Boats will slide directly from workshop floor into open water. That’s the advantage Gulf Craft gains from its new 10,000 sq m production facility in Ajman, positioned on the emirate’s waterfront with immediate sea access for launching and testing vessels without the logistical tangle of road transport.
The Emirati boat builder is weeks from opening the dedicated factory for its Leisure Craft division, manufacturing Oryx cabin cruisers and SilverCat power catamarans at a site close to where the company first launched in 1982. The investment targets surging global appetite for multihull recreational boats—twin-hulled catamarans that deliver wider beam, greater stability, and expanded deck space compared to traditional monohull designs.
That shift is reshaping the ÂŁ28bn global recreational boating market, which reached USD 37.4 billion in 2024 and is forecast to climb nearly 6% annually through the coming years, according to maritime industry analysis. Buyers increasingly favour layouts that maximise interior volume and onboard versatility, pushing manufacturers toward wide-body platforms and innovative spatial configurations.
Gulf Craft isn’t alone in chasing that demand. European builders including Lagoon, Fountaine Pajot, and Aquila have expanded catamaran production in recent years, whilst Asian manufacturers from Taiwan and China have entered the leisure multihull segment with competitive pricing. The regional market adds pressure—Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coastline development and Oman’s expanding marina infrastructure have opened new cruising grounds, intensifying competition for Middle Eastern buyers.
The 107,000 sq ft Ajman facility addresses production bottlenecks. Direct water access means vessels can be sea-trialled immediately after completion, compressing build cycles and accelerating commissioning schedules. For a yard producing cabin cruisers and catamarans ranging from day boats to extended-cruising models, that efficiency translates to faster delivery timelines—critical when order books stretch months ahead.
SilverCat’s twin-hull design answers buyer priorities that have shifted dramatically over the past decade. Where monohull cruisers once dominated coastal waters, catamarans now claim growing market share by offering significantly wider saloon space, reduced roll in choppy conditions, and shallower draft for accessing secluded anchorages. The Oryx range, meanwhile, targets buyers seeking enclosed cabin layouts with greater headroom and flexible accommodation—a segment that’s proven resilient even as broader luxury markets fluctuate.
The UAE’s position amplifies Gulf Craft’s strategic calculus. Situated between Asian manufacturing hubs, European markets, and Africa’s developing coastlines, the country provides shipping access to emerging cruising destinations whilst maintaining proximity to Gulf wealth. Regional marine tourism has accelerated, supported by waterfront megaprojects in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Saudi Arabia’s NEOM development, which promises 450 kilometres of Red Sea coastline infrastructure.
Ajman itself holds significance beyond waterfront access. The northern emirate, quieter and less developed than neighbouring Dubai and Sharjah, has cultivated a boat-building heritage since Gulf Craft’s founding four decades ago. Returning production to the area where the company started—albeit at vastly larger scale—signals commitment to regional manufacturing even as competitors shift operations to lower-cost Asian yards.
The broader recreational boating sector faces crosscurrents. Demand surged during pandemic years as buyers sought private travel options, but order backlogs have normalised and some builders report softer enquiry levels in 2024. Multihulls, however, continue outperforming monohulls in sales growth, particularly in the 40-60 foot range where SilverCat and Oryx models compete.
Gulf Craft hasn’t disclosed production capacity targets for the new facility, nor employment figures, though the 10,000 sq m footprint suggests room for multiple vessels in simultaneous production. The company manufactures across several segments—including superyacht-class Majesty models and fishing boats under the Nomad brand—but this facility dedicates entirely to leisure craft, allowing specialised workflows and tooling for catamaran construction.
Whether the investment proves prescient depends partly on sustained multihull enthusiasm. Catamarans demand more complex engineering than monohulls—twin engines, dual steering systems, bridgedeck structures that must resist flexing—and production costs run higher. If buyer preferences shift back toward traditional cruiser designs, or if economic headwinds dampen discretionary marine spending, the facility’s specialisation becomes vulnerability.
For now, the market trajectory favours expansion. Coastal boating communities are developing across the Gulf region as infrastructure improves and younger buyers enter the market with different expectations than previous generations of yacht owners. They prioritise entertaining space over sleeping berths, stability over speed, accessibility over exclusivity.
The new Ajman yard positions Gulf Craft to meet those expectations at scale. By the time vessels begin sliding down the slipway into the Arabian Gulf later this year, the company will have circled back to its founding geography with a facility built for a market that barely existed when it started four decades ago.
