A major re-development plan for Southampton Boat Show is set to confirm the city as a global showcase centre for the international marine industry.

Talks are now underway aimed at transforming the show, already the biggest of its kind in Europe, by constructing a bigger and more prestigious waterfront site in Southampton.

The Southampton event is already one of the most successful on the boating calendar with this year's exhibition attracting a record-breaking attendance of 125,000 people.

Southampton City Council and event backers, the British Marine Industries Federation, are now moving forward with a scheme to ensure the future prosperity of the show.

Both parties share the ambition of providing the Boat Show with a new site, based on extending Mayflower Park from its current nine acres to 15 acres, through a significant land reclamation scheme.

It is all part of ambitious proposals for the city's waterfront, especially around the site of the former Royal Pier.

It is expected that the reclamation of land to extend Mayflower Park will be completed in time to provide the 2006 boat show with its new, larger home, subject to plans being acceptable.

A spokesman at the Civic Centre said: "Southampton City Council and the BMIF are planning a joint working group to make sure that the boat show continues to provide a world class showcase for the marine industry's products and services in the coming years, and remains a key part of the city's future.

"For three decades the show organisers have worked in close partnership with the city council to develop the event to its present world premier status.

"Both parties intend that their partnership will be as successful in the next 30 years as it has been in the last 30 years.''

A spokesman for the boat show said: "This year's show was a fantastic event.

"By marketing it as a family day out with brand new features we attracted a large percentage of visitors who are new to boating while still maintaining our key boating audience.

"This is very good news for the show and also for the marine industry."

Keith Hamilton