La Bajadilla port expansion contract signed. 750 berths and a 40-year concession for Marbella

The contract to expand and transform La Bajadilla port in Marbella has been formalised, the Junta de Andalucía has announced. The concessionaire will run the port for 40 years from 1 January 2027 and fund works worth more than €200 million, in a project that began with a tender 16 years ago.

Key facts

• Contract: formalised on 3 November 2026, according to the Junta, for 40 years from 1 January 2027.
• Investment: more than €200 million, paid entirely by the concessionaire rather than the Junta.
• Berths: the marina will grow from 268 to around 750 moorings.
• Fee: the concession generates a charge (canon) of €1 million a year.
• Concessionaire: the Unión Temporal de Empresas Marina Internacional de Marbella, the only bidder admitted.

What the project includes

The Junta says the Consejo de Gobierno (the regional cabinet) has taken note of the formalisation. The scheme is promoted by the Consejería de Fomento y Movilidad through the Agencia Pública de Puertos de Andalucía (APPA), the regional ports agency. The Junta describes it as an action of general interest for Andalucía, aimed at modernising port infrastructure on the Costa del Sol.

According to the Junta, the works cover new breakwaters, quays and berthing facilities, as well as land-side infrastructure, technical areas, buildings, car parks and spaces for port services and commercial and recreational activities. The plan also includes work on the Venus and La Bajadilla beaches.

The Junta says the port's capacity will almost triple. Vessels of up to 70 metres in length will be able to dock, from recreational boats to large yachts and cruise ships, which it says responds to strong demand in the area.

The engineering centrepiece is a main breakwater of 1.13 kilometres protecting the port on its east and south sides. A 450-metre counter-breakwater will protect the west side. A groyne will channel the Arroyo Primero stream, separate it from El Cable beach and help preserve the sand.

Fishing activity is to continue during the works and be integrated into the new facilities, the Junta said.

A process that began in 2010

The Junta says the tender was launched in 2010, with the notice published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 18 November. A 2017 ruling by the Tribunal Superior de Justicia de Andalucía (TSJA), the regional high court, affected the procedure.

During the last legislative term, the project received a new unified environmental authorisation from the Junta, plus a favourable report from the Dirección General de la Costa y el Mar on the allocation of maritime-terrestrial public domain.

Once the procedure resumed, the contracting board proposed on 2 July 2026 that the contract be awarded to Marina Internacional de Marbella, the only admitted bidder. After the required documentation was submitted, the award was agreed and the contract formalised on 3 November 2026.

What it means for the coast

The contract covers both the construction works and the later operation of the port under the contractual terms. For Marbella residents, boat owners and the fishing community, the Junta's announcement is the main official reference for the scheme's scope, and further details would come from the Junta and APPA.