One of the biggest marina constructions in Turkey and the Mediterranean Sea is well on the way to completion.
One of the biggest marina constructions in Turkey and the Mediterranean Sea is well on the way to completion.
The Dogus Group are constructing the D-Marin Didim which should be completed by June 2009 is going faster than expected, in a statement, Ali Erkan Bezirgan General Director of Dogus Marinas said; “Didim Marina is very important both for the Turkish coastal navigation (Istanbul- ÇeÅŸme-KuÅŸadası-Bodrum-Datça-Marmaris-Fethiye) and the Mediterranean Sea (Samos, Kalimnos, Leros and Patmos islands of Greece) for its location. Didim will benefit hugely from the marina”.
During the exclusive visit by The Didymian to the Didim Marina, the plans and the project locations are photographed for the first time, after the outline construction work has been completed. The marina consists of a yacht club, a small shopping mall, banks, restaurants, sports club, heliport and mainly technical departments which are announced as the 2nd biggest dry dock area in the whole of all Europe.
It is also officially announced in another important point that Didim marina is only 20 nautical miles from the other Dogus marina on the Bodrum peninsula D-marin Turgutreis. The dry dock capacity there is only 150 boats whereas 1000 boats are mooring in the sea. Didim could become the service area for the sum total of all boats currently mooring there.”
Some of the highest service technology available in Europe
It is also stated that part of the $52 million spent on Didim Marina ensures the Marina will have some of the highest technology available in Europe for its service sector. The moored boats will have electricity, water and gas supply as standard like in all marinas plus, internet, telephone and TV connection as additional to other marinas. “These days, marinas are not only for mooring the boats, it is also a social activity and event place for a large number of seagoing groups and families. This must be taken into consideration” said Mr. Ali Erkan Mezirgan, Dogus Marinas General Director.
He also mentioned that D-Marin Didim will be one of the few marinas in the Mediterranean to supply all the necessary technical service required for mega yachts over 50 metres. “There will be huge service areas available here. The travel lifts have the capacity to easily lift 300 tonnes. This will be one of the premier marinas in the world, and needs to have the comprehensive technical and mechanical capability to carry this task out effectively”
Nature will be protected
It is also underlined by the Didim Marina technical staff that the marina is one of the most nature friendly marinas in the world. The marina will have a waste disposal area for all waste products that can be discharged by sea going vessels, whether that be from the bilge tanks, poisonous yacht paints or other chemical materials used in the marina.
The authorities for the marina say that they are well ahead of the scheduled completion date for the marina and expect it to be fully operational by May 2009. The project manager said “We are waiting for a delivery of flora and fauna to come from Syria and Egypt to enable us to start landscaping, time and conditions are helping us. We are way ahead in terms of the proposed completion date.”
President to Open
It is also said that the President, Abdullah Gul, Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Ministers, Deputies and other high ranking bureaucrats will attend the official opening ceremony in July 2009.
