Category: News

Dubai Records 149% Increase in Yacht Arrivals for H1 2025

The Dubai Maritime Authority shared new insights on yacht traffic in the Emirate for the first half of the year. According to the DMA, yacht arrivals saw a 149% increase, recording 97 foreign-flagged vessels between January and June 2025, compared to 39 boats in the same period last year. This underscores the rise of the…
Azimut|Benetti Group Financial Projection Shows Growth of Middle East Region

Azimut|Benetti Group has announced its fiscal projections for the 2024/25 nautical season, forecasting €1.5 billion in revenue, a 15 per cent increase from the previous season. According to the report shared by the Italian company, the group has secured €2.5 billion in orders since January 2025, which is expected to sustain production through 2029. The…
Dubai Maritime Authority Promotes Yacht Tourism with the Launch of the “Dock and Dine” Scheme

The Dubai Maritime Authority (DMA), in partnership with the Dubai Department of Economy (DET), have launched “Dock and Dine,” an initiative that allows yacht owners, captains and crew members to gain access to services from 20 of Dubai’s marinas. Want to stay up to date with the latest news of the Middle East superyacht market?…
Oman’s Al Khuwair Project Starts Bidding Process for Marina Design & Construction

Oman’s Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning has started the bidding process for the design and construction contract of the Al Khuwair project marina. Want to receive the latest news of the Middle East superyacht market? Sign up for the Maritime Observer newsletter and receive complementary emails straight to your inbox. Tender documents, made available…
Heesen Yachts Names Jeroen van der Meer as New CEO

Dutch shipyard Heesen Yachts has announced the appointment of Jeroen van der Meer as Chief Executive Officer. The appointment, which will be effectuated in September 2025, comes as the latest change in the company following it’s acquisition by entrepreneur Laurens Last in April 2025. Want to receive the latest news of the Middle East superyacht…
Oman’s Khor Grama Project Taps Firm to Design 75-Berth Yacht Marina

The Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology in Oman has appointed multi-disciplinary consulting firm Meridian Engineering Consultancy (MEC) to design and supervise the construction of a superyacht marina for the Khor Grama development project. The firm will conduct a study and provide designs for a marina, situated 22 kilometres east of Sur in Ash…
Gulf Craft to Offer Cryptocurrency Payment Solutions for Boat Purchases

UAE builder Gulf Craft has announced that it will start accepting fully-regulated crypto-payments for boat purchases, services, and refit works. To facilitate smoother transactions to international buyers, the shipyard is partnering with ARIP Pay, a Bahraini licensed fintech provider, a service that converts stablecoins such as ASDC or USDT into AED or other traditional currencies. …
Wynn Al Marjan Island Marina to be Operated by IGY Marinas

Wynn Resorts has tapped global marina network IGY Marinas to be the marina operator for the upcoming Wynn Al Marjan Island facility. The property, located in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, plans to feature a 101-berth superyacht marina that welcomes vessels up to 85 meters in length. The MarineMax subsidiary will assume a number of roles,…
Old Doha Port Partners with Regional Marinas in Turkey and Dubai

Qatar’s Old Doha Port announced agreements with Abu Dhabi’s Emirates Palace Marina and Turkiye’s Kiyi Istanbul Marina as part of its marina members program. The new partnership aims to provide expanded privileges to the marina members and visitors, where owners can present their membership cards to the partner marinas to access advanced booking on complimentary…
2025 Abu Dhabi Maritime Awards Announced, Seven Marina Categories Added

Abu Dhabi Maritime, a subsidiary of AD Ports Group, has announced the return of the Abu Dhabi Maritime Awards to take place on 20 November 2025, at the Abu Dhabi International Boat Show, with new additions to the categories for both project and individual-based achievements. Hosted in collaboration with the Integrated Transport Centre, part of…