Poralu Marine Wins Contract for the Supply and Operation of Floating Installations for Rowing Events at the 2024 Olympic Games
Following a tender process, the Ile-de-France regional authorities and the French federations for Rowing and Canoe-Kayak have chosen Poralu Marine to build the installations for the 2024 Olympic Games and bring the rowing centre at Vaires Torcy lake up to international standards. The selection endorses Poralu Marine’s expertise and decades of experience in the design of high-end floating installations for elite practitioners of water sports.
A lot is at stake in this internationally renowned competition. Poralu Marine, the world’s premier designer and builder of aluminium marinas, will deploy its specific range of products boasting cutting-edge technology to ensure the facilities at the venue perform to Olympic standards and provide optimal conditions for the sportsmen and women competing at the games.
As the leader in the design and construction of aluminium docks and marinas, Poralu Marine has always built floating installations dedicated to the practice of water sports and aquatic leisure activities, including starting lines, pontoons, medal ceremony docks and swim platforms. It is their 35-year on-going investment in the development of innovative high-performance solutions that has made the company a key partner for canoe-kayak and rowing clubs and federations, and enabled it to win the bid for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
“The confidence shown by the Paris region authorities testifies to our leadership in the design and construction of floating installations for elite sporting events. It is an excellent reference to use in the field for our future international projects. Our experience highlights our perfect understanding of the sport and its requirements, and especially of safety issues. Making the Vaires Torcy lake comply with international standards will, in the long run, mean sporting events can be held at the venue in optimal functional and environmental conditions,” explains Edouard Poncelin, Sales Manager for West and Central France at Poralu Marine.
Poralu Marine will carry out the following work.
• Disassembly, removal, and recycling of former installations and improvements to the launch slipway
• Manufacturing, supply, and commissioning of new floating installations complying with international standards
• Supply and installation of automatic starting gates and of the Albano lane system, which is a method of marking lanes in water for kayak, canoe and rowing events using lines of buoys
35 years of experience and international success
Poralu Marine, based in the Ain department in France, has been installing its equipment throughout the world for more than 35 years, with 80% of its revenue coming from international sales. The Paris region and sporting federations will benefit from the extensive know-how that Poralu-Marine has accumulated from its international presence, not least from the company’s previous experience of prestigious competitions, in particular Olympic Games.
The company designed and manufactured facilities for the London Olympic and Paralympic games in 2012, the Singapore Youth Olympic Games in 2010, the World Rowing Championships in Lucerne (Switzerland) in 2001, the World Rowing Junior Championship in Brive-la-Gaillarde in 2009 and the World Rowing Championship in Aiguebelette in 1997.
2015 Pan American Games – Welland International Flatwater Center (Canada)
Modular installations by Poralu Marine for a multisport project
“Thanks to the performance of Poralu Marine’s products and services, Welland International Flatwater Center convinced the international federations that it was the best choice of venue to hold international competitions in rowing, canoe sprint, dragon boating, canoe polo and open water swimming. Our installations are modular so the water venue can be easily modified for each new event then reconverted to cater for its initial purpose,” said Léa Carminati, Marketing Manager at Poralu Marine.
High-end, modular, innovative products
The in-house design office at Poralu Marine designed solutions and accessories to meet the Committee’s specifications. The company has dedicated its experience and expertise in innovations to the service of this prestigious competition and offers high-end modular products that are durable. Its floating pontoons provide high-performance solutions that are resilient and respect the natural environment where they are installed. They are suitable for elite sporting competitions and meet the strictest standards for performance and safety.
Particularly important features are the wide choice of accessories such as the fold-down cleats, launching rollers, and recessed handles. In addition, floating pontoons and docks have non-slip metal decking.
Installations will respect the natural ecosystem at Vaires-sur-Marnes to fully live up to environmental challenges
Poralu Marine is committed to protecting and conserving littoral zones, whether these are next to rivers, lakes or the sea, and integrates sustainability and longevity into the design of its products. For the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the installations will be designed and fitted in compliance with environmental standards, on a site where many protected species make their home. All the components of its equipment – in aluminium, polyethylene and polypropylene – can be reused. For example, the low freeboard docks are fitted with Ecostyle 100% recyclable decking and the floating docks are manufactured in 100% aluminium, which can also be recycled. Finally, pontoons have several separated floats as well as spaced decking which allows light through for the preservation of underwater flora and fauna.
“For 35 years, the ecological impact of our activities has been a major variable that helps determine our development. Our business model is based on the principles of respecting man and nature. For the Olympic Games, our know-how and our installations both live up to this respect so as to guarantee environmental protection and the respect of local ecosystems,” said Léa Carminati.
