Jean-Michel Gaigné

It is sometimes difficult to discern the exact meaning of a certification. Marinas proudly display their awards on their website and billboards, but there are so many recognition signs that we can easily get lost…

Whatever the certification, there are always two levels of interpretation to motivate the applicant. The first one comes with the benefit of a process and quality audit, and is a reassurance for the marina operator, who is potentially confirmed in its choices, and challenged in its failures. The second one refers to the accolade deserved, which can enhance the marina reputation and add credibility by claiming that the service meets berth holder expectations. Both goals are fortunately compatible, but according to the priority given to one orientation, marina managers will have to choose among certifications galore!

Credit where credit is due: ISO standards

ISO standards are the ultimate reference in any field of application, from industry to services, environment to management, tourism to food products or agriculture to mining… They are the most rigorous and exhaustive standards, carrying an absolute international recognition, but poorly understood by the general public. Let’s take the example of hotel chains. Marriott, Accor hotels, Hilton or Holiday Inn… all these groups are ISO certified (ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 50001…) Their clients can be sure that everything is under control, from environmental management to quality management systems or energy performance, but does it affect your choice, as a customer? I am confident in saying No. Everyone is guided by the star ratings or even by a “Relais & Châteaux” distinctive certificate… Anyway, ISO standards remain an asset for the marinas which have made the effort to comply with, as it is very demanding and often awkward to manage for a small-scale marina team. As a result, some marinas have stopped with ISO certification, in particular with ISO 14001 to move towards other accreditations. However, specific ISO certifications for the marina industry have been developed over the recent years. ISO 13687 establishing requirements for marinas regarding health & safety, environment and services and ISO 21406 dedicated to luxury yacht harbours. Both have become increasingly valued by marina operators and are highly appreciated, without being explicit for the consumers…

The most popular: Blue Flag

The Blue Flag is undoubtedly the most popular recognition. Launched about 30 years ago, the Blue Flag is awarded every year to marinas all over the world. 776 marinas in 47 different countries carry the Blue Flag, which is a sign of environmental awareness and dedication to improving customer service. Far less demanding than an ISO certification, Blue Flag applicants have to observe stringent environmental, educational, safety, and accessibility criteria that have to be met and maintained, year after year. Another requirement for a Blue Flag marina is to carry out environmental education activities during the Blue Flag season. Mainly focused on environmental issues and the quality of facilities provided to the berth holders, the Blue Flag is far less demanding that an ISO certification process, and control visits are operated on a less thorough basis. Nevertheless, the Blue Flag achievement is a lofty goal, and due to the fact that beaches and sustainable tourism boats are associated under the same banner with a total of 4700 sites around the world, the Blue Flag is well-known among the general public and probably the most meaningful and mainstream award.

The Commonwealth reference: Gold Anchor

For 25 years, the Gold Anchor scheme has been developed by the British and Australian marina industries with the specific objective of raising standards and providing customer centric services. Marinas entering the Gold Anchor scheme are usually assessed by an expert assessor with an audit every three years, conducted by a highly experienced marina professional checking systems, infrastructure and customer service while also providing innovative ideas for improvement. A berth holder survey is also completed for customer feedback. Once the report is finalized and any outstanding actions have been completed by the marina, it is then reviewed by the Gold Anchor standards panel, to deliver the appropriate accreditation level awarded, rated at 2,3,4 or 5 Gold Anchor. A new additional Platinum level for exceptional facilities has been recently added for luxury marinas and superyacht facilities.

The Yacht Harbour Association (UK) delivers the scheme in the United Kingdom, Europe, Middle East, Africa and the Caribbean, while Marina Industry Association (Australia) operates in Asia, India, Sri Lanka, Pacific Regions, New Zealand and Australia. In recent times, the first Gold Anchor marinas have been also awarded in Americas. However, the Gold Anchor scheme remains a distinction especially valued in UK, where it counts 2/3 of the recipients among roughly 360 marinas worldwide.

