Monaco Forum Says Marinas Must Scale for Larger Yachts and New Technology

Yacht Club de Monaco says marinas are increasingly being treated as critical waterfront infrastructure rather than simple leisure real estate, as larger yachts, constrained berth supply, shore-power demand and connected systems force operators to rethink existing facilities. The sixth Monaco Smart & Sustainable Marina Rendezvous brought together professionals from 30 nationalities to examine investment, biodiversity, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, berth configuration and new operating standards.

Larger yachts are putting pressure on existing berth layouts

Forum participants noted that many established marinas were designed decades ago for a smaller average vessel size. As yacht dimensions and onboard power demand increase, operators are having to reconsider basin layouts, berth geometry, dredging, utilities and the way valuable waterfront space is allocated.

The issue is not simply adding more berths. Reconfiguring a mature marina can change occupancy economics, concession requirements and surrounding waterfront uses, while construction has to proceed around existing tenants and local environmental constraints.

Investors want better data before committing capital

Speakers from infrastructure, development and finance highlighted the lack of consistent benchmarks for marina performance. Basic measures such as occupancy, operating revenue and transaction values are not always reported in a way that lets investors compare projects across different countries and concession models.

Long-term investment is also affected by the duration and renewal terms of concessions. The forum argued that marinas increasingly need to be evaluated alongside tourism, retail, dining, employment and wider waterfront development rather than as isolated berthing businesses.

Shore power, AI and cybersecurity are moving into core infrastructure

Workshops examined electricity, water, data networks, connected equipment and the growing use of artificial intelligence in marina and shipyard operations. The focus was on applications already capable of improving operations rather than treating AI as a purely theoretical technology.

Greater connectivity also expands the cybersecurity responsibility of marina operators. Smart metering, berth-management systems, access controls, charging infrastructure and vessel interfaces can improve service, but they also create additional digital assets that need to be protected and maintained.

Sustainability standards are becoming more measurable

The event placed biodiversity and environmental performance alongside commercial investment. Six marinas, yacht clubs and nautical centres received the new S3 Smart & Sustainable Standard certification, which uses maturity assessment, risk analysis, interviews, site audits and an improvement roadmap.

Innovation awards also highlighted mobile charging, smart mooring and biodiversity technologies. For superyacht marinas, the direction is toward facilities that can prove performance through data while accommodating larger vessels and higher technical loads without treating environmental measures as a separate add-on.

Official sources: yacht-club-monaco.mc.