Fort Louis Marina Director Lisa Barrot gave a presentation on the renovation programme and timetable for the various phases. Photo by Robert Luckock.
MARIGOT--Work has started on the 5.5-million-euro renovation programme for Marina Fort Louis, as evidenced from a walk-through for the media at the Marina on Friday.
The tour was preceded by a PowerPoint presentation given by Marina Director Lisa Barrot. Initial work has started on street- and car-park-lighting outside the marina.
The Executive Council approved the renovation programme on November 20. The Collectivité took over management of Marina Fort Louis and Marina Port La Royale on January 1, 2019.
For Marina Port La Royale, exit from the Délegation Service Publique (DSP) with concession holder SEMSAMAR has not yet been completed, but it has for Fort Louis Marina.
The hold-up concerns the legal wording of an exit protocol that has to be agreed between Collectivité and SEMSAMAR before any major work can start there. It explains why Marina Fort Louis can proceed with its renovations while Marina Royale is not moving forward yet with any major investment.
“But we have carried out renovation work on the public areas of Port la Royale Marina in recent months, with a complete renovation of the deck and public lighting for an amount of 50,000 euros,” Gibbs emphasised. “More substantial improvements are being considered for this marina and we will have the opportunity to discuss them in the coming months, once the DSP release with SEMSAMAR has been definitively settled.
“For the moment, we are launching the renovation of the Fort Louis Marina for 5.5 million euros. To finance this major work, we will use the convergence contract that will soon be signed with the State.
“The ageing equipment and infrastructure of Fort Louis Marina require major rehabilitation work to be undertaken. I have asked that this work be a priority, because the recovery of our tourism economy requires a rapid response to improving the welcome for guests in the marine sector and ensuring the safety of our marinas.”
The project includes studies, infrastructure work, upgrading electricity networks and public lighting from the promenade of the West Indies Shopping Mall to the pier car park. Also planned are the renovation of the harbour master's office and Restaurant Le Yacht Club, as well as the paving and lighting on the breakwater. Work to replace the cracked sections of the concrete overlay on the breakwater starts this week.
Renovation of the marina building includes floor-to-ceiling transformation with improved accessibility to customer services, a captains and crew lounge, expanded outdoor casual dining at the Yacht Club Restaurant which will also have a new roof.
Repairs to be made to existing docks include installation of 53 “smart” pedestals that can transform voltage from anywhere in the world. These pedestals offer real-time information on water and power consumption from a smartphone, remote-controlled equipment management, an upgraded WiFi network and charging stations to power up electronics.
Repairs also need to be made to the sheet pile wall and the old jetty to plug any holes, the objective being to have complete protection from heavy swells.
Studies for the project have already been carried out and companies selected for the first phase of the work. The project should be completed in its entirety in September 2020. Gibbs said studies are also ongoing with the board of directors of the Port of Galisbay on development of Marigot Bay and Grand Case Bay.
The first phase of the development of the Marigot Waterfront, scheduled for 2020, consists of renovating the promenade in front of the cemetery. Rehabilitation of the Sandy Ground Bridge for a total amount of 1.6-million euros is underway now, with the second phase to be completed in April 2020.
Marina Fort Louis, Marigot. Photo by Robert Luckock.