Blue Star certification: the seriousness ‘Made in Germany’

The famous International Marine Certification Institute, based in Brussels, but with a strong German taskforce, is the leading body assessing marine industry products and recreational crafts with the highest recognized standards of quality and safety. They operate all over the world through a network of multilingual experts, and benefit from a reputation of excellence and reliability. Among their diverse activities and their multiple contributions to ISO standards, CE-certification of watercraft, or American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) certification in the USA, IMCI has developed the Blue Star Marina certification program that rates the quality level of marinas. IMCI is a non-profit organization, independent from the marina world and acts a third party to assess and rate marinas, from 1 star to 5 stars, similar to the well-established system by hotels or campsites. Safety and security standards, as well as facilities, customer service, environment protection and management processes are reviewed and screened, leading to a Blue Star Marina certification. 34 marinas have been certified so far, in Germany, Scandinavia, Spain, Slovenia, Portugal, Italy and Turkey.

Upward trend for ‘Clean marina’ programs

Strictly environmental certifications are another step taken by many organizations in various countries. Marine Industry Association of Australia has launched its ‘Clean marina program’ to fight pollution and promote clean water, and UK has joined the initiative. 32 states in the USA have now a dedicated program too, supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA), and ‘Clean Marine Program’ is developed in California. France has established the ‘Ports Propres’ certification encompassing 90 marinas in the country and endorsed by the French standard organization AFNOR, while supported by a workshop of European Committee for Standardization. Even better, France has added further refinement in creating the certification ‘Ports Propres actifs en biodiversité’ to foster the need to act for biodiversity, with a specific certification delivered for 3 years putting in place yearly monitoring assessments. And what’s about ‘Fish friendly marinas’, another Australian original enterprise, or ‘Clean Marine Anchor Rating Program’ that rates marinas every four years in Canada (Ontario)… Last but not least, ICOMIA is not out of the game, since the International Council of Marine Industry Associations endorses many clean marina programs giving the right to refer to ‘Icomia Clean Marinas Programme’ as long as the 12 criteria set out by ICOMIA Marinas and Environment Committees are met!

As regards the customers too…

Another important topic is customer care. Marinas need to give the best possible service to the customers and berth holders and improve the way they address new trends of consumption. Therefore, specific certifications have appeared, linked to the tourism sector. In Spain, marinas have a new standard, UNE 188004, drawn up by the Institute for Spanish Tourism Quality (ICTE) and the Spanish Confederation of Sailing Club Associations (CEACN). It regulates the activities of the sailing sector and allows sailing/marina facilities to obtain the ‘Q’ Tourist Quality Certificate. In France, the French Federation of Marinas (FFPP) has launched the certification ‘Qualité plaisance / Qualité tourisme’ in cooperation with the French Ministry of Tourism, and 20 marinas so far have received the honour.

The choice is yours!

Marina managers who can count on a strong and well-trained team having a wide range of skills will certainly choose to apply for an ISO certification. This implies a disciplined approach, follow up support and to ensure compliance with procedures. As a result, marina operations will be secured and benefit from a clearly defined framework. Those who want to highlight their achievement with a more customer-oriented and a more accessible certification will opt for the Gold Anchor scheme, especially if they target customers from Britain or Australasia, or the Blue Star Marina certification, which are both extensive, earnest and very helpful to structure the marina’s internal organization. The Blue Flag will be the ‘icing on the cake’, as it is always possible to apply for this single award, but many marinas carrying other certifications are also Blue Flag certified. This is indeed the most acknowledged environmental quality hallmark among the citizens, and Blue Flag marinas are challenged every year to improve the smallest details, whilst promoting environmental education. Clean marinas systems and tourist-focused approaches will provide reliable guidance in their respective domain, and could be mixed with other certifications too…

Applying for certification, there are 1001 ways to make the difference, while giving credit to your marina. The choice is yours!

Jean-Michel Gaigné, CMM | GMBA- France
+ 33 682 112 524
jm.gaigne@gmba.blue

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Disclaimer: Global Marine Business Advisors and its associated website www.gmba.blue are not registered legal entities. GMBA is a network of independent marine industry advisors. In all articles the opinions expressed are those of the author and does not necessarily reflect those of GMBA

Marine Industry News is  running a series of online seminars, in conjunction with Global Marine Business Advisors (GMBA), entitled Export Insights. The first Export Insights seminar, sponsored by PSP Logistics, focused on France.

