Marbella News · Yachting & Infrastructure · 30 September 2026
La Bajadilla Marbella: €200 Million Superyacht Marina Finally Gets the Green Light
After 16 years, a failed concession, a sheikh and two court rulings, La Bajadilla Marbella is finally going ahead. The Junta de Andalucía has awarded the €200 million expansion that will nearly triple the port to around 750 berths and welcome yachts of up to 70 metres, a short walk from Marbella’s Old Town. The new operator takes over on 1 January 2027.
Key facts
- What: award of the concession to expand and transform the Port of La Bajadilla.
- Investment: just over €200 million.
- Berths: from 268 to around 750.
- Yachts: up to 70 metres in length.
- Water area: almost 3.5 times larger than today.
- Operator: Marina Internacional de Marbella, a consortium of Andalusian companies.
- Takeover: 1 January 2027, with works expected to take around four years.
It is one of Marbella’s longest-running soap operas, and it finally has a happy ending. On 2 September, Andalusia’s Minister for Development and Mobility, Mario Muñoz-Atanet, and Marbella’s mayor, Ángeles Muñoz, announced that the expansion and transformation of the Port of La Bajadilla had been unblocked and awarded.
The project, with a budget of just over €200 million, will turn a modest harbour best known for its fishing fleet into a modern marina capable of berthing superyachts of up to 70 metres. The minister described it as a project that will generate wealth and employment, while the mayor called it a definitive step in Marbella’s transformation.
For a city that has just approved its first new General Plan in 40 years and is attracting names like Waldorf Astoria and Armani, a proper superyacht marina in the heart of town is the missing piece.
⚓ What the New La Bajadilla Marbella Will Look Like
The scale of the transformation is considerable. The sheltered water area will grow almost three and a half times, protected by new breakwaters, and the number of berths will rise from 268 to around 750.
| Item | Today | After the expansion |
|---|---|---|
| Berths | 268 | ≈ 750 |
| Maximum yacht length | Small and medium boats | Up to 70 m |
| Water area | Current basin | ≈ 3.5 times larger |
| Main breakwater | — | 1.13 km |
| Secondary breakwater | — | 450 m |
| Commercial space | Limited | ≈ 10,400 m² |
| Parking | Limited | ≈ 1,000 spaces |
| Investment | — | ≈ €200.4 million |
Beyond the berths, the plan includes a new commercial area of around 10,400 m², a small cruise terminal of about 1,000 m², a boatyard for haul-outs and maintenance, dedicated spaces for the fishing fleet and around 1,000 parking spaces. A new jetty of roughly one kilometre will channel the Arroyo Primero stream and separate it from El Cable beach.
The project also comes with an environmental package. Sand will be replenished on four nearby beaches: Venus, La Bajadilla, El Cable and El Faro, helping to protect the city-centre coastline that the new breakwaters will reshape.
🛥️ Why Marbella Needs Superyacht Berths
Marbella is one of Europe’s great luxury destinations, yet it has long lacked enough space for the largest yachts. Puerto Banús is iconic but compact, and demand for berths for boats over 40 metres far exceeds supply along the Costa del Sol. Many superyachts cruising the western Mediterranean simply anchor offshore or head to Gibraltar, Sotogrande or the Balearics instead.
That gap matters. Superyacht owners, guests and crews are among the highest-spending visitors in the world, from provisioning and maintenance to restaurants, shopping and real estate. September’s Monaco Yacht Show once again showed how fast the sector is growing, with record-breaking debuts from yards such as Oceanco, Lürssen, Sanlorenzo and Riva. A 70-metre-ready marina puts Marbella firmly on that map.
Location is the other trump card. Unlike Puerto Banús, La Bajadilla sits on the eastern edge of Marbella town, within walking distance of the Old Town, the Alameda park and the Paseo Marítimo. Guests will be able to step off a yacht and into the historic centre in minutes.
