Bahrain Marina

The Bahrain Marina project is a new civic heart and gathering place for Bahrain’s waterfront¹. It is a mixed-use waterfront development project set to become a major tourist landmark in Bahrain^{2 3}. The Project embodies the vision “To Fulfill Aspirations”⁴, and seeks to improve quality of life and support the Bahraini national economy. It aligns with the objectives laid out in Bahrain’s 2022-2026 national tourism strategyⁱ as a pioneering development on the future map of Bahraini tourism attractions⁵.

To implement the project’s vision, a master plan was proposed which extends along a 0.256 square kilometer site on the eastern coast of Manama, in one of the country’s most strategic areas. The master plan features a vibrant mix of residential, leisure, and recreational uses with a scenic beach, seafront, and wide range of amenities. Specifically, it includes 192 retail outlets, 1,769 underground parking spaces, 235 boat berths and yachts, 274 freehold residential units, a 68,637 square meter hotel with 304 rooms, and a 37,814 square meter beach resort⁶. Additionally, the public heart of the master plan accommodates spaces for social gatherings and activities, along with creative spaces accessible to the community⁷.

Here, the economic, recreational, and touristic activities strive to attract investments and boost tourism in Bahrain, which in turn seeks to create jobs directly in hospitality and recreation and indirectly across commercial and construction industries⁸. The social activities aspire to promote entrepreneurism, youth engagement, and creativity⁹. As such, the Bahrain Marina Waterfront will be a destination for visitors, including tourists and local residents alike¹⁰.

The project is initiated by the Bahrain Marina Development Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Social Insurance Organization (SIO)¹¹. The company has specified a master plan for the project proposed by the international consultant Benoy, an internationally recognized architecture, planning, and design firm¹². The master plan will be implemented by Nass Corporation as the principal contractor, where the overall estimated project construction cost is $530.5 million¹³

The project has been under implementation over three key phases:

• First Phase: Inaugural phase with an investment of more than $244 million¹⁴.
• Second Phase: Marine works and finalizing the detailed masterplan¹⁵.
• Third Phase: Development Phase¹⁶.

It’s worth noting that the second phase of the Bahrain Marina Project, which includes marine construction, was scheduled for completion in 2020¹⁷, while the first development is set to be finished by September 2026¹⁸.