Source: ICOMIA-International Council of Marine Industry Associations, (2023). Recreational Boating Industry Statistics 2022. Surrey, UK
The average capacity (in terms of the number of berths) of marinas in several countries, such as Croatia, Portugal, Poland, and the Netherlands, is relatively small. Geomorphological characteristics that limit the development of large-scale facilities contribute to this pattern.
For instance, Poland has a short coastline that constrains the establishment of high-capacity marinas; however, its extensive network of navigable rivers supports the creation of numerous smaller marinas distributed across inland waterways. A similar situation is observed in the Netherlands, where recreational boating is deeply embedded in everyday life. There, the prevalence of smaller marinas, facilitated by the country’s extensive river and canal system, enables the development of a wide network that serves large segments of the population.
In contrast, Greece, Sweden, and Turkey have an average marina capacity of approximately 250 berths, which is higher than the respective numbers observed in most other European countries. Marinas in Portugal (324 berths) and Spain (354 berths) have, on average, more berthing facilities than the rest of European countries.