Marbella approves €200 million overhaul to transform La Bajadilla into a modern marina

Fifteen years after the contract was first given to Qatari Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser Al-Thani, Marbella has finalized a €200 million deal to revamp La Bajadilla port. The agreement, announced by Puertos de Andalucía head Ignacio Álvarez-Ossorio Ramos at a ceremony led by Mayor Ángeles Muñoz, hands management of the marina to a local-business joint venture starting 1 January 2027 for a 40-year term. The upgraded facility will expand the water surface by 3.5 times, raise the number of berths from 268 to roughly 750, and accommodate large yachts and cruise ships, supported by a 1.13-km southern breakwater, a 450-m western breakwater, and a jetty for the Primero stream.

A shopping area and a 1,000-space car park will be added, while the fishing harbour stays at the westernmost point. The regional minister for public works framed the project as part of a strategic plan to revitalize ports and deliver a significant economic boost to Marbella. The contract was signed on 1 September, with an eleven-month design phase and a 36-month construction window, all while keeping the port operational.