) out of water and will also be the home of superyacht construction on the east coast of Australia.”

“At this time we are the owners of GCCM and are planning for the future of our industry with the expansion into the Titan Yard,” Gay added.

Updating IBI at the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show held on the Gold Coast last month, Gay said: “The investment in the new yard has risen to A$180m which will include new travel lifts of 1,400 and 600 tonnes. There will be new sheds which will be 100m (328ft) long by 30m (100ft) high. The expansion will be phased over four years and we will be able to handle superyachts up to 80m (262ft) alongside.”

He indicated that some 40 marine businesses had expressed an interest in taking space in the development and around 1,500 jobs could be created as a result. A new TAFE (Technical & Further Education) training facility is planned to be set up and government-supported private-partnerships are also being offered.