Puerto de la Bajadilla: Marbella Marina Set for Major Expansion

MARBELLA – HIGRH NEWS: Puerto de la Bajadilla is set for a major transformation after authorities cleared the way for a €200 million-plus redevelopment that will significantly increase the marina’s capacity and open it to much larger vessels. The long-delayed project will reshape one of Marbella’s key waterfront facilities, but what exactly will the new marina look like?

Marbella moves ahead with its long-awaited marina project

A new chapter is beginning at Puerto de la Bajadilla after years of uncertainty surrounding plans to expand and modernise the Marbella facility.

The project, valued at more than €200 million, will increase the number of berths from the current 268 to around 750. That expansion will change the scale of the marina and give it the capacity to accommodate vessels measuring up to 70 metres in length.

Large yachts will be among the vessels targeted by the new configuration, while the plans also make provision for cruise ships.

The project has taken 16 years to reach this stage. Its original tender was launched years ago, but the initial agreement was eventually cancelled, leaving the proposed expansion stalled.

The regional government later revived the scheme. Since then, the plans have passed through environmental assessments, reports from coastal authorities, legal reviews and another tender procedure.

The latest step came with the award of a new 40-year concession by the Andalusian Public Ports Agency.

The incoming operator is due to take control of the existing facilities on January 1, marking the beginning of a new phase for the port.

The redevelopment will extend beyond the berthing area. Plans include commercial facilities, fishing infrastructure, a boatyard and approximately 1,000 parking spaces.

For official information about the existing Puerto de Marbella-La Bajadilla, including its current 268 berths and sporting and fishing functions, see the Andalusian Public Ports Agency (APPA).

The project therefore combines a larger marina with additional services intended to support activity on both sides of the waterfront.

For Marbella, the decision brings back a major infrastructure project that has remained unresolved for years.

A much larger marina is planned for Marbella

The clearest indication of the project’s scale comes from the planned increase in berths.

Puerto de la Bajadilla currently has 268. The redevelopment will take that figure to approximately 750, creating substantially more space for boats within the marina.

The new layout will also accommodate considerably larger vessels.

Boats of up to 70 metres will be able to use the redeveloped facilities. The plans specifically include the possibility of receiving cruise ships alongside large yachts.

That represents a significant change from the existing operation of the port.

The facility currently combines sporting and fishing activity. The redevelopment will add further commercial and marine services while retaining space for fishing-related operations.

A boatyard will provide another element of the expanded facility.

Around 1,000 parking spaces are also included in the plans, giving the land-based section of the marina a considerably larger role in the finished project.

The redevelopment is therefore being presented as a complete transformation rather than simply an increase in the number of berths.

New maritime infrastructure will protect the enlarged harbour, while commercial and service areas will occupy part of the surrounding land.

The investment of more than €200 million reflects the size of those planned works.

The new concession will run for 40 years, providing the framework for the operator to develop and manage the transformed facility.

New breakwaters will reshape the waterfront

Some of the most substantial elements of the project will be built offshore.

The plans call for a new breakwater measuring approximately 1.1 kilometres. It will protect the marina along its eastern and southern sides.

A second structure, measuring around 450 metres, will be built on the western side.

Together, the two structures will create the protective configuration required for the enlarged marina.

The redevelopment also includes a groyne connected with the Arroyo Primero. Its planned role is to channel the stream away from El Cable beach.

These works will alter the physical relationship between the marina and the surrounding coastline.

The project also contains measures relating to four nearby beaches: Venus, La Bajadilla, El Cable and El Faro.

Sand replenishment and transfer operations are planned as part of the environmental measures associated with the redevelopment.

Those works form part of the wider planning for the marina rather than standing as a separate coastal project.

The combination of new maritime structures and beach measures means that the redevelopment will extend beyond the existing port boundaries in practical terms.

The breakwaters will be among the most visible features of the completed scheme.

They will provide protection for the expanded marina while creating the conditions needed for the larger number of berths and bigger vessels included in the plans.

The project has spent years in administrative limbo

The announcement carries particular significance because the marina expansion has been under discussion for 16 years.

The original project went to tender but did not reach completion. The contract was subsequently rescinded, leaving the proposed redevelopment without a clear route forward.

The regional government revived the scheme later, but further procedures were still required before a new concession could be awarded.

Environmental assessments became part of the process, alongside reports from the coastal authorities and legal reviews.

A fresh tender was also required.

The succession of procedures meant that the project remained in development for years rather than moving directly from approval to construction.

The latest concession changes that situation.

The Andalusian Public Ports Agency has now awarded a 40-year concession, with the new operator scheduled to take over the current facilities on January 1.

