John Hogan, Director of Marine Structures, discusses the company’s evolution, major marine infrastructure projects and future plans.
Please give us an introduction to Marine Structures. As Australia’s market leader in marine infrastructure and berthing systems, we’re passionate about creating projects that connect people with the water. We provide a complete design and construction service, taking projects from concept and engineering through to manufacturing and installation. No matter the size or complexity of the project, our focus is always the same: delivering quality marine structures that are practical, durable and built to serve communities for decades to come. Marine Structures was formed through the merger of The Jetty Specialist and Superior Jetties.
Talk us through the evolution of the business. The creation of Marine Structures was the culmination of two successful family businesses, each delivering exceptional marine infrastructure. Together, The Jetty Specialist and Superior Jetties bring over 75 years’ experience, and our brand values reflect this. Every day we strive to build trust through strong authentic relationships with our stakeholders.
Marine Structures delivers everything from residential pontoons and jetties through to large-scale marina and commercial marine infrastructure projects. Can you tell us about that diversity of work? One of the most exciting aspects of our business is the sheer diversity of projects we deliver. We can be constructing a custom pontoon for a waterfront homeowner, expanding a world-class marina, delivering critical boating infrastructure for a government agency and manufacturing complex floating structures for commercial applications – all at the same time. Because we design, manufacture and install in-house, we can seamlessly scale from boutique projects to major marine developments, while maintaining the same focus on quality, performance and customer outcomes.
Can you highlight a few standout projects? A few projects immediately come to mind because they demonstrate both the scale and diversity of work we undertake. We are the proud manufacturer of Australia’s largest Megayacht berth at Southport Yacht Club: an award-winning landmark project. We’ve also delivered major public infrastructure projects, including the $40 million Southern Moreton Bay Islands Ferry Terminals and the Horn Island Ferry Terminal, both of which play a vital role in connecting communities.
Across the marina sector, we’ve built world-class facilities Australia-wide including Sanctuary Cove Marina, The Boat Works, Coffs Harbour International Marina, Mackay Marina and the recently opened Mantaray Marina. More recently, we completed Brisbane’s first commercial marina at Colmslie Wharves, an exciting project that contributes to the city’s growing marine industry. Every project presents a different challenge, and the opportunity to create infrastructure that people and communities will use for decades to come.
Tell us about your career in the marine industry. My background was in engineering and business in the mining and concrete industries in both Australia and the USA. This experience certainly provided a global view of logistics and has assisted us in helping customers all over the world. I purchased Superior Jetties in 2002 from the pioneering Goody family, and Darren Goody is still part of our design team today. I truly have been fortunate to build a career in an industry I’m genuinely passionate about. Being an avid boater has given me a customer’s perspective, while involvement with organisations such as the Marina Industries Association and the Global Marina Institute have connected me with marina owners and operators worldwide. I’ve always enjoyed sharing ideas, supporting industry training and mentoring the next generation, while helping promote the Australian marine industry both locally and internationally.
What do you find most rewarding about your role as Director of Marine Structures? I love our stakeholders, our customer relationships and suppliers who make us successful. Then internally, my role as a mentor to the team is a rich and rewarding experience.
What factors do you attribute Marine Structures’ success to? Our success really comes down to three things: our people, our customers and our willingness to keep evolving. We have an incredibly experienced team with deep expertise across design, engineering, manufacturing and installation, which allows us to deliver world-class solutions. Just as importantly, we’re always looking for ways to improve, whether that’s investing in new technology, expanding our capabilities or refining how we work.
Are there any exciting developments on the horizon for Marine Structures that you can share with our readers? We are spreading our wings with the joint venture with Jetty and Marine Constructions (JMC) in Western Australia, so now our beautiful products are available in the west without the major transport headaches. We are still working on R&D to create more sustainable products, and we expect to continue to make things better for our communities.
Visit marinestructures.com.au