on 22 Jul 2026
A keel laying ceremony at Damen Shipyards Cape Town has marked the official start of pontoon production for South Africa’s first purpose-built superyacht marina
The V&A Waterfront and Damen Shipyards Cape Town have celebrated the commencement of construction of the Quay 7 Superyacht Marina, a project that has been developed to establish the V&A Waterfront and Cape Town as a globally competitive superyacht destination.
In traditional shipbuilding, a keel laying ceremony marks the placement of a vessel’s structural backbone and is recognised as a project’s official birth date. For V&A Waterfront’s six purpose-built floating pontoons, the ceremony marked the welding of the first structural steel plates. Construction is due for completion by the end of October 2026, with an official opening planned for November.
“The keel laying ceremony marks the moment where years of planning this strategic maritime infrastructure becomes a visible reality,” says Graham Wood, CEO of the V&A Waterfront. “Quay 7 will position the V&A Waterfront and Cape Town where they belong – on the global superyacht circuit – and create long-term economic opportunities for the marine services sector, local manufacturers and the broader ocean economy. Every weld brings that future closer.”
A Technically Advanced Project
Each of the six 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.
The assembly and completion of the first three pontoons is the next major milestone in the construction programme, and Damen Shipyards Cape Town Managing Director Hermoine Manuel says it is the company’s most technically advanced marina project.
“Our expertise is in shipbuilding – patrol vessels, research and supply vessels, dredgers, and tugs – and we have brought that discipline to a marina context,” says Manuel. “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 submerged pontoon structures require the integration of precision-engineered marine services infrastructure. Technologies deployed include 3D modelling, digital scanning and specialist underwater survey systems.
Once complete, each pontoon will be outfitted with fire and lifesaving equipment, water supply and electrical kiosks, bollards, fenders, world-class IT connectivity, bamboo decking and shear fenders securing the structure to the Quay 7 wall adjacent to the new Cape Town EDITION hotel.
Long-term Economic Impact
Unlike conventional marina developments, V&A Waterfront’s Superyacht Marina is designed for dual-purpose use. During the superyacht season, the eight berths will accommodate vessels of up to 90 metres. In the off-season, the basin will support commissioning and export staging for Cape Town’s globally recognised catamaran manufacturers, including Robertson and Caine, Two Oceans Marine and Balance Catamarans, creating year-round economic value for the local marine sector.
“What makes our Superyacht Marina different is that every aspect of the marina has been designed around operational excellence and long-term economic impact,” says Andre Blaine, Executive: Marine and Industrial Property at the V&A Waterfront. “The engineering you can see is only part of the story. The anchoring systems, the submerged structures, the utility integration – this is infrastructure built to serve international maritime traffic for decades.”
The economic rationale for the investment is well established. 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.
“Our Superyacht Marina presents an opportunity for local suppliers, marine services businesses, manufacturers, and for Cape Town to strengthen its position on the global maritime map,” says Woods. “We look forward to welcoming the first superyachts later this year.
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