NAVY PIER MARINA
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

Located on the shoreline of Lake Michigan, Navy Pier Marina is Chicago’s first new downtown marina in nearly fifteen years. Set against the city’s iconic skyline, the project enhances one of the most visited destinations in the Midwest while offering a premier gateway for boaters exploring the Great Lakes.

Lake Michigan behaves less like a lake and more like an inland sea, its vast expanse exposed to powerful winds, waves, and winter ice. Designing a floating marina in such an environment demanded a robust yet adaptable solution. Structurmarine supplied its Structure 80 aluminum pontoon system, chosen for its strength, durability, and refined aesthetics. Installed behind a hybrid wave attenuation system, the pontoons provide safe and stable berthing in varying weather and water conditions.

The facility includes nineteen floating piers connected by an 800-meter marginal walkway, offering exceptional flexibility to accommodate yachts up to 55 meters in length or multiple smaller vessels. This innovative layout allows the marina to adjust its configuration to changing demand while maximizing operational efficiency.

Despite the challenges of winter construction on the Great Lakes, the project was completed in record time, only nine months from pile driving to final delivery in June 2025.

Through close collaboration among all partners, the Navy Pier Marina project demonstrates Structurmarine’s ability to deliver high-performance, custom-engineered floating solutions suited to complex maritime environments.