While the world has witnessed dramatic changes in many areas and in many senses in recent years, of course, the marina sector is not lagging behind. Marinas also seek to capture the rhythm of life with creative solutions to changing needs. Setur Marinas, which has been pioneering the marina sector in Turkey for nearly 50 years, has always been one of the engines of change. So much so that if you turn your head away for a while, you might miss an innovation. In order to avoid this situation, we talked with Setur Marinas General Manager Emre Doruk and had the opportunity to listen to the exciting developments from him personally.

 

 

Kayhan Yavuz: I know there are important developments at Setur Marinas. Let's start with the first big news. A new venture with a new name.

 

Emre Doruk: Let me give you an even fresher news before that fresh news. Together with Makyol Group, we have been awarded the tender for the Demre marina by the General Directorate of Infrastructure. This is a very exciting development for us. Apart from Antalya, Kaş and Finike, Demre was a point where we saw great potential in that region. It is a great spot where the infrastructure and breakwater have been well built by the state, and we will undertake the superstructure of it. So we are creating a new story in Demre. We don't use it much in tourism, but as you know, it is the place of Santa Claus, a symbol recognized by the whole world. It is a very important and meaningful place for Russian Orthodox. Every season about 200-odd thousand Orthodox Russians visit the place for pilgrimage. Therefore, Demre has a natural tourism ecosystem. With this marina, we hope to create a living space there and increase the tourism of Demre.

 

KY: Honestly, this is a surprise for me. I was expecting some other news from you.

 

ED: Then let me give you another surprise. We are bringing a unique and innovative solution to a problem that yachtsmen suffer from a great deal. We are currently preparing to build a catamaran base. Recently, the sale of catamaran boats has increased and our catamaran guests have increased as well. However, since catamarans take up one and a half spaces in marinas instead of one boat, there was unfortunately a shortage of space. Now we will establish a catamaran base and create a marina designed for catamarans. Since this place will be built from scratch, pontoon spacing, pontoon sizes, physical configuration and everything will be for catamarans. For example, we will make our lift pool 8 meters, we will choose the lifts we will buy accordingly. I will keep the location of it as a secret for now, but our goal is to open Turkey's first catamaran base at the end of 2024.

 

KY: Both are indeed exciting news for yachtsmen. You also have a new initiative on car parking services. I'll say its name then: Ören Rib & Refit Park. First of all, let me ask you about the idea behind this new initiative.

 

ED: The philosophy behind our job is actually this: We make innovations in our marinas according to the changing world and trends. As you know, in recent years, we have been experiencing an accelerating change all over the world with the pandemic. It is almost a change of era. This change is clearly reflected in the way we do business. With isolation coming to the fore after the pandemic, people have tended to own boats and take family vacations individually and in small groups. Boat prices have also changed, and so boating, which was seen as a thing for rich people, is now being adopted as a hobby by more and more people. Today, for example, cars on our highways are almost more expensive than boats. Of course, this is a matter of preference, a way of life, rather than a matter of money. We are also a society interested in learning. Therefore, there is a shift towards boating.

 

Now, when we, as Setur Marinas, looked at what we could do, we took the car parking areas, which are a fundamental part of marina operations, into consideration. We thought that we should show our corporate identity in the car parking areas. Of course, these works are being done, but we see that they are done in a very primitive way region by region. There is no standard in many places. I mean, there are boatyards, but for example, there is no insurance, etc. Yes, they are economically attractive, but no one has the luxury to have something done twice anymore. There is also the risk factor. A boat is an asset that needs to be safe and cannot be entrusted to just anyone. After all, you need to feel safe for your family, your spouse, your children, and first and foremost for yourself. In this respect, it is a vital issue that the watercraft is properly maintained. It is not like a car! You can pull the car on the road, make a phone call, call a taxi, someone will come to help you, but at sea you are faced with the conditions of nature, you are on your own. Where does it start? It is a process that starts from the good fastening of the chain of the windlass and goes all the way to the paint and the tacks of the boat. This is different on a motor yacht, different on a small boat, but in the end, the work we call maintenance needs to be done constantly. To summarize, these works were being done in some way, but no one is upholding the standards. In order to at least bring a standard to this sector and add value to it, we decided to start with a small capacity. We started our service in Ören under the name Setur Rib & Refit Park.

 

 

KY: As far as I know, you are also the founder of the project.

