The V&A Waterfront has confirmed the worst-kept secret in the maritime sector – plans for a Quay 7 superyacht marina.
The marina could be operational as soon as October, according to a V&A press statement issued in March.
“Superyacht visits have grown steadily since 2009, and we welcomed 35 vessels in the 2024/25 season alone,” said V&A Waterfront CEO Graham Wood. “Many stay for extended periods – six months, sometimes a year – because Cape Town offers a unique mix: world-class tourism, reliable marine services, and access to adventure cruising routes that simply don’t exist in traditional yachting hubs.”
The R230 million (£10.35m) investment plan has been on the cards for years. Now official, it is a huge vote of confidence in broader industry ambitions of becoming a regional superyacht maintenance and service centre.
Historically, V&A officials have had a tough job squeezing superyacht visitors into berths, sometimes between commercial vessels. Now they will have a dedicated space that also offers a range of available superyacht services. It will have eight dedicated berths (six stern-to and two beam-on), designed for the 40m to 90m bracket. It will also have a dual-purpose operation: during the peak yachting season, it’s a luxury hub, but in the off-season, it pivots to become a commissioning and export staging area for local boatbuilders.
“This isn’t only a leisure marina, it’s economic infrastructure,” commented Andre Blaine, Executive: Marine & Industrial Property at V&A Waterfront. “It creates sustained demand for fuel suppliers, provisioning companies, marine engineers, crew training facilities, and logistics operators. It supports local manufacturers who need berthing space for commissioning. And it positions Cape Town as a credible technical hub, not just a beautiful harbour.”