Marbella’s €200 Million La Bajadilla Marina Transformation Moves Forward
Marbella is preparing for one of the most significant transformations of its waterfront in decades following the award of the concession to expand and modernise Puerto de La Bajadilla.
The Junta de Andalucía announced on 2 September 2026 that the long-awaited project had been unblocked, with the new concessionaire due to assume responsibility for the marina from 1 January 2027.
The planned investment exceeds €200 million and will see the marina grow from its current 268 berths to approximately 750, almost tripling its capacity.
For Marbella, this is much more than an increase in the number of places to moor a boat.
The project is designed to create a substantially larger maritime destination capable of accommodating everything from recreational boats to large yachts and cruise vessels, alongside new commercial areas, services, parking and improved public infrastructure.
For property buyers, it is another example of the significant investment continuing to take place beyond Marbella’s residential developments themselves.
What is planned for La Bajadilla?
The transformation is substantial.
According to the Junta de Andalucía, the future marina will provide approximately 750 berths and will be capable of receiving large vessels measuring up to 70 metres in length.
The engineering works include a new 1.13-kilometre main breakwater, protecting the marina from the east and south, together with a 450-metre secondary breakwater on its western side.
A further structure will channel the Arroyo Primero watercourse while helping separate it from Playa del Cable.
On land, the wider redevelopment is expected to include new infrastructure and services, commercial space, fishing facilities, a boatyard and approximately 1,000 parking spaces.
The existing fishing activity will remain part of the port, while the overall facility is reorganised and expanded.
The result, if delivered as planned, would be a very different maritime gateway for Marbella.
From 268 to around 750 berths
One of the clearest indicators of the project’s scale is simply the change in capacity.
La Bajadilla currently provides 268 berths. The new configuration is planned to offer around 750.
Independent reporting by SUR indicates that the port’s water area will expand to approximately three-and-a-half times its current size, while the new concession has been awarded for 40 years.
The successful consortium is expected to take control from January 2027 and will then have time to complete the final technical project before the principal construction phase.
SUR reports an 11-month period for preparation of the final project followed by approximately 36 months for construction, with the port intended to remain operational during the works.
As with any major infrastructure scheme, those timings should be treated as the current programme rather than a guaranteed completion date.
Why does Marbella need a larger marina?
Marbella is internationally associated with yachting, yet its capacity for larger vessels has historically been concentrated heavily around Puerto Banús.
La Bajadilla offers Marbella an opportunity to expand its maritime infrastructure closer to the centre of the city while creating capacity for substantially larger vessels.
The Junta says the enlarged marina is designed to respond to existing demand and accommodate recreational boats, large yachts and cruise traffic.
That is important because Marbella’s luxury proposition increasingly extends beyond villas, apartments and hotels.
Golf, restaurants, beach clubs, wellness, hospitality and yachting all form part of the wider ecosystem that attracts international residents and second-home owners.
A substantially upgraded marina adds another component to that offering.
A significant investment in Marbella’s eastern waterfront
La Bajadilla occupies an interesting position immediately east of Marbella’s traditional town centre and close to Playa del Cable.
The project therefore has relevance beyond boating.
A modernised marina, new commercial facilities and improvements to the surrounding environment have the potential to change how this section of Marbella’s coastline is used and experienced.
The scheme also incorporates environmental measures affecting the surrounding coastline. The Junta says planned works include sand replenishment and transfers involving Venus, La Bajadilla, El Cable and El Faro beaches as part of the project’s environmental integration and coastal regeneration measures.
For buyers looking at Marbella property, improvements to the public realm and leisure infrastructure surrounding a location are worth following.
However, they should not be confused with guaranteed property-price growth.
A €200 million marina investment does not automatically mean nearby homes will rise in value. Individual property performance will continue to depend on purchase price, exact location, quality, supply, demand and wider market conditions.
What the project can potentially do is improve the depth and quality of the amenities available in this part of Marbella.
Another piece of Marbella’s investment story
The La Bajadilla announcement becomes particularly interesting when viewed alongside other recent developments in the city.
Marbella has recently approved its new PGOM municipal planning framework; the €260 million Oakmond longevity and wellness destination is progressing; and plans for Spain’s first Waldorf Astoria have now entered formal municipal processing.
La Bajadilla adds major maritime infrastructure to that picture.
These projects are very different and sit at different stages of planning and development. They should not be bundled together as evidence that property values must increase.
What they do demonstrate is the scale and variety of capital currently being committed to Marbella’s future — spanning planning, healthcare and wellness, five-star hospitality, residential development and now maritime infrastructure.
For prospective international buyers, that broader investment environment is relevant when considering Marbella as a long-term lifestyle destination.
What could the new marina mean for property buyers?
For somebody considering a property purchase in Marbella, La Bajadilla is unlikely to determine a buying decision on its own.
But infrastructure matters.
Buyers increasingly assess not only the property but the environment around it: accessibility, restaurants, beaches, golf, hospitality, landscaping, public spaces, sporting facilities and leisure infrastructure.
That is particularly relevant to Marbella’s new-build and off-plan market, where buyers are often making decisions several years before they expect to occupy a completed home.
Understanding what is planned around a development can therefore be almost as important as studying the development itself.
La Bajadilla is one of those projects worth monitoring.
Marbella continues to invest in its future
After years of administrative and legal complexity surrounding previous proposals for the port, the award of the new concession represents a significant milestone.
The numbers alone demonstrate the ambition: more than €200 million of planned investment, around 750 berths, yachts of up to 70 metres and approximately 1,000 parking spaces.
There remains a considerable amount of work between concession award and completion of the finished marina.
Nevertheless, the project has moved beyond being simply an aspiration.
For Marbella, La Bajadilla represents an opportunity to significantly improve its maritime infrastructure and create a new focal point on the city’s eastern waterfront.
And for those following the evolution of Marbella’s property market, it is another major piece of infrastructure to watch over the coming years.
Looking for a new or off-plan property in Marbella?
Jason Callow Homes specialises in new and off-plan property throughout Marbella and the Costa del Sol.
We work across the latest developments in Marbella, Benahavís, Estepona, Sotogrande, Mijas and the wider Costa del Sol, helping international buyers compare locations, developers, specifications, pricing and upcoming opportunities.
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Sources & Further Reading
Junta de Andalucía — La Bajadilla expansion and concession announcement
The primary government source confirming the concession, €200m+ investment, expansion from 268 to around 750 berths, vessel capacity and principal infrastructure works.
SUR in English — €200m La Bajadilla transformation plans
Detailed reporting on the 40-year concession, project timetable, port operation during construction and wider facilities.
Europa Press — Junta announces the transformation of La Bajadilla
Independent reporting of the regional government’s announcement and the strategic importance of the project to Marbella.
