Published on: May 17, 2025 / update from: May 17, 2025 - Author: Konrad Wolfenstein
Automatic Dry Stack Marina: Automated storage systems for yachts and boats - the development in the marina industry - Image: Xpert.digital
Automated boat storage: The future of the marina
How automation solves the lack of space in Marinas
The automated boat storage, also known as “Automatic Dry Stack Marina”, represents a significant innovation in the field of marina and boat storage. These systems combine the latest automation technologies with efficient storage methods to keep boats safe and space -saving. With computer -controlled precision and specialized transport mechanisms, these systems enable significantly higher storage capacity than conventional methods and at the same time offer improved protection for the stored water vehicles.
Basic concepts and functional of automated boat stores
The basic idea of an automated boat bearing is to accommodate boats and yachts on a shelf structure, with computer-controlled systems ensure deposit and outsourcing. In contrast to conventional “Dry Stack” marinas, which rely on forklifts and manual handling, automated systems use specialized technology for more efficiency, security and capacity.
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Types and technological approaches
There are various technological approaches for automated boat stores:
- Crane-based systems: These use bridge or portal cranes on rails that are equipped with special lifting platforms. These systems can move boats precisely and store at different heights. They often enable fully automated operation without human intervention.
- Shelf control units with forklift masts: These systems consist of a bridge crossing in the upper part of the warehouse with a forklift mast that can typically operate between 3 and 6 boat heights. They offer high performance with low maintenance.
- Automated management vehicles (AGVS): These transport mobile storage frames and frames between the water and the individual processing stations. You work in connection with a control system that ensures continuous material flow and can adapt flexibly to changes in priority.
- Fully automated systems: Solutions such as Autodockit use a rack and rail system with electrical engines (without forklift, overhead cranes or hydraulics) for the transport of boats from the water directly into the warehouse structure.
Functional
The typical process in an automated boat camp is as follows:
- A boat is lifted out of the water via a lifting platform or picked up by a trailer in a domestic system.
- The computer -controlled system identifies the boat and its assigned storage space.
- An automated transport and lifting system moves the boat to its storage area.
- If necessary, the system can also carry out automatic cleaning of the boat to remove salt water.
- If the owner requests his boat, the process is reversed, and the boat is automatically transported to the water or the pick -up station.
The Asar automation systems, for example, can achieve a throughput rate of 20-30 boats per hour, while the systems of Marina Vela Barcelona guarantee a boat delivery within 5-8 minutes.
Asar automation systems
Asar automation systems are automated storage systems especially for the storage of boats and yachts in so-called Dry Stack Marinas. The abbreviation asar stands for "Automated Storage and Retrieval" and refers to a strap-driven, computer-controlled system that booted and outsourced fully automatically. The technology replaces traditional forklifts or crane systems and enables much higher storage density, more security and lower operating costs.
The Asar system consists of a shelf structure in which boats can be stored on top of each other on several levels. An automated transport system moves the boats precisely between water and storage space. The control takes place centrally and can provide boats within a few minutes. The systems are designed for different boat sizes and weights and can also store larger and heavier boats on the top levels. The systems are operated electrically and can also be supplied with solar energy.
The essential advantages of Asar automation systems include:
- Significantly increased storage capacity on the same base area
- Lower personnel requirements and lower operating costs
- Improved protection of the boats from environmental influences and theft
- Fast and comfortable provision of the boats for the users
- Reduced emissions, since no more diesel -powered forklifts are necessary
Asar systems are used in modern, fully automated marinas and are considered a future-oriented solution for efficient and safe boat storage.
Advantages of automated boat storage
The automation of boat storage systems offers numerous advantages for both marine drivers and for boat owners.
For marinaburitors
- Drastically increased storage capacity: Automated systems can increase the storage density by 30-50% without enlarging the area of the system. In some systems, the capacity is even possible.
- Reduced operating costs: The operation of an automated system such as Asar costs about $ 15 per hour and only requires periodic maintenance. In addition, fewer employees are required because automated systems take over the workload.
- Improved security: The elimination of forklifts and human handling significantly reduces the risk of damage, operating errors and failures of devices.
- Optimized land use: In densely built -up urban Marinas, land is a precious asset. Automated systems can stack the height of boat parking spaces and thus release valuable water front surfaces for other uses.