The one hour free seminar was hosted on April 20^th and the responses to the event have been very positive.

Jean-Michel Gaigné, who has been in the marine industry for over 40 years, presented the first seminar in the series.

“ Our goal is to deliver punchy, professional presentations to attract curiosity and invite participants to go beyond the initial discussion and explore the possibilities. ”

Organiser Zella Compton, was impressed with the quality of the presentation: “The first GMBA session was informative, lively and of much interest to those who came along. We were delighted to be able to host Jean-Michel Gaigne, and to listen to his fascinating insights about exporting to France. We’re very much looking forward to the rest of the sessions, sponsored by PSP Logistics”.

If you missed the session, here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIhx_FJiYRQ

The next presentations from GMBA will be:

Tuesday 25th May 14.00 BST : USA with Thom Dammrich

Tuesday 22nd June 14.00 BST:  Middle-East with Kai Malmivaara

The 17 members of GMBA have over 500 years of experience in the marine and boating Industries. The contents of these country presentations will offer a rather unique insight of what you need to know when planning market entry. Marine Industry News is a perfect partner in distributing this information.

For more information subscribe to the GMBA newsletter here or contact us at info@gmba.blue.

January is traditionally the most quiet month of the year. Retail shops, small businesses and restaurants are often closed for holidays, citizens need to recover from the bustling Christmas period, and the cold weather make them want to stay at home. But this is also the time to plan summer holidays, to consider projects for the coming months and… dream of the boating season! Usually, the Paris Boat Show vapour is still in the air, and some other ones prepare themselves for another dip into Boot Düsseldorf…

January 2021 is not quiet but desperately boring. Paris Boat Show last December was cancelled, Boot Düsseldorf is postponed to hopefully but uncertain better times, Covid-19 pandemic is ever more threatening while vaccines are being doled out. Lockdown, restrictions or bans are announced by the government every week, and our near future is foggy. Meetings are scarce even prohibited, travelling abroad is impossible, homework has become the norm, cinemas and theatres are closed and opportunities to party are nonexistent.

Anyway, we should find reasons to rejoice! Calm will come again after the storm and if we look to the situation, everything is not all doom and gloom. The boat dealers have placed strong orders last Autumn with the boat manufacturers and the main boatyards are actually busy for the next season. There are still many projects of marina rejuvenation, and pontoon manufacturers seem to report pretty good sales. The demand of berths in coastal marinas is still sustained and the most coveted ones notice a rise of their waiting list…

Even if we have seen newcomers and younger boating participants for the first time in many years, last summer, the fact that a strong part of our customers is over 60 might be a major asset. Our customers are usually retired and collect a pension. Their income has not been impacted so much by the sanitary crisis, they leave on the coast or away from the big cities and have not suffered as much as active people during the last months. If boating becomes a leisure for senior people, it might finally be good news!

Therefore, we must pay a particular attention to the ergonomics of our product offer, and this is what the major boatbuilders and marina equipment manufacturers do. Easing the movements around the boat, putting the right handrail or grab bar where it is suitable, on the boat but on the gangways to access the pontoons too… EBI Breakfast Meeting at Boot Düsseldorf put this issue at its presentation a few years ago. This is more relevant than ever!

In a world where constraints and regulations are a threat to freedom, there is nothing more cheerful than surfing in the waves when it’s windy, rainy and cold. Surfboarders, kite surfers, windsurfers, nothing can stop them, even in January 2021 when the pandemic is at its peak.

This is what I see when I walk on the beach, and this is tremendously encouraging. Boating is not only for senior citizens, but the last space of liberty for younger ones!

