The Manoel Island Yacht Yard

For centuries, ships and shipping have played an important role in the history and development of the Maltese Islands. Following the Second World War, a growing global interest in sailing and yachting was also felt across Malta and what had once been a common pastime among British servicemen gradually became a popular activity among the Maltese.

In the years leading up to independence in 1964, proposals were made to establish a yacht marina as part of Malta’s wider economic regeneration efforts and due to the islands’ central location in the Mediterranean, the initiative gained support and was included in the Aids-to-Industries schemes promoting industrial development.

With the Naval Dockyard becoming commercialised under Messr. Baileys in 1959, the area on Manoel Island which was originally used by the Royal Navy, was transformed for the repair of small craft repairs. However, it was under Swan Hunter in 1966 that the ‘Manoel Island Yacht Yard’ was officially inaugurated providing broader services for private yachts and smaller vessels. The Yard continued to operate for several decades, and with the closure of Malta Shipyards in 2010, it entered a new phase when it was sold to a Maltese consortium.