D-Marin increases its Dubai marina locations to five
D-Marin’s strategic expansion plans continue at pace. Much of the recent focus has been on Italy, and now the company’s announced it’s adding a fifth marina in Dubai. This one will be in partnership with Dubai Holding and is being billed as ‘Mediterranean-inspired’. It’ll open as Dubai: Port De La Mer this October (2024) and is at the tip of the northern peninsula of La Mer.
“Port De La Mer sets new standards for what is expected from a marina,” says Selcuk Balci, MD at D-Marin Dubai. “The entire project surrounding Port De La Mer is inspired by the Mediterranean including the residential communities, recreational areas and the marina itself. It is a truly unique marina for yacht owners in Dubai. We look forward to working in partnership with Dubai Holding whilst showcasing the highest standard of marina experiences and innovations.”
The company says Port De La Mer promises an array of premium dining, shopping, entertainment, leisure, and hospitality amenities, alongside panoramic views of both the open ocean and stunning skyline.
Phase one of Port De La Mer is opening in October 2024 and includes 32 berths for yachts up to 40m in length overall. The marina will be extended to facilitate a total of 160-berths for yachts up to 80 meters in the following years.
Khalid Al Malik, MD Dubai Holding states that Port De La Mer represents a strategic milestone in the company’s long-term vision to position Dubai as a premier global leisure and tourism destination.
“Port De La Mer will be added to the current marinas in our key waterfront destinations, including Jaddaf Waterfront, Marasi Bay and Marina Al Seef Dubai, and Marsa Al Arab, setting a new benchmark for luxury marinas worldwide. Our ongoing collaboration with D-Marin, known for their exemplary management and commitment to sustainability, underscores our shared dedication to excellence and innovation. Together, we are setting new standards by delivering world-class facilities, ensuring Dubai remains at the forefront of the global yachting community.”
This new development consolidates D-Marin’s expansion plans in Italy where — with its most recent acquisition — it says it’s created the most valuable marina cluster in the Mediterranean. Pictured below is the company’s new commercial manager for Italy, Dino Bellanova, with D-Marin’s chief commercial officer Dean Smith.
The company recently acquired Porto Mirabello, in the Gulf of La Spezia, Italy. This strategic addition reflects D-Marin’s ongoing investment in enhancing its portfolio, and growing its presence in Italy. Porto Mirabello features 407 berths and offers amenities such as a heliport, dining options, and boutique shopping.
Porto Mirabello is the third Italian marina D-Marin has added to its selection in 2024 alone, following the additions of Aregai and San Lorenzo in the Liguria region. It’s also undertaken the construction of Livorno Marina next to the Azimut-Benetti shipyard, with a vision of creating a world-renowned marina to accommodate the finest superyachts. The first berths are available during 2025. The company also operates Punta Faro near Venice, which was added to the selection in 2022, and Varazze marina, Liguria, in partnership with Azimut|Benetti.
“Italy is one of the best yachting destinations in the world and is a key region as we seek to offer more cruising options in unique locations,” says Nicolo Caffo, regional director of Italy. “We are thrilled to welcome Porto Mirabello into the D-Marin family which strengthens our footprint in Italy and also reinforces our commitment to providing world-class marina services.”
D-Marin says one of its aims is to provide seamless cruising experiences for its customers. It offers complimentary berthing days at various D-Marin locations under the name of Happy Berth Days (see what the company did there?) which doesn’t sound as upmarket as the rest of its aspirations, but pleasantly homely instead.