Jean-Michel Gaigné CMM | GMBA-France
+ 33 682 112 524
jm.gaigne@gmba.blue

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Disclaimer: Global Marine Business Advisors and its associated website www.gmba.blue are not registered legal entities. GMBA is a network of independent marine industry advisors. In all articles the opinions expressed are those of the author and does not necessarily reflect those of GMBA

Article by Jean-Michel Gaigné CMM

This is a translation of an article originally published in the French corporate tourism magazine ‘Juristourisme’ in 2018.

The marinas in France are characterized by three main factors, which makes them unique, and which alone explains why their service offering still shows a preoccupant deficiency in many yacht harbours.

Most of them, developed between the 1970s and 1990s, were built with public funds, then granted as concessions to public bodies ranging from direct municipal management to Chambers of Commerce and Industry, including public or semi-public corporations, and more recently local public companies, with the notable exception of the ports of the French Riviera, often managed by private businesses, and a few rare examples on the Atlantic coast.

Thanks to moderate tariffs maintained over a period, these ports have experienced fairly rapid success, culminating in a lack of berths, leading to waiting lists, and many disgruntled would-be customers in recent years.

And finally, apart from the marinas on the Mediterranean coast which have always had a certain percentage of foreign customers, French marinas are mainly used by French citizens, often local inhabitants living near their home port …

Hassle-free operations

Without wanting to caricature the situation, nor to neglect the goodwill shown by many municipal employees assigned to a marina, the culture of service has never been the prerogative of the public service, whose employees are neither trained in customer relations, nor made aware of the levers of customer satisfaction. The ease with which many ports filled up and the pressure on demand led to a widespread belief that the loss of a customer didn’t matter much, as there were plenty more waiting in the queue. There was also no great pressure to boost the attractiveness of marinas and with customers living close by or in possession of a holiday home in the vicinity, the low level of competition between them reduced the need for improved services. What is the point of offering real bathrooms in the sanitary facilities, a fitness room, a swimming pool, a television lounge in the harbour master’s office and high-speed WiFi when most customers have all the comforts at home, half an hour away?

Service means business

Conversely, most Australian, American, British, Spanish, Italian, Turkish or Slovenian marinas are managed by private companies, making customer service the basis of their offering, because it guarantees the development of their turnover and the profitability that their shareholders expect. It is also the differentiating factor between competitors because these marinas do not all have a 100% occupancy rate and are constantly looking for new customers.

The berthing rates are often higher tending to attract wealthier customers who are not only local or regional, but come from all over Europe and particularly northern and continental Europe. They are not linked, like in French marinas, to a place of residence or to family origins. A German customer would therefore decide to moor his vessel in France, Spain or Turkey, a Hungarian owner in Croatia, Slovenia or Italy, and it is mainly the level of service that will make the difference.

By quality of service, I mean several parameters. First of all, the accessibility of the marina. It’s all well and good to claim that there is an airport nearby but it needs efficient air links with many destinations, and that a shuttle is provided between the airport and the marina … Then there are the opening hours of the marina office, staff on duty 7 days a week, a reception manned 24 hours a day, personnel able to speak in the language of the customer, reliable technical, maintenance and repair services, good level of equipment, assistance to meet any request, and above all the motivation of marina employees to try harder to satisfy the customer…

Integrated services, thus coordinated

French marinas tend to present a discontinuous level of service with uncoordinated sub-contractors, while most international yacht harbours offer totally integrated services. Most of the time in France, the marina operator manages the berths, often also lifting services and hard standing, but this is not always the case. The marinas do not manage the maintenance or repair of boats (provided by private boatyards), nor the sale of chandlery and boat equipment by independent retailers, nor the bars and restaurants located in the port, nor the clubhouse in the hands of a local yacht club, or even a small supermarket …

As a consequence, yachtsmen stopping over in a marina may find themselves caught out by the fact that it is the engineer’s day off, the restaurant on the marina is on vacation, the yacht club is open only on weekends, the marina office does not offer bike rental and there is no shop within less than 15 minutes on foot… In the United Kingdom, in Belgium, in the Netherlands or in Scandinavia, the yacht harbours offer bars-restaurants supervised by the marina, and their operation is naturally coordinated with the activity of the latter … In Spain, Portugal, Croatia, and the UK, there are many marinas providing all maintenance and repair services for customers’ boats, a chandlery, the repair of sails, and running a small grocery store, counting if necessary on sub- contractors or by granting services to tenants over which they have authority. Finally, in the United States, most of the large marinas offer boat rentals, and membership boat clubs.

