All you need to know about six of the luxury megayachts in Malaga marina

The port of Malaga these days resembles much better known nautical destinations, such as the Côte d’Azur and the Balearic Islands, among which the capital of the Costa del Sol aspires to carve out a niche for itself. Going by the current situation at the megayacht marina, everything suggests that it will do so in a short space of time.

Up to six super yachts fill Muelle Uno (quay one) and the closest part of quay two (the Palmeral, closer to the city centre)… Although, in reality, the lack of sufficient space has meant that the largest of them all has had to be moored further out at the dock attached to the Dique de Levante, which is next to the Casa de Botes restaurant.

In this visual guide you will find the main facts about the most luxurious boats in the marina of Malaga this week.

If you start this route through nautical luxury in the Plaza de la Marina, which is where most visitors enter the port from the historic centre of the city, the first one you will come across, moored on quay two, opposite the Palmeral, is the M&EM. With its characteristic blue hull, it is not particularly large (it has an overall length of 74 metres by 12.5 metres width) for what has been coming to Malaga lately. And, above all, it is one of the few whose owners are highly difficult to trace, and in fact, this newspaper has not been able to locate them on any of the numerous specialised pages that have been consulted.

It is known to be one of the most modern, having been built at the Dutch Amels shipyard in 2022. The exterior design is by the prestigious engineering studio of Tim Heywood, while the interior is by Winch Design. The M&Em can accommodate up to 12 guests in six suites (including two VIP suites), and is manned by a crew of 19, including the captain.

The master suite incorporates its own study and dressing room, as well as his and hers bathrooms. Amenities include a beauty salon, underwater lights, beach club and jacuzzi on deck.

M&EM is built with a steel hull and aluminium superstructure, with teak decks. It cruises comfortably at 12 knots, although it reaches a maximum speed of 16 knots with a range of up to 5,000 nautical miles.

On Muelle Uno, in front of the chapel of the Virgen del Carmen, is moored The Illusion, the ‘mirage’ of the American artist magnate, Michael Ovitz (1946). The owner of the 65-metre yacht is a key figure in the world of artist and talent representation in Hollywood, and is recognised worldwide as the founder of the Creative Artists Agency (CAA).

He is also a very prominent figure in the entertainment industry, and went on to chair The Walt Disney Company for more than a year. He still represents numerous talents, from actors and directors to writers and musicians.

The Illusion was purchased at auction and rebuilt in 2013 at the Heesen shipyard, under design by Omega Architects. It can accommodate 16 guests, with a crew of 20. The yacht has a top speed of 27 knots, a cruising speed of 18 knots and a range of over 3000 nautical miles.

Next to this, as the promenade advances along Muelle Uno in the direction of La Farola (the lighthouse), a boat appears with a characteristic straight stern, as if it were cut vertically. It is the Moonrise, measuring 100 metres long and 16 metres wide. Its owner is the multimillionaire and philanthropist of Ukrainian origin, Jan Koum, best known for being the co-founder of the messaging application used all over the world: WhatsApp.

It was built in 2020 and is served by 32 crew members. It can accommodate 16 passengers in eight luxurious double cabins, designed by Rémi Tessier Design. The engineering is by Feadship De Voogt Naval Architects.

Its maximum sailing speed is 19.5 knots and it can cover up to 4,500 nautical miles without refuelling. It is valued at around 220 million dollars. In 2021 it was awarded the international ‘World Superyacht Award’.

Next up is the I Dynasty, which is right in front of the terrace of the Cobalto 15 cocktail bar, close to La Farola. It is 101 metres long, making it one of the largest, and its crew (made up of 30 professionals) has taken a liking to Malaga, as it has been here since last October, where it is undergoing various improvements.

Otherwise, the I Dynasty is a modern superyacht built in 2015 on behalf of Alijan Ibragimov, a billionaire from Kazakhstan, co-founder of the multinational Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation (ENRC), who died in February 2021, reportedly due to Covid-19.

The vessel was built at the Kusch Yachts shipyard in Germany, with interior design by Massari Design. It can accommodate 22 guests in 11 cabins. Among its most characteristic facilities, it has a 30 square metre indoor swimming pool, which also serves as a dock for dinghies and pleasure craft.

It is also one of the few to be powered by a Rolls Royce diesel-electric hybrid system, with a top speed of 17 knots and a cruising speed of 14 knots. Its range is 6,500 nautical miles (about 12,000 kilometres). It is valued at around 200 million dollars.

The Lady Moura is an old acquaintance of Malaga waters, where it has been a regular port of call for at least a decade. It is moored near La Farola and its crew has covered up the name, the letters of which are said to be made of solid gold.

The ship is owned by Nasser Al Rasheed, a Saudi tycoon, owner of the engineering consultancy Rasheed Engineering, advisor to the Saudi royal family and one of the largest private fortunes on the planet.

With a length of 105 metres and a beam of 20 metres, it is considered one of the most luxurious in the world, due to its profusion of exotic details. The ship was designed by Italian architect Luigi Sturchio and was built at the prestigious German shipyard Blohm+Voss in 1990, so it has already been refitted twice.

Its services include a spa, casino, party room, several lounges, an operating theatre, a heliport and several pleasure boats. It can accommodate up to 30 passengers, although it has twice as many crew (61 people). It is powered by 6,900-horsepower diesel engines and can reach a top speed of 20 knots.

One of the last to arrive is also the largest of the series, and to see it you will have to walk a little further, to the dock near the Dique de Levante quay. This is the Golden Odyssey, an imposing vessel, 123 metres long, which has had to moor precisely at this point due to lack of space in the IGY Marinas area. In fact, the operator temporarily concessions this quay to the port at times of saturation such as the one being experienced these days.

It had always been said to be owned by Saudi Prince Khaled bin Sultan al Saud. Instead, the ship was auctioned months ago and acquired by a Chinese billionaire, who paid 150 million dollars for it.

The Golden Odyssey is among the 30 largest private yachts in the world, and its owner plans to spend several weeks in Malaga city. The ship can accommodate 36 guests in 16 cabins, and is served by 76 crew members. Its exclusive services include a fully equipped medical centre, a large swimming pool and a hairdressing and beauty salon.

It is powered by two diesel engines that deliver a top speed of 21 knots, although the cruising speed is 11 knots and it can cover up to 6,500 nautical miles without refuelling.