Working closely with English Nature and the Environment Agency to ensure that disruption to wildlife along the River Itchen was kept to a minimum, dredging took take place in February.

Seven new finger pontoons and walkways will replace the alongside pontoons A, B and C, increasing the number of berths to 255 - all fully serviced with electricity and water outlets.

The larger berths on piers E, F and G will use individually piled, heavy-duty pontoons and give the marina the facilities to take boats from five to 25m loa.

A new 60m visitor berth and a 70m specialist superyacht berth has also been added. The new concrete superyacht berth has a pressurised water supply and a wide range of electrical supplies. MDL says it is one of only three on the South Coast; the other two are at Ocean Village and Saxon Wharf.

"The creation of the finger pontoons will allow us to accommodate larger boats, which reflects the trend of the industry in general, " said marina manager Hugh Fogerty.

The refurbishment of Shamrock Quay is part of MDL's on-going programme to upgrade Port Hamble Marina, Woolverstone Marina and Northney Marina.