It’s no secret that the marina market (and its associated infrastructure) is booming. That’s why the news that the French private equity firm InfraVia has reached an agreement to acquire the luxury marina operator D-Marin—which until now was owned by the CVC fund— in a deal valued at between 1,000 and 1,500 million euros, according to The Financial Times.
D-Marin, a leading operator of high-end marinas in the Mediterranean with a network spanning nine countries, including Spain, had been acquired by CVC in 2020 (from the Turkish conglomerate Dogus Group) for approximately 200 million euros. During its six years of ownership, the firm has managed to expand the company into new regions and triple its revenue. “We transformed the company: from a hidden gem to the undisputed leader in the high-end marina market in Europe and the EMEA region,” said István Szke, managing partner at CVC.
Founded in 2003, D-Marin currently manages a network of 28 high-end marinas spread across nine countries, including Spain, Greece, and the United Arab Emirates. The network comprises 14,300 berths—more than 1,000 of which are designed exclusively for superyachts— serves more than 50,000 customers a year, and also operates 12 professional shipyards that service 2,500 vessels annually.
Shortage of berths for a growing number of superyachts
The success of this transaction comes against a backdrop of structural imbalance between supply and demand, as noted by Oliver Dörschuck, CEO of D-Marin. While boat sales and ownership continue to rise, strict regulations governing the construction of new facilities are limiting the growth of supply.
According to a report by the consulting firm McKinsey, there are about 210,000 yachts worldwide competing for just 160,000 berths. As a result, in key areas such as the Mediterranean—which accounts for 70% of global yachting activity and where D-Marin operates 22 of its marinas—owners face waiting lists of a year or more to secure a berth. It is estimated that this market, valued at about $15 billion (13.1 billion euros), will continue to grow at an annual rate of 8%. These figures have attracted the attention of other major investment groups such as Blackstone and Stonepeak.
InfraVia’s Plans for the Future
The transaction is expected to be formally completed sometime in 2026, once the usual regulatory approvals have been obtained. InfraVia will operate through its investment vehicle, InfraVia European Fund VI, and will retain D-Marin’s current management team.
Vincent Levita, CEO of InfraVia, stated that the goal is to continue expanding the business in a highly fragmented market made up of family-owned companies, which offers an opportunity for growth on a larger scale through acquisitions. The new owner will also drive digitalization initiatives and improvements in customer service, drawing on its previous experience in transportation and maritime infrastructure.
This transaction confirms the growing investor interest in the nautical sector, driven by the boom in the superyacht market and the high profitability of these facilities.