Cala del Forte: The West Med’s Newest Luxury Marina

By George Bains

A new, state-of-the-art superyacht marina graces the West Mediterranean shores, as Cala del Forte opens in the historic Italian city of Ventimiglia.

Located along the idyllic coastline of Ventimiglia, the brand-new Cala del Forte marina offers yachts the highest standards of hospitality and professionalism, infused with the experience of its neighbouring sister marinas, Port Hercules and Fontvieille.

Operated by Monaco Ports, Cala del Forte marina is the outcome of dedicated research carried out with the University of Florence. Cala del Forte itself has a unique shape resonant of a seashell resting by the sea, with a circular layout spiralling into itself. The marina fits harmoniously into its beautiful surrounding environment in northern Italy’s Ventimiglia.

The marina has been designed and created with the core purpose of being at the forefront of environmental sustainability. Cala del Forte’s commitments to sustainability include the adoption of cutting-edge practices such as installing photovoltaic panels above the Service Tower, providing charging points for local electric cars and boats, air-conditioned waste disposal services, recycling systems for waste management, and low energy consuming LED lighting systems throughout the marina.

Construction of Cala del Forte was carried out by the the Société Monégasque International Portuaire (SMIP), which boasts extensive experience in marina development having previously built Monaco’s Port Hercules and Fontvieille. The SMIP is headed by Aleco Kuesseoglou, a Monegasque citizen since moving to the principality from Greece in 1972.

Cala del Forte was constructed to meet the growing demand for high-quality mooring facilities dedicated to superyachts, while also promoting the unique beauty of a particularly idyllic section of the Mediterranean coastline.

Just 7.9 miles from Monaco, Cala del Forte is immersed in the historic and natural charm of the Riviera dei Fiori on Liguria’s Ponente coast. With 178 berths for yachts stretching over 70 metres in length, the marina mirrors the same standards of comfort and hospitality that characterise Monaco Ports’ other world-class facilities.

The services extend beyond the sea, with a layout designed to provide first-class hospitality for visiting yachts. This starts off with 15,000m2 of promenades and gardens, a natural environment in perfect harmony with its surrounding landscape, featuring 35 service points including shops, restaurants, cafes, gyms and various service providers.

Additionally, yachts measuring up to 30 metres in length ca be hauled out, assisted and launched from a shipyard that stretches a surface area of 2,700m2.

Being part of the Monaco Ports network, Cala del Forte is able to integrate all of the operational procedures developed and consolidated over the course of 18 years of operations, benefitting from the know-how, experience and economies of scale behind the Principality’s Ports. The advanced new marina facility will also be connected via the Monaco One high-speed catamaran, running between Cala del Forte and Monaco in just 12 minutes.

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By George Bains