Founded in 1918, SF Marina is a leading expert in marina design, renowned for its state-of-the-art floating breakwaters and concrete docks. The company has now taken its vision to the next level with Port Nimara, its first fully developed marina project on the island of Anguilla - and now Port Amador, the newly announced Panama City marina at the gateway to the Panama Canal.
BOATPro catches up with David Mizrahi, CEO of SF Investments and managing partner of the development, for an update…
Why did you choose Anguilla as your destination for Port Nimara marina?
What we love about the island is that it's a very attractive location, very secluded, with an absence of big resorts. And the location of Port Nimara, southwest of the island, is ideal – it sits between the renowned luxury resorts of Cap Juluca and Altamer Villas, so it's very convenient for visitors.
What will be its USP?
The marina will feature 118 berths for yachts up to 73 metres, a five-star hotel, exclusive residences and a yacht club. It is designed to establish a "cruising triangle" with St. Martin and St. Barths. Opening is timed for the second half of 2027, with the hotel and residences opening in 2028 and 2029, respectively.
The Caribbean has seen a rise in yacht traffic in recent years, so Anguilla presents a prime opportunity to meet that demand, as it currently lacks a marina. Unusually, Port Nimara is being built on private land, meaning berths can also be purchased outright - a rare opportunity in the region, where they are typically offered as 30- to 50-year concessions that depreciate over time. Private ownership offers long-term security, as well as the potential to place a berth under management, rent it out and generate revenue when not in use.
Our aim is to link St Martin, St Barths and Anguilla - three distinct jurisdictions (Dutch, French and British) that work closely together and complement one another. St Martin serves as a technical hub for refits and repairs, St Barths offers a vibrant social scene, and Anguilla provides a more relaxed, nature-focused retreat. Port Nimara will give yacht owners access to all three.
I am a keen sailor and I have a lot of experience using marinas, so I know what works and what doesn’t. Often, real estate developers come in who don't know the marine world and only develop a project from a real estate perspective. It may look nice, but it’s often just a parking lot for boats constructed from the cheapest materials.
Port Nimara will feel like a lifestyle hub, and it will also cater to more active guests, with everything from hiking and tennis to golf at the nearby Greg Norman-designed course at Aurora Anguilla Resort & Golf Club. Sailing - Anguilla’s national sport - will also be a focus.
How are things progressing with the project?
A lot has happened in a year, and there has been a lot of attention on the project. We have gone through the legal process with the Anguilla government to approve the sales of berths, which are actively being sold for Port Nimara, with reservations higher than the original projections.
In April, we should see the first docks arrive at the marina to be installed, and in May, we will also launch pre-sales of the villas. We are also progressing with plans for the Beaufort Yacht Club - the idea is that when you buy a berth, or have a long-term lease in the marina, you will have access to all the marinas across the world that we have in development.
Have there been any challenges?
There are always challenges on this scale of a project. There are a lot of people involved, so you need to make sure that everybody's pushing in the right direction. We are fortunate enough to have had excellent cooperation with the Anguilla government, who have also been very reactive, which is unusual in the Caribbean, where life can sometimes be a little slower paced!
Port Nimara is not your only project - tell us about the newest, in Panama….
We’ve recently officially announced the launch of Port Amador, a marina on the edge of Panama City, which will feature over 350 deep-water berths for yachts up to 120 metres. Positioned on the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal, our ambition is for this to become a major new hub for superyacht activity on the central Pacific coast.
The challenges are very different to Anguilla - here the location is very urban, yet we are still trying to generate the same atmosphere of intimacy and create a nice, protected, luxurious marina that owners will want to spend time in.
Why choose Panama City as your location?
While many yachts transit the Panama Canal, there is currently no marina on the Pacific side - the nearest options are in Costa Rica or in South America, where facilities are less developed. This new marina – which is situated outside of the hurricane belt – will open up greater flexibility for cruising.
Panama City is a major global financial hub with a low-tax environment, making components and repairs more cost-effective - which makes it very convenient for large yachts doing longer passages down to Antarctica and beyond.
But the marina is designed to be more than just a technical stop. It will also be a base where yachts can spend extended time, moving easily between the Caribbean and the Pacific. From there, owners can explore Panama’s pristine archipelago of 39 islands or venture further south along the coast, towards South America. It is also within reach of two private international airports.
Will you be selling berths like in Anguilla?
No - unlike Anguilla, we won’t be selling berths outright. The marina is being developed under a government concession, which means we have the right to build and operate it for a fixed period, but we don’t own the land itself. As a result, berths will be offered on a long-term lease rather than as freehold ownership.
Alongside berthing, plans include a boutique hotel, waterfront residences, retail and dining, as well as the first Pacific outpost of the Beaufort Yacht Club. Construction is underway, and we are aiming for the project to be ready by 2028.
Read More/SF Group unveils landmark superyacht marina project in Panama