Construction of new superyacht marina and service centre announced for San Juan

Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla, Governor of the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, has announced the development of a new superyacht marina in the Port of San Juan, with a supporting service centre for those vessels, funded by a private investment of $73 million.

Once complete, Caribbean Business reported that the San Juan Marina and Mega Yacht Service Centre is expected to create around 1,300 jobs, generating around $40 million for the economy annually.

The industrial maritime centre will be the first of its kind to offer specialised superyacht services in the Caribbean, providing both repair and overhaul services to superyachts visiting San Juan, and will be Isla Grande’s Pier 15. 

It’s estimated that the service centre will provide dry-dock services to around 30 vessels, and around 150 when docked yearly, and will be partially ready to begin operations in October before becoming fully operational six months later in April 2017. 

Governor Garcia Padilla said, “This centre will be unique not only in Puerto Rico, but also throughout the Caribbean region, and it will add a new destination for megayacht routes in this area. We are talking about the creation of a new industry in Puerto Rico, with the potential to impact the entire region. 

“Puerto Rico will occupy the niche; we have the infrastructure, air connectivity, the ability to provide quality supplies and the workers needed to successfully develop this industry. We have a strategic location in the Caribbean, ideal to host several megayachts, especially in the winter season.”

Following the service centre, the first phase of the marina development will be finished in 2019, and will be located near the Bahia Urbana area, between piers six and nine. Among the marina facilities for yacht owners and crew will be a new hotel, which is part of the second phase of the project to be completed by 2020.

Governer Garcia Padilla continued, “After a competitive bidding process, the company selected to develop this project was Edgewater Resources – a company founded with the aim of improving communities and their port fronts, focusing on social, environmental and economic sustainability in the long term.”