Sealite Buoys Provide Safe Navigation for Marina Community

Background

La Mer, a beachfront development in Jumeirah 1, Dubai, with dining, entertainment, hospitality, shopping, and leisure.

Located at the tip of the North Peninsula is a newly developed private residential community with a 190+ berth marina – Port de La Mer. The marina is surrounded by a promenade and residential apartments that overlook Pearl Jumeirah, an archipelago of seven residential islands. Port De La Mer offers a seafront lifestyle to attract families around the world.

Yacht owners can retreat from the bustling city of Jumeirah and leisurely take in the view of the coastline of Jumeirah Bay into the Persian Gulf, while residents have direct access to the mainland of Dubai by bridges and roads.

The Challenge

Port De La Mer’s marina and yacht club accommodates over 190 yachts. To ensure the community’s safety on the waterways due to the high marine traffic around the area, the need for proper navigation markers was identified at the entrance of the marina as well as the channels of La Mer.

Surrounding the residential community are partially submerged breakwater rock revetments which pose a safety risk to mariners. Installation of aids to navigation (AtoNs) will warn boaters and enhance safe navigation.

Solution

North West Marine L.L.C., an authorized Sealite distributor in the Gulf Cooperation Council, is located in Dubai. Two models of Sealite’s buoys were installed: SL-B1500 Navigation Buoys and SL-B700 Marker Buoys.

Sealite’s SL-B1500 Navigation Buoys complete with Sealite’s SL-75 3-5NM Solar Marine Lanterns were deployed to provide visual demarcation of the breakwater rock revetments. To navigate safely around the breakwater rock revetments, SL-B1500 buoys were supplied in vibrant channel configuration colors per IALA recommendation, but also fitted with lateral markers – starboard, port hand, and special markers. Each buoy is rotationally molded with UV-stabilized virgin polyethylene ensuring a uniform wall thickness for strength and durability. Its lightweight construction makes it easy to assemble and deploy. The internal, stainless steel bracing that connects the lifting and mooring eyes ensures even stresses during deployment or retrieval.

Sealite’s SL-75 Solar Marine Lanterns installed on the buoys provide up to 5NM visible range at night and in foul weather. Its dual high-performance solar panels are designed for maximum sunlight capture. GPS synchronization was added to each unit allowing the lights to flash in unison. Unified flashing increases visibility for the La Mer channel, enhancing safety for all vessels.

Each light comes standard with Bluetooth® technology allowing for convenient configuration and maintenance on any mobile device within 50 meters. Optional integrated Iridium® Satellite module allows users to receive full visibility and control of the asset using the Star2M portal.

Port De La Mer used Sealite’s SL-60 Solar Marine Lanterns on the SL-B700 Lateral Marker Buoys to enhance safe navigation. The SL-60’s 2-3NM range ensures visibility at night and in foul weather.

Both lantern models were utilized at fixed marker installations. Polyethylene marker poles fitted with SL-75 GPS-enabled lanterns were installed as marina entrance markers in Port De La Mer. Special marker poles with SL-75 and SL-60 lanterns were installed on the breakwater rock revetment wall and wave breaker rock wall.

Outcome

Vessels, including the community yachts, can safely navigate through the channels into La Mer and upon entering the 190-berth marina. The features of Sealite’s buoys and marine lanterns will help safely guide the high vessel traffic at La Mer and around the breakwater rock revetments. The end user and local authority are satisfied with the AtoNs installed.