Things are moving forward in French marinas!

The most dynamic and best structured marinas have been able to overcome this situation. The others must follow. Of course, the dominant model at the international level cannot be transposed to France, as our history, our practice and our management methods are different. But changes in consumption habits, slowing demand and ageing customers have triggered an electric shock that has stimulated creativity, and generated innovative responses.

Thus, the marinas of the “Compagnie des Ports du Morbihan”, whose dynamics have long been based on coordinated management at French “Departement” level and which have adopted the status of a Local Public Company, gives them an agility to introduce innovation. With “à la carte” contracts that combine hard standing and wet berthing according to the customer’s wishes, the company has made it possible to meet demand in a particularly sought-after navigation area. The berth holder is systematically cared for, since all handling and technical operations are addressed by the marina staff.

With “Morbi’Embark”, these same marinas can also offer boat owners the opportunity to find crew, by offering opportunities to enthusiasts wishing to sail. An approach based on sharing, which allows those who do not have a boat to navigate and enrich their knowledge … with the secret hope that they will become the customers of tomorrow.

“Sellor”, a semi-public company which manages several ports around Lorient, has also seized upon the changes in customer expectations. This operator did not hesitate to create, in partnership with local professionals, the “Breizh Boat Club”. This subscription option allows you to navigate without constraint on a motorboat or sailboat while paying in monthly instalments and whilst boat clubs are starting to flourish all along the French coastline, very few marinas involve themselves to promote such ‘pay and play’ offers. “Sellor” goes even further by offering its customers boating coaching courses, likely to secure and empower its berth holders, as well as coastal license training for those who are just starting out. And a few years ago, they installed a sauna for their customers in the marina of Lorient …

In “Saint-Quay Port d’Armor”, the public marina authority has focused on customer service by developing a concierge service, with a staff 100% dedicated to this task, during the season. With its “Smart Attitude” formula, boaters are offered all kinds of services ranging from bicycle and car rental to restaurant reservations, management of repairs and technical services, deliveries on board, or offered other leisure activities. For its part, La Rochelle marina authority offers its customers, permanent berth holders and visitors, free access to more than 200 titles from the digital press, French and European newspapers and magazines, only accessible only through the marina’s WiFi portal. The Nice-Côte d’Azur Chamber of Commerce promotes boat rentals in the yacht harbours of Nice, Antibes, Golfe-Juan and Cannes, by offering its clients to look after the rental management of their boat, when they are not using it, to a partner company of the marina. The marina of Gruissan, on the western Med coast, at the forefront of the E.U “Odyssea” program, has set up a cultural and multimedia space in its marina office, as well as a store selling regional products, and has created an eco-station, offering electric vehicle rentals. The seaside resort is further promoted to visiting boats via a digital itinerary accessible from a buoy transmitter in the outer harbour using two GPS waypoints, and all local nautical service providers are associated to this initiative.

A personalised customer relationship

These few, non-exhaustive examples show that there are fortunately marinas that have acknowledged the changes affecting consumer expectations and behaviour. I deliberately did not address the issue of the collaborative economy which also affects the marina industry and which like a few marinas such as La Rochelle have intelligently embraced, but it is all about customer service.

An American newsletter called “The Marina Minute” recently recalled: “When a customer arrives at the harbourmaster’s office, and asks you a question, if you are not able to satisfy him, you deserve no credit. If you are just responding positively to his request, then you have done no more and no less than your job. If however, in addition to having responded to his wishes, you took the opportunity to offer him advice or offer him another service, then you can consider that you have succeeded”. You always have to go beyond the customer’s expectations.

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Disclaimer: Global Marine Business Advisors and its associated website www.gmba.blue are not registered legal entities. GMBA is a network of independent marine industry advisors. In all articles the opinions expressed are those of the author and does not necessarily reflect those of GMBA