6 INDUSTRY NEWS
Bellingham’s John Spragg to retire - successor chosen
A
fter 25 years of exemplary service, John Spragg, President of Australasia and the Middle East at
Bellingham Marine, has announced his retirement effective from 1 July, 2021, although he will continue to serve as a Director of the company. Bruce Birtwistle, who has worked directly for John over the last decade as Bellingham’s General Manager in New Zealand, has been chosen as John’s successor. “I have no idea where the last 25
years have gone; they say time flies when one is busy and having fun, and I must say I have experienced both. When I look back at the start of my time in the industry, Bellingham Marine Australia was made up of just two employees, but we had the support of the whole Bellingham family. I am still very thankful for
John Spragg (left) and Bruce Birtwistle of Bellingham Marine.
the clients that supported us in those early days,” stated John. “The company grew and expanded to New Zealand, then Singapore, Malaysia, Korea, the Middle East, China and Cyprus under my watch. The key to our success has been our team’s approach and our ability to attract and retain the best talent in the industry. I am glad to be handing the baton to Bruce as I believe it goes to a reliable pair of hands. I am confident that he will take the company to greater heights.” Owner and CEO Joe Ueberroth
shared his appreciation of John’s contributions. “No-one has had a greater impact on Bellingham Marine’s international operations than John Spragg,” he agreed. “As a director, John will provide insight and guidance as we continue to build upon our global footprint. We are also fortunate to have a strong team. As John passes the torch to Bruce, I am excited to work with him in his new leadership role while, at the same time, pleased to welcome Chris Lamont back to the Bellingham team as the new General Manager of New Zealand.” Bruce commented, “I’m thrilled
by the opportunity to lead superb teams on both sides of the Tasman. Chris’s return is timely for BMNZ as his experience in project delivery will be valuable with the exciting projects we have in front of us”.
SF Marina breakwater protects investment
With over 24,000 islands to explore, the Stockholm Archipelago is a Swedish boating paradise. To accommodate the growing demand for a recreational marina in an area that had been without, the Värmdö Municipality has built one at Stavsnäs Vinterhamn (Winter Harbour). Featuring an SF Marina floating concrete breakwater and walkway, phase one has opened and transformed the idyllic setting into a hub of yachting activity. Protecting the investment was an important aspect of the project. A 70 metre breakwater was installed using SF Marina SFBW 400 floating pontoons. Built of double-reinforced concrete, they are virtually unsinkable, with each section connected by an energy-absorbing coupling system that distributes stress during heavy wave action. SF Marina’s SF 1030 concrete
pontoons were chosen for the 120 metre dock walkway. Extremely stable
MARINA INDUSTRY • APRIL 2021
due to their low centre of gravity, the sections feature a modest 0.5 metre freeboard. WM-Bommen finger piers from 6-10 metres in length accommodate a wide range of boats at the 70-berth facility. The main walkway has integrated ducts that feed the El-Björn power pedestals and berths also feature freshwater hook- ups and free WiFi. The breakwater and walkway were
built on the other side of the country at SF Marina’s Wallhamn facility and transported to the site by barge. Because of their modular design,
installation can be completed faster compared to traditional wooden or poured concrete structures. Stavsnäs Vinterhamn is an important public and freight transportation hub between the Swedish mainland and islands of the archipelago. The new marina features harbour office, store, repair centre, pump-out system, toilet and shower facilities, as well as an expanded car park. There are also plans for residential housing. Phase two of the project will begin in Spring, next year.
New managers for MDL operations
The appointment of two new regional operations managers was recently announced by MDL Marinas. Between them, Les Robertson and George Bovill will look after the company’s 19 marinas and boatyards.
Joining MDL with a wealth
of experience from the hospitality, retail and leisure industries, Les most recently worked within the holiday park sector area as Commercial Director at Sandy Balls Holiday Village and then Head of Commercial Operations for Aria Resorts. “I am delighted to be joining MDL Marinas,” said Les. “My entire career has been about delivering exceptional customer service and I’m looking forward to developing a team to continue to uphold MDL’s brand values, as well as take its service and operational standards to the next level.” George Bovill comes to MDL with 18 years’ customer service and operational experience from time spent in various customer-focused businesses across the restaurant industry. He confirmed, “As Regional Operations Manager, one of my key focuses will be enhancing our customers’ journey, from providing first class customer service to ensuring that all our marinas are beautifully presented and maintained. “I’ll be spending my days in the marinas, working closely with the on-site marina teams and supporting them to deliver MDL’s industry-leading quality service and standards.” Since joining MDL’s growing
team, Les and George have been busy conducting quality audits of the marinas as part of the company’s Quality Audit Programme, which is designed to help improve the cleanliness and appearance of its marinas.
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