The V&A Waterfront says it will invest R230-million to construct a purpose-built superyacht marina.

A superyacht is a large, luxury private or chartered yacht, typically exceeding 24 m (79 feet) in length, and carrying high-end amenities and manned by a professional crew.

It is associated with luxury tourism and the super-rich, with significant spend possible per visit per yacht.

The Waterfront’s new Quay 7 Superyacht Marina will be located in front of the new Cape Town Edition hotel, offering views of the Atlantic Ocean, the city bowl and Table Mountain.

The marina is scheduled for completion in October.

V&A Waterfront CEO Graham Wood says the marina will address a market reality that has been building for years.

“Superyacht visits have grown steadily since 2009, and we welcomed 35 vessels in the 2024/25 season alone.

“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 marina is designed for dual-purpose use.

During peak season, the six stern-to and two beam-on berths and their floating jetties will accommodate superyachts of between 40 m and 90 m.

In the off-season, the facility will support the commissioning and export staging for Cape Town’s catamaran manufacturing industry.

This sector includes globally competitive builders such as Robertson and Caine, Two Oceans Marine, and Balance Catamarans.

“This isn’t only a leisure marina; it’s economic infrastructure,” says V&A marine and industrial property executive Andre Blaine.

“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.”

Construction of the marina forms part of the broader V&A precinct expansion, which includes the Cape Town Edition hotel, the newly refurbished Intercontinental Table Bay Cape Town, and the East Pier helistop.

The V&A Waterfront says the facility will require additional permanent staff with broader employment multiplier effects in the provisioning, refuelling, marine maintenance and hospitality sectors.

The facility will have its own dedicated concierge office servicing the vessels and their crew.

Wood emphasises the high-value, low-volume tourism model that the basin represents.

“A superyacht visit generates exponentially more economic activity per visitor than mass tourism.

These vessels refuel with hundreds of thousands of litres at a time,” adds Blaine.

“They source fresh provisions at scale. They employ local marine contractors for repair work. The spend is substantial, the volume is manageable, and the economic benefit stays local.”

More than 30 000 vessels pass the Cape each year for trade and tourism, notes Blaine.

“The cruise season has extended from seven to nine months. The city’s marine training, repair, and manufacturing sectors are already well-established.

This new marina formalises what the market has been signalling for years: Cape Town belongs on the global maritime circuit.”