Safe Harbor Marinas acquires Monaco Marine and ‘docks’ in the Mediterranean
Each year, the Sud region attracts over half of the world’s 30 metre+ yachts © Yacht Club de Monaco
The American company Safe Harbor Marinas has just made official its acquisition of the Monaco Marine network, and by extension its strategic entry into the European luxury yachting market.
Announced on 31 July 2025, the acquisition enables Safe Harbor to extend its global network by adding nine Mediterranean facilities specialising in the maintenance and refurbishment of superyachts up to 90 metres. The transaction, whose value has not been made public, is the result of exclusive negotiations that began in June between the two groups.
To “serve captains, crews, and owners in places like Saint Tropez, Antibes, and Monaco,” in the words of Safe Harbor CEO Baxter Underwood, this Mediterranean expansion represents a major departure for the American giant.
An ever-expanding port empire
With the addition of Monaco Marine, Safe Harbor now operates 149 marinas and shipyards in the world’s most sought-after destinations. The Texan group, bought by Blackstone Infrastructure Partners in April 2025 for 5.65 billion dollars, is continuing its international expansion after having already changed hands in 2020.
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Monaco Marine, founded in 1995 by Michel Ducros, has established itself as an industry benchmark, with its strategic locations between Marseille and Monaco, including La Ciotat, Beaulieu-sur-Mer and Saint-Laurent-du-Var. The main shipyard in La Ciotat has an exceptional capacity for accommodating very large vessels.
Promising transatlantic synergies
The operation is part of a drive to consolidate the sector, where facilities capable of accommodating superyachts are still rare and coveted. The acquisition could encourage other players to strengthen their positions in a Mediterranean market that is growing steadily: Europe had the largest share (37%) of global superyacht sales in 2023, according to figures from Mordor Intelligence.
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The local expertise developed by Monaco Marine over three decades, combined with Safe Harbor’s investment potential and international network, is shaping a new geography for luxury yachting. The transatlantic alliance attests to the strategic appeal of the Mediterranean coast’s infrastructure for international operators in an industry where technical excellence is the decisive criterion.