By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

Nassau Cruise Port will create 350 new jobs by the 2026 first quarter through the completion of its $26m mega yacht, pool and “signature restaurant” expansion projects, it was revealed yesterday.

Michael Maura, the Prince George Wharf operator’s chief executive and director, told Tribune Business that it aims to position itself as the “safe and secure place to moor $70m” vessels by expanding its mega yacht accommodation capabilities from the present “one long berth” to six.

And, confirming that all expansion moves have begun, he added that the new restaurant will be open to Bahamian and resident guests as well as creating a variety of job openings in posts such as bar tenders, servers and pool area lifeguards.

“The mega yacht expansion has commenced,” Mr Maura told this newspaper. “If you come out to the port you’ll see a barge and crane, and see them driving piles to support the finger piers that will support the yachts coming into berth.

“The pool is also well underway. The lay-out is in clear view and the super structure. We’re looking at the end of the year, the first quarter of next year, for the opening of the pool and signature restaurant as well, which we intend to be more of an upscale restaurant experience, available for visitors and residents. We expect all of them to be operational in the 2026 first quarter.”

Mr Maura said Nassau Cruise Port’s expanded mega yacht facility is designed to target the high-end market and vessels which are too large to be accommodated by other New Providence marinas. It seeks to attract boats that have arrived to pick up their owners or “VIP” guests for cruising in The Bahamas and wider Caribbean waters.

He explained that the existing “one long berth”, which is the southern side of berth six, can presently accommodate between two to three such vessels at maximum capacity depending on their size. But, when the expansion is finished, this will increase to eight to nine.

“There’s been a tremendous amount of interest,” Mr Maura added. “Our focus is on yachts that are, by their very definition, to large to get into most of the marinas in and around New Providence. Our reality is yachts we normally receive don’t have the owner on board. It’s yachts which are awaiting the owner or party being boarded by the yacht to enjoy The Bahamas and then venture into the Caribbean.

“We’re a pretty good, safe and secure, place to moor a $60m, $70m yacht while waiting on important VIPs to arrive before departing to some other part of The Bahamas.” Mr Maura said the pool and restaurant will generate the majority of the new Nassau Cruise Port jobs, although the mega yacht expansion will also generate its share.

“Most certainly we’re going to have a material increase in employment in and around the pool area and signature restaurant,” he confirmed to Tribune Business. “We have to have additional bar tenders, we have to have additional servers, life guards. It’s most certainly going to drive the need for additional labour.

“The mega yachts, not to such a degree, but people will be needed when securing the vessel and releasing the lines. Where you will see greater economic impact will be more in the area of provisioning. Those yachts coming in will take on provisions. There’s opportunity to help our economy as well. They can complete that work alongside our berths....

“We could have eight or nine depending on the size of the vessel on a full day once the expansion is completed. Our reality is it would be a rare occurrence to be full. It could be a very seasonal day, and holiday where we have visitors coming in,” Mr Maura added.

“Our particular market is we are a safe and secure location for mega yacht owners and captains to berth their very precious, very expensive super yachts whilst waiting for the owner or VIP. We’re not catering to families who stay on board while here. Those families will bring their vessels to the likes of Atlantis. We don’t expect to be full all the time.”

Mr Maura, meanwhile, told Tribune Business that Nassau Cruise Port is “very confident” it will hit the three million passenger mark that it has predicted for the 2025 second half. He cautioned, though, that this prediction could be impacted by hurricanes and whether they strike The Bahamas or wider Caribbean.

Acknowledging that it was “fortunate” there have been no storms to-date, he added that any hurricane impact on Nassau or other parts of The Bahamas could cause the cruise lines to divert vessels from this nation and change their itineraries, resulting in a temporary loss of business.

However, if a storm was to impact other Caribbean cruise ports and destinations, then Nassau and the wider Bahamas could experience an uptick in cruise business from vessels being diverted here. “For the first six months of the year we’ve met budget and, as you know, our budget is based off cruise line requirements for berths,” Mr Maura added.

“Those requirements, depending on the cruise line, can be a year out; some of them three to four years out.... For the first six months of the year we’re on budget. Where it gets more complicated in the last half of the year has to do with storm activity.

“For July through December, we have approximately three million passengers budgeted and our confirmed forecast for the most part would have us meeting budget.” Mr Maura added that Nassau Cruise Port is targeting 6.2m visitors for the full-year 2025, which would be some 600,000 higher than the 5.6m passengers who passed through its facilities in 2024.

“We expect to do somewhere in the region of 6.2m this year,” he told this newspaper. “That could be affected by hurricanes up or down. We continue to see next year looking very strong. We have a fairly good line of sight. We have confirmed bookings for the 2026 year, and 2025, we’re looking good.”