on 8 Dec 2021
The new Saudi superyacht marina is a strategic stop-off for foreign-flagged charters along the Red Sea coast
The Jeddah Yacht Club and Marina in Saudi Arabia has welcomed its first yachts, just six months after construction work on the project began.
Superyachts including 95m O’Pari from Golden Yachts, Oceanco’s 85m Sunrays and 82m Abeking & Rasmussen RoMEA all docked at the new facility, alongside a fleet of over 40 superyachts, during the action-packed Saudi F1 Grand Prix weekend that took place 3-5 December.
The official opening of the marina and club will take place in March 2022, JYC has confirmed, in time for the return of the Saudi F1 Grand Prix next season.
Located in northern Jeddah, the JYC Marina is the first marina along the Red Sea coast that can accommodate over 100 superyachts measuring up to 120 metres in length.
As an official port of entry into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, it can offer customs clearance and immigration services to all vessels, making it a strategic location for foreign-flagged superyachts looking to stop off on their way to the cruising grounds of Southeast Asia or the East Indian Ocean, or vessels chartering in the region.
The members-only Jeddah Yacht Club features a striking, 5,000sqm “mast-and-sail”-themed clubhouse at the entrance to the marina, and a lighthouse that welcomes visitors to Jeddah’s shores.
Facilities for members include concierge services, sailing and nautical activities, a beach club with an infinity pool, restaurants, a wellness centre and a business centre.
Saudi Arabia is positioning itself as a hub for superyachting along the Red Sea. The developer Sela says the project is the “first step into major yachting developments that are to take place in the Kingdom” over the next decade.
Oliver Rees, general manager for Jeddah Yacht Club and Marina says: “JYC Marina and the Jeddah Yacht Club will be a perfect home port for private yachts, but also a great place to meet, enjoy sailing and water sports and revel in the quality of services we have on offer. It will also be a gateway to the wonders of the Red Sea, and we are confident that this fantastic new facility will rapidly become a prime waypoint on the global yachting map.”