IL Monte Galala Marina appoints IGY Marinas as Egypt expands Red Sea yacht charter infrastructure

Announced during the Monaco Yacht Show, the agreement places an international marina operator at the center of a development designed to expand yacht access to the Red Sea and support year-round cruising.

Part of the wider IL Monte Galala Marina development, the marina will offer more than 150 berths for yachts from 10 to 80 meters, including dedicated superyacht berthing.

The project is being developed alongside hospitality, waterfront, business, and leisure facilities, giving visiting sailing and motor yacht charters a potential new stopping point on Egypt’s Red Sea coast.

For Red Sea yacht charter guests, the significance of IL Monte Galala lies in the additional infrastructure it could bring to a region where established yacht charter networks are still developing.

The marina is planned with berthing for a broad range of yacht sizes, while 10% of the berths will be allocated to yachts over 40 meters, including two berths capable of accommodating yachts up to 80 meters.

The development also includes a helipad, providing a direct access point for yacht owners and charter guests arriving at the marina or traveling to yachts anchored nearby. The marina forms part of a larger mixed-use waterfront development incorporating hotels, residences, commercial facilities and an exhibition and conference center.

Ain Sokhna sits on the northern Red Sea, making IL Monte Galala relevant to yacht charter itineraries exploring Egypt's eastern coastline rather than simply functioning as a resort marina.

For superyacht charters, additional berthing infrastructure can make it easier to combine time aboard with shore-based stays and excursions, while providing another potential base for exploring the Red Sea by yacht.

The project is also being positioned as part of Egypt’s wider effort to develop the Red Sea as a year-round yachting destination. Its location gives the marina relevance beyond local cruising, with the Red Sea forming part of the wider route between the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean.

IGY Marinas first became involved with the project as a marina operations advisor in February 2026 and will now take responsibility for the long-term operation of IL Monte Galala Marina. For charter guests and visiting captains, the appointment is significant because the marina is intended to operate to internationally recognized standards rather than as a standalone local facility.

The IL Monte Galala Marina phase represents an investment of approximately $1 billion as part of the wider development, with the marina itself representing an investment of approximately $44 million. Alongside the berthing facilities, the broader project is intended to create a waterfront destination capable of supporting tourism and business activity throughout the year.

IL Monte Galala is emerging as part of a broader expansion of yacht infrastructure around the Red Sea. In Saudi Arabia, Red Sea Global opened AMAALA Yacht Club in September 2026, adding a 119-berth marina on the northwestern coast and creating a new winter base for visiting yachts. The location is approximately 2,000nm from Monaco and around 45 minutes from Alwajh International Airport.

In Egypt, the Mont Galala project is likewise being developed as a year-round yacht charter destination combining marina infrastructure with hospitality, residential, commercial, and conference facilities. The Egyptian government has described the development as part of the country's broader Red Sea strategy, with construction of the wider project scheduled to begin in the second half of 2026.

Taken together, these developments point toward a Red Sea cruising region with a growing number of purpose-built yacht facilities. For charter guests, the expansion could eventually make longer Red Sea yacht charter itineraries more practical by providing additional places to berth, embark, and disembark, and by connecting cruising with the region’s developing waterfront destinations.

As IL Monte Galala progresses, the addition of more than 150 berths and dedicated superyacht facilities will give Egypt another piece of infrastructure aimed at supporting visiting yachts.

Combined with the expanding network of marinas in Saudi Arabia, the Red Sea is developing a more connected framework for yacht cruising alongside its established appeal for diving, marine exploration, and coastal excursions.

Offering something different from the golden shores of the Caribbean, the Red Sea offers a unique and immersive alternative to broaden your horizons.

Make 2026 the year you try somewhere new. Speak to a yacht charter broker today.