Marina de Vilamoura Wins 2026 Superyacht Marina of the Year

Marina de Vilamoura has won The Yacht Harbour Association’s 2026 Superyacht Marina of the Year award, leading a category that also placed Yalikavak Marina second and Yas Marina third. The wider Marina Awards programme recognised eight categories covering international, coastal, inland, sustainability, staff and team performance.

Vilamoura takes the superyacht category

The Yacht Harbour Association named Marina de Vilamoura as its Superyacht Marina of the Year for 2026, ahead of Yalikavak Marina and Yas Marina. The result places the Portuguese facility at the top of a category focused specifically on destinations serving larger yachts and their crews.

Superyacht marinas are judged in a market where berth size is only one part of the owner and captain experience. Shore power, security, guest services, technical support, access logistics and staff responsiveness can all influence whether a marina becomes a preferred repeat destination.

International and coastal marinas were also recognised

Ayla Marina won International Marina of the Year, with Marina de Vilamoura’s Nova Marina second and Setur Antalya third. In the UK coastal categories, Poole Quay Boat Haven and Cowes Yacht Haven won the under-250 and over-250 berth awards respectively.

The range of winners shows how marina quality is assessed across very different operating environments, from compact domestic facilities to international destinations handling visiting superyachts. Customer expectations vary by scale, but service consistency and well-maintained infrastructure remain central across the categories.

Sustainability and staff performance form separate awards

Parkstone Bay Marina received the Sustainable Marina of the Year award, while Emsworth Yacht Harbour was highly commended. Harry Durrah of Emsworth was named Marina Employee of the Year, and Shepperton Marina received the Marina Team of the Year award with Dubai Harbour Marina receiving special recognition.

Separating these categories highlights the fact that marina performance depends on people and operating practices as well as physical investment. Environmental initiatives can also affect energy use, waste handling, water quality and community relationships, all of which are increasingly important to larger yacht destinations.

Boater feedback remains central to the programme

TYHA says the awards begin with the experiences and votes of marina users, giving customer feedback a direct role in identifying finalists and winners. That approach means recognition is influenced by day-to-day service delivery rather than relying only on facilities described in marketing material.

For superyacht captains, peer experience can be particularly valuable when assessing destinations because practical details often determine whether a port visit runs smoothly. The 2026 results therefore provide both an industry award list and a snapshot of the facilities that users currently rate highly across several marina segments.

Official sources: www.britishmarine.co.uk.