The V&A Waterfront and Damen Shipyards Cape Town have marked the official start of pontoon production for the Quay 7 Superyacht Marina, with a keel-laying ceremony at Damen Shipyards’ factory in the Port of Cape Town.

The R230-million marina is on track for completion on October 31, with the official opening planned for November. Work is roughly 45% complete.

About 120 people are working on-site at the V&A Waterfront, including staff from nine local subcontractors.

To date, 76% of procurement spend has been directed to local suppliers.

The six Damen 3006 pontoons will provide berthing for eight vessels, up to 90 m in length.

Each of the 30-metre pontoons is being built by Damen Shipyards, Cape Town in three sections.

Steel plates are first fabricated into structural sub-panels covering the bottom, side shells, bulkheads and deck sections, before being assembled into complete pontoon structures.

Once complete, each pontoon will be outfitted with fire and lifesaving equipment, water supply and electrical kiosks, bollards, fenders, IT connectivity, bamboo decking and shear fenders securing the structure to the Quay 7 wall adjacent to the new Cape Town Edition hotel.

This hotel features a 200 m² concierge area specifically for the marina, including a business lounge, refreshment station and meeting and event rooms.

The assembly and completion of the first three pontoons is the next major milestone in the construction programme.

Damen Shipyards Cape Town MD Hermoine Manuel says the V&A infrastructure is the company’s most technically advanced marina project yet.

“Our expertise is in shipbuilding – patrol vessels, research and supply vessels, dredgers and tugs – and we have brought that discipline to a marina context.

“This project is an example of international expertise combined with South African talent and local supplier capability, and it demonstrates that complex maritime infrastructure can be designed, procured, constructed and delivered to international standards right here in Cape Town.”

“The keel-laying ceremony marks the moment where years of planning this strategic maritime infrastructure becomes a visible reality,” notes V&A Waterfront CEO Graham Wood.

“We look forward to welcoming the first superyachts later this year.”

Unlike conventional marina developments, the V&A Waterfront’s Superyacht Marina is designed for dual-purpose use.

In-season, the eight berths will accommodate superyachts, which typically carry elite tourists.

In the off-season, the basin will support the commissioning and export staging for Cape Town’s globally recognised catamaran manufacturers, including Robertson and Caine, Two Oceans Marine and Balance Catamarans.

Superyacht visits to the V&A Waterfront have grown consistently since 2009, with 35 vessels recorded in the 2024/25 season – many remaining for extended periods.

Each visit generates sustained demand across a wide network of local businesses – fuel suppliers, provisioning companies, marine engineers, logistics providers, hospitality operators and marine contractors – with spend remaining largely within the local economy.