Swell Advantage, which makes software for marinas and waterfronts, has struck a partnership with merchant services giant Square, which will offer more efficient point-of-sales transactions at boating facilities.

Swell and Square announced the partnership on Thursday, under which they will provide POS services at marinas and other boating facilities so boaters will have an easier time paying for dock space or retail goods. The service could be used at marina offices or even on the dock.

The agreement is a big step forward for Swell, which was formed in Halifax in 2014 by Iaian Archibald and Craig Sheppard to provide software for marinas. The software helps marina operators find spaces for boats, communicate with boats and – with the partnership with Square – take payments from boaters for food, goods and services.

“From a sales perspective, the teams at Swell and Square are working together to help our individual customers realize the increased value the product integration brings to marina and waterfront operations,” said Swell CEO Archibald in an email.

“We're excited to help Square grow to be the preferred POS solution for the recreational boating service sector as Swell becomes the preferred marina and waterfront management software solution. In turn, Square is working with its current marina customers to introduce Swell as part of its partner ecosystem. The goal is to grow together as we serve the industry.”

Archibald said Swell was looking for a partner to work with on a POS product for marinas and waterfronts, and it wanted to make sure the product had full functionality and ease of use. He described Square’s offering as a perfect fit, as it allows direct online payments through Swell’s invoices, permits recurring charges, and can be used on the dock or in the marina office.

“On top of that they have great inventory, retail and restaurant software as part of their product, all of which are components of a lot of marina operations,” said Archibald in a statement.

Added Pankaj Bengani, Global Partnerships Lead at Square: “Until now, managers and owners had to stitch together different processes and systems to run their business operations. Together, Swell Advantage and Square give waterfront and marina sellers a single view of their entire business and they can make informed decisions.”

Swell Advantage, which has operations in Halifax and San Diego, and San Francisco-based Square, will continue to work together on their products with the goal of helping marinas and waterfronts better serve their boaters.

“When the 2008 recession happened, the marina industry was hit hard, resulting in little innovation in marina and waterfront management software for a decade,” said Archibald. “With the industry starting to grow again and competition between marinas increasing, managers and owners are looking for modern tools to help.”