- Higher income: Due to the increased storage capacity and the possibility of additional services such as maintenance bays, naval drivers can significantly increase their income.
For boat owners
- Weather protection: Boats are protected against solar radiation, bird droppings and other environmental influences, which extends their lifespan.
- Cost savings: Storage in the dry dock can be cheaper than a water creation, and there are also no costs for antifouling paints, wintering and frequent lifting and lowering.
- Increased security: Since nobody has unauthorized access to the boats, they are better protected against theft and vandalism.
- Comfortable use: Boat owner can request your boat via app or by phone and find it in the water when you arrive, ready for the descent.
- Elimination of diesel soot and exhaust gases: Since automated systems are operated electrically, there is no load due to exhaust gases and soot that could deposit on the boat.
Technical specifications and capacities
The performance of automated boat stores varies depending on the system and manufacturer:
- Boat size and weight: Most systems can absorb boats up to 9 meters length and 4 tons of weight. More advanced systems such as Autodockit can store boats up to 50 feet (about 15 meters) length and a weight of £ 40,000 (about 18 tons) on the upper floors.
- Storage capacity: The systems range from smaller installations with around 200 parking spaces to large networks such as the Port ADHOC Group with over 4,000 boat storage places in Europe.
- Stacking height: Modern systems can store boats at a large height, for example up to 65 feet (about 20 meters) at Asar.
- Operating costs: The operation of a system like Asar costs about $ 15 per hour, significantly less than conventional forklift systems.
Leading providers and their solutions
The market for automated boat storage systems is characterized by several specialized providers:
- Asar Automation: offers a belt -driven automated warehouse system that can store several boats in depth on one level and also heavy boats on the top shelf.
- Dasher Lawless (Autodockit): offers fully automated boat storage with two solutions: Coastal for boats directly from the water and domestically for trailer boats. The system only uses electric motors and dispenses with forklifts or overhead cranes.
- Capria: Specialized in semi -automatic and manual shelf control units that can be individually adapted to the project requirements. The systems can move boats up to 35 feet (about 10.6 meters).
- Port ADHOC: operates a network of 11 dry stacks Marinas in France, the Netherlands and Sweden with a total capacity of over 4,000 seats.
- Rotadock: offers a patented automated system for booting and storing with individual boat brackets, laser-guided storage and PIN-activated access.
Case studies of successful implementations
Several projects demonstrate the successful implementation of automated boat storage systems:
- Gulf Star Marina: The world's first fully automated Marina, located in Fort Myers Beach, Florida, uses the Asar system.
- Marina Vela Barcelona: has a fully automated, state -of -the -art dry marina with a capacity of 222 boats up to 9 meters length and 4 tons of weight.
- Automated luxury boat warehouse with Trutegra technology: a dry stapper building on a channel with access to the Atlantic Ocean, which includes four levels under one roof and can take up boats up to 52 feet (about 15.8 meters).
Space -saving multimodal storage: boat and vehicle in a system
The future of automated boat storage is shaped by several trends:
- Integration with smart marina concepts: Increasing digitization and networking enable the integration of boat storage systems into comprehensive smart marina solutions with app control and real-time monitoring.
- Sustainability: The trend is more environmentally friendly solutions, such as Asar systems that can be fully operated with solar energy.
- Multimodal integration: combination of boot and vehicle storage in a system, as offered by Automated Marine Technologies, to optimally use space in urban marinas.
- Extended services: integration of automatic cleaning systems, loading devices for boat batteries and maintenance bays.
Efficient use of marinated areas by smart warehouse solutions
Automated boat storage systems represent a significant evolution in the marina industry. They offer more efficient use of valuable marinafs, improved protection for boats and an improved experience for boat owners. Through the combination of automation technologies with specialized storage concepts, these systems create added value for everyone involved - from naval drivers who can increase their income, to boat adults that benefit from lower maintenance costs and more convenient access.
The increasing spread of this technology in Europe and North America indicates that automated boat storage systems will in future take a growing share in the marin automation market. With progressive technological development and increasing awareness of the advantages of these systems, it can be expected that further Marinas will switch to automated solutions in order to remain competitive and to meet the increasing requirements of boat users.
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