Suttel Group invests in second dry stack facility

The Suttel Group is to open a new dry stack facility with a capacity of up to 320 boats in Carnon, France, with plans for two further developments.

The dry stack storage facility is the second marine investment for the group. In 2004, the group opened a dry stack in Palavas-les-Flots capable of accommodating 500 boats.

The latest facility is due to open in late spring 2025.

“Compared to a floating port, a dry port offers several advantages, especially in terms of maintenance costs,” explained Suttel Group head Jean-Frédéric Suttel.

“Boats parked out of the water will always have a clean hull, in particular. Such an arrangement constitutes a good alternative in terms of overall costs that owners must pay.”

He added: “Today, in France, there are 54,000 unsatisfied requests for berths. All the marinas are full, and it is always difficult for a coastal town that has one to get the green light to increase its capacity.”

The Suttel Group won the concession for the port of Carnon in January 2024 for a period of 35 years, following a call for applications from the Mauguio town hall.

“We let the summer season pass, then launched the development and modernization work,” said Jean-Frédéric.

The Sutton Group is also applying for two other calls for tenders on the Languedoc coast for the development of similar facilities.

The new facilities add to other dry stack facilities on the Languedoc coastline including at Canet-en-Roussillon in the Pyrénées-Orientales, at Sète and Cap d’Agde in Hérault.

The Suttel Group is known for motorbike sales.

Suttel Marine was launched in 1965 by Jean Suttel, father of Jean-Frédéric, with facilities in Palavas-les-Flots, La Grande-Motte and Port Camargue where he manufactured his own boats.

“We have had extensive expertise in nautical activities for three generations,” said Jean-Frédéric.

“The trend in marinas is to make room for large boats. And to install the smaller ones in dry ports.”