Gulf Craft partners with P&O Marinas to drive Dubai expansion

Gulf Craft has announced a strategic partnership with P&O Marinas as part of its strategy to strengthen its product and service offerings in Dubai.

The partnership will see Gulf Craft open its dedicated Sales Center at Mina Rashid Marina. To coincide with the launching of the new Sales Center in Mina Rashid Marina, Gulf Craft has launched a new customer-focused campaign for its Nomad, long range explorer yachts that are designed to meet the lifestyle aspirations of the adventurer seafarers. Designed for the mariners, who wish to explore further afield, the Nomad is a marquee brand of Gulf Craft with buyers already coming in from across the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and Australia.

Gulf Craft will offer competitive rates for new Nomad explorer yacht buyers in addition to free berthing for a year at Mina Rashid Marina, regarded as the region’s most sought-after superyacht destination for boat owners, their friends, family, and crew.

“With the return of marine centric activities in the region and to leverage Dubai’s position as a hub for the yachting community, we are further expanding our presence in the emirate. We are proud to open our new Sales Center in Mina Rashid Marina, which has a rich legacy in addition to being a lifestyle hub that will appeal to yacht owners,” said Mohammed Alshaali, chairman of Gulf Craft.

Speaking to Khaleej Times after the announcement, Abeer Alshaali, deputy MD of Gulf Craft, highlighted the brand’s plans for the region, saying: “We feel that Port Rashid has really opened up to provide a full and comprehensive set of services for boat owners, everything from lift services to entertainment spaces. This has really created a boating community. With the campaign that we are starting today, we are featuring the Nomad brand of Gulf Craft yachts at Port Rashid, and the campaign itself will last until September. Boat owners that purchase a new Nomad can avail free berthing for one year and a full package of services offered by Gulf Craft with regards to aftersales.”

The advantage of being in Port Rashid, she said, is that it is a “proper boating community.”

“We will be opening an office there with a full set of services for clients and that will be advantageous for both current as well as future boat owners,” she noted. “Ports and marina living have definitely been growing and we can see the difference from 10 years ago compared to today. We have seen how the growth of marinas in the UAE has exploded. The UAE is planning to become a proper destination for the marine industry; it sits geographically at a great place and we have seen that, in the past few years, yachts that summer in the Mediterranean come down during the fall season around the Red Sea and into the Gulf for winter in the UAE, and sometimes they continue to the Maldives and the Seychelles.”

Similarly, Gulf Craft CEO, Talal Nasralla, added that Mina Rashid Marina is fast evolving as a hub for marine enthusiasts from across the world. “In addition to opening our Sales Center, we are launching a dedicated campaign to promote our Nomad brand, providing new customers the opportunity to experience not only the distinctive experience of this explorer yacht but also the diverse offering of Mina Rashid Marina.”

Mina Rashid Marina is the main port of entry for all international superyachts visiting Dubai and has the capacity to host some of the world’s biggest superyachts. It has a berthing capacity of 424 yachts between 15-80 metres, in addition to seven alongside berths to accommodate superyachts that are over 80 metres, making the marina one of the most comprehensive in the Middle East.

Abeer Alshaali noted that the UAE sits “very well” for yacht tourism, and that Gulf Craft supports this by providing services for yachts that are coming into the UAE, and for yacht owners that are planning to leave the country and travel abroad. “We can reach clients from both the East and the West with where we are situated. Port Rashid is planning on making the entrance, registration, immigration, and customs procedures all in one so that it provides a very smooth entry into the UAE for boat owners.”

Highlighting the interest in the market right now, she said that clients and non-boat owners have started to think of boating as a very safe leisure activity that they can do with their families, especially with the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. “They have started looking into the possibilities of owning a yacht, or part-time ownership, or ever charter. The industry has really been revitalized and there is definitely a focus on owning a yacht.”

rohma@khaleejtimes.com