MALAGA – The placement of a commemorative stone signals start of the work on transforming the piers into a mega-yacht marina. The new marina will house up to 31 boats with a maximum length of 180 metres.
The project will see Malaga’s port transformed into a mega-yacht marina offering high-power electricity, water, waste collection and Wi-Fi. In eight and a half months, the port will be available for the world’s biggest private yachts to moor.
Breaking ground ceremony
The mayor of Malaga, Francisco de la Torre, councillor of the Junta de Andalucia, Elías Bendodo; the president of the Port Authority, Carlos Rubio, and businessmen Domingo de Torres and José Luis Almazán, representing the concession company, led by the American multinational Igy Marinas attended the ceremony.
The group visited the dock closest to the Boat House, where construction for a breakwater will soon start. The Urban Planning Management granted the license a few days ago. However, it is conditional on a culture archaeology report that is expected soon.
“It is a commitment to a new market, a mega-yacht leaves the shipyards every month, which until now were served in London, Italy and New York, and from today Malaga enters that distinguished club,” said the president of Malaga Marina, José Luis Almazán.
The work should take 250 days, though they hope to complete even sooner. This would allow the first boats to moor before next Easter.
Almazán also highlighted the draft (depth) available in the dock, which ranges from 9 to 12 meters. He thanked the collaboration between administrations to make it a reality.
€11million investment
The planned investment of €11 million euros will include completely landscaping the dock. The boats will be offered high-power electricity (two thousand amps), water , waste collection by pumping and wifi. In addition, there will be ISPS security (special protocol for ships and ports) and a concierge service. Tourist boats will continue to use part of the ochava.
Project calculations show a return on the investment of €100million and job creation of at least 800 jobs.
Part of the infrastructure is underwater – two small dams that will prevent agitation in the Marqués de Guadiaro basin. One will go at the end of pier one and will consist of a transverse barrier. The second will be towards the halfway point of Pier 2 (Palmeral), and will be a wall of concrete blocks. These structures respect the manoeuvring circle of the Melilla ferries that will continue to moor at nearby Pier 3.
Included in the plan is refurbishment of the existing glass building in front of the Mediterranean Club for use by the captains, with a restaurant area and various services. Island Global Yachting (IGY), a leading international group in the management of luxury marinas, together with Ocean Capital Partners (OCP) and Malaga businessman Domingo de Torres are promoting the future IGY Málaga Marina.
Quality leap for nautical tourism
Elías Bendodo, highlighted this installation is a leap in quality in the nautical industry of Malaga, the Costa del Sol and Andalucia, given this type of vessel constitutes “small and medium-sized companies themselves”. He also recalled tourism is one of the pillars of the community’s economy. As such, it is the basis for the reopening of mobility between provinces and the progressive return to normality.
The president of the Port, Carlos Rubio, valued it as “a very transformative project for Malaga”, with the arrival of high-quality tourism in the capital. Rubio linked the project to other high-end projects such as the luxury hotel on the Levante dock and the rehabilitation of the Casa de Botes for a restaurant of the Trocadero group.
For the mayor of Malaga, this new marina endorsed the evolution of Malaga and its attractiveness through its cultural offer. “There will not be a facility like this in the world; neither London nor New York can offer what Malaga offers just a stone’s throw from these berths,” stated Francisco de la Torre.
