Floating infrastructure is redefining marina development, but only if it’s done properly

Floating infrastructure is emerging as a practical response to one of the marine industry’s most persistent constraints: land scarcity. For Tytti Sirola, founder of Bluet Floating Solutions, that issue sits at the very heart of the opportunity.

“We started thinking: what is actually the problem we’re solving? And it’s really, really simple. It’s a lack of land,” she explains.

The company designs and builds scalable, sustainable infrastructure on water. That includes structures like restaurants, sports facilities, and housing which allow cities and developers to expand onto water without permanently altering the coastline.

Rather than treating water as a limitation, Sirola sees it as the next logical extension of coastal development. “The only way to extend is the waterfront and the waterside,” she says.

Sirola highlights regions such as the Balearics as particularly relevant, where developed coastlines, strong marine activity, and limited available land combine to create a strong case for offshore expansion. More broadly, island nations and dense urban waterfronts are emerging as key growth areas.

From berth income to destination-led waterfront economies

In practice, floating infrastructure is helping marinas evolve beyond traditional service points into multi-use destinations. Operators are increasingly using floating assets to create new revenue streams.

“People want more than just the electricity,” Sirola notes. The result is a broader transformation of marina economics from static infrastructure to dynamic, experience-driven waterfront ecosystems.

It’s a destination resort-type pitch, rather than an isolated piece of real estate, she says.

Stakeholder complexity and the reality of delivering floating projects

Sirola emphasises that delivering floating infrastructure is rarely straightforward. Projects sit at the intersection of multiple stakeholder groups, each with different priorities and expectations.

Bluet works with a raft of stakeholders, each balancing different drivers, from investment return and operational cost to permitting, community impact, and long-term maintenance. This creates a complex delivery environment where commercial, regulatory, and social considerations must all be aligned before a project can move forward.

Engineering integrity and the importance of “true floating”

Despite growing interest in waterfront development, Sirola is clear that not all “floating” infrastructure in the market is the same. She draws a distinction between true floating systems and fixed structures built on piles.

Bluet’s approach focuses on genuinely floating, relocatable systems that respond differently than seabed-fixed construction to environmental and regulatory conditions. However, Sirola stresses that no single method is universally correct.

“Every site is so different,” she explains. “You don’t choose the method of construction without knowing what’s beneath.” That assessment process determines whether floating, piled, or land-based solutions are most appropriate – balancing environmental impact, cost, and long-term performance.

Engineering complexity, environmental balance, and long-term responsibility

While floating infrastructure is often presented as a flexible alternative to land reclamation or piled construction, Sirola is careful to underline its technical demands.

“It is truly an engineering solution,” she says. Floating systems must account for structural integrity, user comfort, environmental conditions, and durability over time. For Sirola, this makes quality non-negotiable. “If it sinks, we’re out of business,” she says.

Sirola’s message is not that floating infrastructure replaces traditional construction, but that it expands the toolkit for coastal development – provided it is applied with the right technical, environmental, and commercial understanding.

Examples of the company’s work are available on its website.

About the Founder Podcast Series

This discussion forms part of the Founder Podcast Series, a collaboration between Yachting Ventures, Marine Industry News, and the Ben Taylor Podcast. The series explores innovation, leadership, and the evolving opportunities across the marine and yachting sectors.

The episode was recorded onboard M/Y Sheergold at the Palma International Boat Show, with thanks to Hill Robinson for providing the venue.