That handover provides the operational starting point for the next stage of the project.

The redevelopment will then have to move from a long administrative process towards the delivery of the infrastructure described in the plans.

The history of the proposal is one reason officials in Marbella have placed particular emphasis on the latest decision.

For years, the expansion remained a proposal affected by contractual and administrative obstacles. The new concession provides a new framework for the project.

More than a marina expansion

The plans for Puerto de la Bajadilla cover a wider range of uses than the existing facility.

A commercial area will form part of the redesigned marina, alongside fishing facilities and a boatyard.

The project also provides around 1,000 parking spaces.

These additions will sit alongside the enlarged berthing area, creating a facility with several distinct functions.

The fishing activity already associated with the port will remain part of the planned operation.

At the same time, the increased capacity for larger yachts and cruise ships will introduce new possibilities for the marina.

The project consequently combines recreational boating, larger vessels, fishing, commercial activity and marine services.

The authorities involved have linked the redevelopment with potential economic benefits for Marbella and the surrounding area.

Regional councillor Mario Muñoz-Atanet described the project as an important economic boost for the city and the wider area.

Marbella mayor Ángeles Muñoz also welcomed the concession, calling it very good news for the city.

The comments underline the importance officials attach to the project after its prolonged delay.

The investment is also substantial enough to make the marina redevelopment one of the major infrastructure schemes associated with Marbella’s waterfront.

What the €200 million project will include

The planned redevelopment brings together several separate elements within one project.

The marina’s capacity will increase from 268 berths to approximately 750.

The enlarged facility will accommodate vessels measuring up to 70 metres, including large yachts and cruise ships.

A new breakwater of around 1.1 kilometres will provide protection along the eastern and southern sides.

The western section will receive a second breakwater measuring approximately 450 metres.

A groyne will be constructed to channel the Arroyo Primero away from El Cable beach.

The land-based part of the project will include commercial space, fishing facilities and a boatyard.

Around 1,000 parking spaces are also planned.

Environmental measures will include sand replenishment and transfer work at Venus, La Bajadilla, El Cable and El Faro beaches.

The project will operate under a 40-year concession awarded by the Andalusian Public Ports Agency.

Taken together, those elements represent a substantial change to the existing marina.

The proposal affects the number and size of vessels, the protective structures surrounding the harbour, the services available to users and the relationship between the port and nearby beaches.

Why the new concession matters to Marbella

The concession provides a formal route forward for a project that has repeatedly encountered delays.

The original tender dates back 16 years, but the first contract did not survive and the expansion remained unfinished.

The subsequent revival of the project required additional technical, environmental and legal work.

The new 40-year concession now establishes the framework under which the redevelopment can proceed.

The incoming operator will take over the existing facilities on January 1.

From there, the project will enter a different phase, focused on the delivery of the planned transformation.

For Marbella, the significance lies not only in the €200 million-plus investment but also in the scale of the proposed facility.

A marina with around 750 berths and the ability to receive vessels of up to 70 metres will have very different capabilities from the existing 268-berth port.

The addition of commercial facilities, fishing infrastructure, a boatyard and parking will also broaden the range of activities taking place within the complex.

At the same time, the new breakwaters and coastal measures mean the project will have a physical presence along the surrounding shoreline.

The four beaches included in the sand-management programme are part of that wider picture.

Puerto de la Bajadilla enters a new phase

After 16 years of stalled plans and administrative procedures, Puerto de la Bajadilla now has a new concession and a defined redevelopment proposal.

The project will bring a major increase in marina capacity, taking the number of berths to around 750.

It will also allow vessels of up to 70 metres, including large yachts and cruise ships, to use the future facility.

The €200 million-plus investment will cover much more than berths. New breakwaters, a groyne, commercial facilities, fishing infrastructure, a boatyard and approximately 1,000 parking spaces are all part of the plans.

The surrounding coastline is also included through sand replenishment and transfer work at four beaches.

The next stage will determine how quickly the long-awaited plans become physical infrastructure.

For now, the new concession represents the key turning point in the project’s long history.

Marbella’s waterfront is set for a substantial change, with Puerto de la Bajadilla moving from years of administrative uncertainty towards a proposed marina designed for a much larger fleet and a wider range of maritime activity.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many berths will Puerto de la Bajadilla have?

The redeveloped marina is planned to have around 750 berths, compared with 268 currently.

How large will the vessels be?

The future marina will be able to accommodate vessels of up to 70 metres in length.

Will cruise ships be able to use the marina?

Yes. The plans include capacity for cruise ships as well as large yachts.

How much will the redevelopment cost?

The project involves an investment of more than €200 million…….MORE