Nakheel launches luxury marina at Dubai Islands

It will house 248 wet berths for boats of up to 47 metres and 40 dry berths for trailers

Yachts at Nakheel's Dubai Islands luxury marina. Photo: Nakheel

Nakheel, the developer behind The Palm Jumeirah in Dubai, has launched a new marina for superyachts along the emirate's northern coastline at Dubai Islands.

Nakheel Marinas Dubai Islands can accommodate a total of 13 superyachts at a time, the developer on Wednesday.

It can house 248 wet berths for vessels of up to 47 metres and 40 dry berths for trailers of up to 20 metres, Nakheel said.

“With its ... facilities, a prime location, and access to a wide range of beachfront experiences and activities, the marina is set to become the go-to lifestyle destination for boating enthusiasts,” it said.

Nakheel in August last year unveiled a master plan for Dubai Islands as the emirate’s property market booms amid a strong economic rebound from the coronavirus pandemic.

The project, formerly known as Deira Islands, is aligned with the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan.

The development includes five islands spread over an area of 17 square kilometres. Each island will have its own offerings, with cultural centres, recreational beaches and beach clubs.

The islands will be home to more than 80 resorts and hotels and will support Dubai’s ambition to boost its tourism and hospitality sector by increasing the number of hotel rooms, the company said.

The Nakheel Marinas Dubai Islands features dock assistance, club car transfer, utilities, waste collection, pump-out services and Wi-Fi.

Visitors can also use facilities including a car park, showers, washrooms and a launderette. Gated access and CCTV surveillance is set up for the security of boaters and their vessels.

The newly-opened Dubai Islands Beach is within walking distance of the marina.

The global yacht market has seen a dramatic post-pandemic boom, with 2022 thought to be among the busiest years ever for the industry.

There were 1,024 superyachts being built or on order last year – up 24.7 per cent from 821 the year before, the Boat International Order Book report showed.

The global yacht market in 2021 was valued at $10.8 billion – and predicted to rise to more than $15 billion by 2026.

Dubai's economy has bounced back strongly from the coronavirus slowdown in 2020, driven by a strong recovery in travel, tourism, real estate and retail sectors.

It expanded by 4.6 per cent on an annual basis in the first nine months of 2022, according to data from the emirate's statistics centre.

Emirates NBD estimates Dubai's full-year growth for 2022 at 5 per cent and expects its gross domestic product to expand by 3.5 per cent this year.

S&P Global Ratings projects Dubai's economy to grow by 3 per cent in 2023 and sustain the same growth momentum over the next two to three years.