 

ED: Not exactly the founder. It came out when we were all working together. To be honest, concepts such as a docking area were a bit primitive for the service provided here. We were in search of a concept that catches the trends. So what do we see when we look at the trends? We see the movement in the rib market. I'm talking about 8-10 meters, 11 meters, small, three engines on the back, which we call ribs. Everyone in the Aegean Region uses these rubber boats, ribs, as commuters. Obviously, these do not stop at marinas very much. What do people do? When they are not in use, in the winter season, they put them in a trailer and keep them in a safe place until the season opens, and say goodbye to them until May. When you look at our marinas, these are taking the place of other boats. So there is something like this in the market, especially in Bodrum and Çeşme regions. There is a lot of growth in the rib market and we have colleagues who do this very well. For example, there are systems with shelf systems. So we said, let's do it at Setur standards and that's how we set out.

 

KY: Will the customers of Setur Marinas have any privileges here?

 

ED: Naturally, a boat holding a contract with our marinas will enjoy distinct privileges. We are dedicated to ensuring this exceptional treatment. However, it's worth noting that we've embarked on a novel venture that extends beyond these marinas. Our scope now encompasses the entire Aegean Region, encompassing the broader Turkish maritime industry. While we don't claim to be inventing the wheel, there is an inherent reassurance that comes hand in hand with association to Setur Marinas, apart from the services we provide. Introducing land parking services under the umbrella of Setur Marinas and upholding impeccable standards, I find, is an innovation in its own right. I must admit, it ignites a strong sense of enthusiasm within us.

 

KY: So, is there a special reason why you chose Ören to start this service?

 

ED: An opportunity arose in Ören where we encountered a favorable prospect. Ark Yachting possessed a parcel of land, and after prolonged negotiations, we secured a lease for this area. However, beyond the logistics, Ören holds a special place in our hearts. Specifically, within the realm of maritime activities, including yacht chartering and maritime tourism, the Gökova Gulf, a key hub for Turkey's sales, remains a steadfast epicenter of yacht traffic. Although Setur Marinas currently lacks a presence in this locale, our establishment of Rib & Refit Park marks a significant stride forward. This initiative allows us to stake a claim in the Gökova-Ören vicinity. Looking ahead, I envision expanding this service to several additional regions, naturally while actively seeking suitable opportunities for such expansions.

 

 

KY: We started from Demre, we talked about projects and we came to Ören, but what about after that? Is there anything else you haven't mentioned yet?

 

ED: Expanding marinas is not something that is up to me, I can't just walk around with a bag in my hand and say let's build a marina there. There are long and sensitive processes. Either you will get the allocation from the state, or it will be put out to tender, or it will be put out to tender by the Ministry of Transportation, or it will be put out to tender by the municipality. Therefore, in these processes, supply has been slow in the face of demand. But we need to look at what other things we can do, what other services we can offer, not just a marina.

 

At this point, we will estimate what's coming next and we want to take advantage of all the opportunities that come our way. There may be some growth that we cannot achieve in Turkey due to competition, in other words, there may be places where we will be restricted. If we need to expand our business, we need to go to other geographies, frankly, due to the nature of the business. Therefore, we have a strategy to expand our marina business not only in Turkey, but also in the Mediterranean region or even in distant geographies if necessary. Of course, this is not such an easy thing. There are legal processes and there must be opportunities in the market. A product must be on sale or a demand must come. There are geographies we are interested in, but I will not share them for now. But you can think of the Mediterranean basin for now.

 

KY: And finally... What would you ask yourself if you were in my place?

 

ED: What would I ask? I think I would ask about the prices. Everyone's complaint is the prices.

 

KY: Okay, I'll ask that then, what about the prices?

 

ED: Of course, this is a result of the economic cycle. I think what needs to be done here is to act fast, to pave the way for investments and to pave the way for everything. The supply needs to meet the demand as soon as possible, but it also needs to be done homogeneously. For instance, Göcek presently boasts five marinas. However, should a sixth marina be constructed in Göcek, it's likely that demands for a seventh and even a seventeenth would soon follow suit. This phenomenon is due to the unique allure of Göcek – a sentiment similarly shared by Kalamış Fenerbahçe. The latter location holds a distinct charm; embarking from this point and encircling Cape Moda swiftly leads you past Mühürdar, Haydarpaşa, and along the Bosphorus – each just one and a half nautical miles apart. This journey commences, and barely a mile and a half later, you arrive at Kınalıada, from which you can venture forth to explore the enchanting quartet of Princess Islands, akin to the experience in Göcek. Yet, this pattern knows no bounds. It's imperative not to perpetually fixate on the same locales. Beyond lie places like Yalova and Tuzla, waiting to be discovered. After all, the essence of boating resides in exploration. By altering our customary routines, I firmly believe we can usher in improvements, catalyzing the rapid advancement of maritime sailing in Turkey, thereby amplifying the gratification we all derive from the boating experience.

 

 

Interview: Kayhan Yavuz, Setur Marinas Highlights Editor