AI - Practical Applications for Marinas
by Marinas26 24 Apr 05:15 UTC
26 May 2026
Four industry experts. One hour. A clear-eyed look at what AI is actually doing for marinas right now, and what comes next.
Date: Tuesday 26 May 2026 Time: 10:15 - 11:15
For most marina operators, the question about artificial intelligence is no longer whether it matters, but what to do about it on Monday morning. Berth sensors, customer platforms, maintenance logs and environmental feeds are already generating more data than teams can meaningfully use. Software vendors are embedding AI into everyday tools, and the marine environment — hostile, remote and asset-heavy — is a natural fit for predictive, pattern-spotting intelligence. At Marinas26, a panel of four practitioners will cut through the hype and explore what this looks like in practice.
What delegates will leave with
This session is built around the questions marina leaders are already asking. Where is AI genuinely delivering value, and where is it still marketing? What can be done with existing data, without new platforms or a data science team? How should operators assess the AI features now appearing in management software, and what should they be asking suppliers?
The panel will also examine the physical side of the business: the real cost of predictive maintenance, where ROI shows up, and how sensor technology is maturing for marine conditions. It will close with operational changes available now, quick wins in scheduling, productivity and customer engagement that can be implemented in weeks, not years.
Add it to your program
Whether you run a single marina or a group, manage assets or customer experience, or supply into the industry, this is one of the most practical sessions on the Marinas26 program, designed to send delegates home with actionable ideas and a clearer sense of what not to chase.
SPEAKERS PANEL
Gihan Perera, Panel Chair - Futurist
Gihan Perera is a business futurist, conference speaker, AI researcher, and author who helps leaders thrive in times of disruption. With more than 30 years' experience working across Australia and globally, he equips organisations to lead with clarity and confidence in a fast-changing world. He was recognised as one of the Top 30 Global Futurists in 2025.
Gihan will frame the current AI landscape and what it means for asset-intensive, customer-facing industries like marina management. He will weave thought-provoking questions through each presentation to draw out practical insights and sharpen takeaways for delegates.
James Roy CMM - Senior Marina Director, ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove
James will provide the view of the inside a modern facility. He will talk about what today's operators are actually asking of AI, which data streams are worth capturing, and how a well-run data pipeline translates into both stronger business performance and a noticeably better boater experience.
Tevž Grögl - Project Manager - AI & Software Innovation, Marina Master
Tevž from Marina Master, one of the industry's most widely used marina management platforms, will share the AI roadmap their team is building. Expect a candid look at what is live today, what is in development, and how those capabilities present themselves to three very different audiences: the marina operator, the business owner, and the customer booking a berth or arriving by boat.
Ben Shand - Business Development Manager, Inspectahire
Ben turns the lens to predictive maintenance. Drawing on sensor and inspection technology already reshaping industries like mining and maritime, Ben will outline how marinas can get ahead of costly failures, extend the working life of critical assets, and protect their maintenance budgets, and what the next few years of this technology are likely to look like.
Kristina Agustin - Founder and Principal Digital Navigator of Southern Sky AI
Kristina closes the panel with the most immediate question of all, what can a marina business do with AI this quarter? Her focus is on the operational wins already available, smarter resource scheduling, workforce productivity, communications and back-office automation and on building the internal capability to sustain those gains rather than one-off experiments.