Marina Company Ltd. stay aware of the latest standards and services, said the local manager.

Mr. Mark Osinga said yesterday that Dockyard Marina recently joined IMI and that he attended the 1994 conference in Dallas earlier this year.

"Significant emphasis was placed on environmental and safety standards to help marinas lead the way to ensure safe and enjoyable boating. Many of the ideas will find their way into our normal operations,'' he added.

The conference included various information about disposal of hazardous material like fibreglass, cleaning and repair items.

"We joined as a result of our own initiative to see what other marinas are doing and to generate ideas for Dockyard Marina,'' he continued.

IMI, based in Rhode Island, started about eight years ago. Mr. Osinga was among a group representing 100 marinas at the Dallas conference.

The marina is planning to continue to enhance contacts with customers through a newsletter and plans are in the works for a sewage pump station.

Dockyard Marina has 60 boat slips, operates the convenience store and fuel station.

The marina also hosts an annual boat show and efforts by the marina as well as sailing entities RBYC and RHADC, and the West End Development Corporation (WEDCO) to organise a "Dockyard to Dockyard'' race from Nelson's Dockyard in Antigua to Bermuda's Dockyard. "Several boaters make their way from the Caribbean to the East coast of the US in spring and this race, announced earlier this year, would draw them to Bermuda and be a boost for tourism,'' Mr. Osinga explained.