Scope for more superyachts in Bermuda

Plans for a new superyacht marina has been set in motion since the House of Assembly of Bermuda has approved leases for the South Basin at Dockyard and a senior living facility. The first of the leases, between the West End Development Corporation (WEDCo) and the South Basin Development Ltd, will last 120 years and allows for the construction of Cross Island Marina.

First announced in 2009 as part of a public-private partnership, the marina was to include a mix of approximately 200 berths - between 100 to 250 feet and some in excess of 300 feet - to accommodate superyachts. Support, repair and club facilities were also to be included to transform the South Basin in Dockyard into a state-of the-art marina and boatyard.


According to local reports, South Basin Development Ltd has planning permission for the South arm bridge as well as a lease for the land and legislative approval to complete a land reclamation of up to 11.1 acres. Final drawings are expected to be submitted to the Department of Planning in September and, upon permission from the Department of Planning, the project is expected to take 18 months to complete. This, as a result, could come in time for the 2017 America’s Cup if Bermuda was to secure its bid to host the event.

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Andrew Dias, WEDCo manager, told the Bermuda Sun that the project aims to rebuild Bermuda’s maritime history and provide career opportunities for locals. “The vision is to revitalise the maritime industry — it’s part of our culture and heritage,” he says. “In order to do that we need to attract overseas vessels to get back to the glory days and we need a designated area to do that. We formed the South Basin Development Ltd to create a marine industry area.”

The new marine industry estate would allegedly be equipped with the latest technology and lifting machinery to enable routine maintenance and Dias believes that this would encourage passing superyachts to visit the island. “Our role will be to facilitate and provide a reason for these vessels to come to Bermuda,” he added. “We don’t anticipate conducting major refits here but small work and maintenance that needs to be done.”

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