It’s past the breakfast rush at LATITUDE Bistro as I sit down with Tasrin Toming, the Club’s Marina Operations Manager. He slots in a few friendly waves and even stops by a Member’s table to have a few words as he makes his way to our table.

Tasrin has been with the Club for about five years, so it doesn’t come as a surprise that he is a familiar figure for most Members, especially boat owners. But from the way he ensures I am comfortable and being attended to by the restaurant’s friendly staff, it is clear that leading with “let me know how I can help you” comes naturally to him.

BORN FOR THE SEA
Today, after a career span of 30 years, the marina world is where Tasrin is in his element. However, it’s not something he’d dreamed of doing as a child. He was introduced to the industry when he was assigned Coast Guard duty during his National Service.

Intrigued and raring to explore more, he joined Raffles Marina—starting at the bottom and working his way up. In the 23 years he spent there, he learnt all there was to know about boats, the docks as well as leading convoys and coordinating boat shows. A three-year stint at Republic of Singapore Yacht Club gave him insight into managing a marina reconfiguration. Tasrin is also a certified PPCDL trainer.

Despite his years of experience, when the opportunity to work at ONE°15 Marina came up, Tasrin confesses to feeling intimidated—“because of the high level of prestige it holds in the industry”. “I didn’t think I was capable enough to handle the distinguished clientele,” he says humbly.

His fears were unfounded—Members, in fact, appreciate the breadth of his technical knowledge.“

That’s the advantage of learning from scratch. I am able to address all kinds of issues that boaters may have,” he says, adding that having a sound knowledge of the workings of the marina as well as that of different kinds of boats was expected. In return, working in a place that sees the best and the latest superyachts has helped keep him on his toes and his knowledge updated.

PEOPLE-CENTRIC APPROACH
Aside from managing the day-to-day operations of the marina, Tasrin is also hands-on in coordinating yacht charters and international boating events.

Key to all this is building good relationships with all involved—from the yacht crew to the captains to the owners themselves. Tasrin is always on hand offering advice and extending his service, be it organising choice berthing and mooring options for the yachts or suggesting entertainment options for their owners’ exclusive guests.

He also manages the intricate balance between customer relations and compliance without compromising on experience. “Being a marina, we have to be mindful of government and maritime regulations when handling our boaters’ requests. It is my job to work out various options, so we can all come to an amicable compromise,” he says.

Some situations can be trickier than others, but he remains unfazed and refrains from even referring to them as challenges. “I believe that any issue can be resolved if you can sit down and discuss the many viable options available. It’s about the relationship—they know you, so they trust you and listen to you,” he says. “I feel lucky to have this chance to meet people from such varied backgrounds and be able to help them.”

Having a dedicated and efficient team behind him has been an important part of this process, and he makes sure they always stay on top of things. Tasrin takes it upon himself to train newcomers in the right processes and ensures everyone has the necessary skills to offer the services boaters require—including safely towing the boats when necessary and managing minor crises.

He flags off each day with a briefing on standard operating procedures and a post mortem of events of the previous day, following that with discussions on what can be improved going forward. Key to that morning meeting is making sure that each and every member in his team is also in the right frame of mind. “This job requires one’s complete attention. If I feel that anyone in my team is not up for the day’s challenges—mentally and physically—I prefer that they take a short break and realign themselves than be distracted at work,” he says emphatically.

WORLD-CLASS ENVIRONMENT
Through our conversation, it is quite clear that Tasrin loves what he does. What also stands out is the pride he feels at working in a world-class marina.

“I have visited a few marinas in Singapore, and our neighbours Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. The biggest difference is in the top-notch facilities we have. We have every new marina-related technology and amenity in the market—from the power pedestal installed on each berth, to the electrical pumpout boat. “When we installed Collec’Thor, a fixed waste collector, we were the first in Asia to do so,” he says, in almost child-like glee.

“We are also looking at getting power stations for sustainable fuelling options,” he adds. “It’s about the mindset of putting comfort and experience over all.”

Indeed. Tasrin embraces that in his day-to-day life at the marina. He takes pride in his work and is proud about his workplace.

The original article was published on the November/ December 23 issue of Longitude, ONE°15 Marina’s Club magazine. Read it here.