South Africa’s premier tourist destination, the V&A Waterfront, is splurging ZAR230 million on parking – for superyachts.

Moneyweb reports the purpose-built marina will front the ZAR1.5 billion Cape Town Edition luxury hotel, being built by Mariott on the Waterfront’s Quay 7.

The Quay 7 Superyacht Marina, scheduled for completion in October 2026, is part of the V&A Waterfront’s broader expansion of its tourism offering to its outer quays. The expansion includes the new Edition hotel, the R1 billion upgrade of the Intercontinental  Table Bay Cape Town hotel on Quay 6 and the East Pier Helistop on the outer edge of Quay 7.

V&A Waterfront CEO Graham Wood says demand for superyacht berthing has been building since 2009, with 35 of the vessels arriving at the Waterfront during the 2024/25 season alone.

Wood says vessels sometimes remain in Cape Town for up to a year, with access to cruising routes and the city’s marine services.

‘A superyacht visit generates exponentially more economic activity per visitor than mass tourism,’ he says.

The marina will offer eight berths for superyachts between 30m and 90m in length, with six stern-in and two beam-on berths, supported by floating jetties and full utility services, including electricity, water and Wi-Fi.

The marina is targeting Gold Anchor accreditation – a globally recognised programme that assesses the quality, facilities, services and management of marinas, rating them from one to five Gold Anchors.

24 March 2026
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