🏗️ Who Will Build and Run It
The concession has been awarded to Marina Internacional de Marbella, a consortium of Andalusian construction, civil engineering and port management companies. According to El Español, its members include Marinas del Mediterráneo, which already manages the marinas of Estepona, La Duquesa in Manilva and Marina del Este in Almuñécar, together with Cyes Infraestructuras, Cysur Obras y Medio Ambiente, Enrique Alemán and Gómez Palma.
The project is overseen by the Public Ports Agency of Andalusia (APPA). The new operator takes over the port on 1 January 2027, and the expansion works are expected to take around four years, pointing to completion towards the end of the decade.
🕰️ Sixteen Years in the Making: The La Bajadilla Marbella Saga
The story of La Bajadilla Marbella reads like a thriller. The original tender was launched in 2010 and awarded in 2011 to a consortium linked to Qatari Sheikh Abdullah Al-Thani, who proposed a far more ambitious scheme with over 1,200 berths and a cruise terminal for ships of up to 170 metres. It never materialised.
Nov 2010 — The Junta launches the concession tender.
Nov 2011 — The contract is awarded to a consortium linked to Sheikh Al-Thani.
Nov 2016 — After years of delays and unpaid fees, the contract is rescinded.
2017–2018 — The courts, up to the Supreme Court, side with the runner-up bidder, Marina Internacional de Marbella.
2019 — The regional government revives the project with a revised design.
Mar 2025 — Environmental authorisation granted.
May 2026 — Final approval of the basic project.
2 Sep 2026 — The concession is unblocked and awarded.
1 Jan 2027 — The new operator takes over.
≈ 2030 — Expected completion of the works.
The revived version is smaller than the sheikh’s dream, with around 750 berths instead of 1,220 and yachts up to 70 metres rather than cruise ships of 170 metres, but it is also far more realistic, and it is finally happening.
💎 What La Bajadilla Marbella Means for Property in Town
Marinas change neighbourhoods. When a working harbour becomes a destination, it brings restaurants, shops, promenades and year-round activity, and property nearby usually follows. Three effects are worth watching:
- A boost for eastern Marbella centre. The streets and beachfront between the Old Town and La Bajadilla have traditionally been less polished than the Golden Mile. A modern marina could change that.
- Frontline apartments in focus. Seafront and sea-view homes close to the port, from the Paseo Marítimo to El Cable and El Faro, stand to gain the most from the upgrade.
- A second yachting pole. Puerto Banús keeps its crown for glamour; La Bajadilla will offer a quieter, town-centre alternative for owners who want their boat and their home in the same city.
It is part of a wider moment for the city. Read how the new Marbella PGOM is reshaping planning, and why the Marbella luxury property market now ranks alongside Monaco and Miami.
🧾 Buying Near the Port? A Quick Checklist
- Think long term. Works are expected to run for around four years, with the full effect visible towards 2030.
- Consider the construction phase. Homes very close to the port may experience noise and traffic during the works.
- Check views. New breakwaters and buildings will change the seascape; ask how your view will be affected.
- Look at berth options. If you own a boat, ask about future berth availability and conditions.
- Get independent legal advice before signing, especially for frontline properties.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What is happening at La Bajadilla Marbella?
The Junta de Andalucía has awarded a €200 million project to expand and transform the port, nearly tripling it to around 750 berths for yachts of up to 70 metres.
When will the new port be ready?
The new operator takes over on 1 January 2027, and the works are expected to take around four years.
Who will run the new marina?
Marina Internacional de Marbella, a consortium of Andalusian companies that includes Marinas del Mediterráneo, operator of several Costa del Sol marinas.
Where is La Bajadilla?
On the eastern edge of Marbella town centre, a short walk from the Old Town and the Paseo Marítimo.
Will the fishing fleet stay?
Yes. The project includes dedicated spaces for fishing activity alongside the new marina, boatyard and commercial areas.
How does it compare with Puerto Banús?
Puerto Banús remains Marbella’s most famous marina. La Bajadilla will add large-yacht capacity in the town centre, creating a second yachting hub within walking distance of the Old Town.
Sources: Junta de Andalucía, El Español, El Debate, regional press.
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