Cape Town is getting a R230 million ‘parking lot’ with the V&A Waterfront announcing plans to build a new superyacht marina aimed at servicing the global elite.
The development, known as the Quay 7 Superyacht Marina, will be built in one of the Southern Hemisphere’s oldest working harbours in Cape Town.
Positioned in front of the new Cape Town EDITION hotel, the basin will offer views of the Atlantic Ocean, the City Bowl, and Table Mountain. Construction is expected to be completed by October 2026.
The project is being framed as far more than a high-end docking space. A marina functions much like a “parking bay” for vessels.
It provides secure mooring, maintenance access, and full-service support for boats and yachts when they are not in use.
According to V&A Waterfront CEO Graham Wood, the investment responds to a growing trend that has been building for more than a decade.
“Superyacht visits have grown steadily since 2009, and we welcomed 35 vessels in the 2024/25 season alone,” he said.
“Many stay for extended periods—six months, sometimes a year—because Cape Town offers a unique mix of world-class tourism, reliable marine services, and access to adventure cruising routes that simply don’t exist in traditional yachting hubs.”
The facility will accommodate superyachts between 40 and 90 metres during peak season, with six stern-to berths and two beam-on berths supported by floating jetties.
During quieter months, the marina will shift focus to support the city’s thriving boat-building industry, acting as a staging and commissioning hub for exports.
This dual-purpose design is central to its economic rationale. Andre Blaine, Executive for Marine and Industrial Property at the V&A Waterfront, stressed that the project is not just about luxury.
“This isn’t only a leisure marina, it’s economic infrastructure. It creates sustained demand for fuel suppliers, provisioning companies, marine engineers, crew training facilities, and logistics operators,” he said.
Will bring major economic growth to the region
Cape Town is already home to globally competitive catamaran manufacturers such as Robertson and Caine, Two Oceans Marine, and Balance Catamarans, all of which stand to benefit from improved berthing and servicing capacity.
“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,” Blaine added.
The broader development forms part of an expanding precinct that includes the Cape Town EDITION hotel, the refurbished Intercontinental Table Bay, and the East Pier Helistop.
The marina is expected to have a ripple effect across the local economy. It will require permanent staff and drive demand in provisioning, refuelling, maintenance, and hospitality services, supported by a dedicated concierge office catering to vessel crews.
Wood highlighted the value of this niche tourism segment. “A superyacht visit generates exponentially more economic activity per visitor than mass tourism,” he said.
Blaine added that these vessels refuel with hundreds of thousands of litres at a time. 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.
The project will also target Gold Anchor accreditation, an internationally recognised benchmark for marina excellence, while incorporating environmental management systems aligned with the V&A Waterfront’s sustainability commitments.
“More than 30,000 vessels pass the Cape annually for trade and tourism. This new marina formalises what the market has been signalling for years, which is that Cape Town belongs on the global maritime circuit,” Blaine said.
