Porto Cervo, 13 November 2025 – for the third year running, Porto Cervo Marina – one of the most prestigious and well-equipped ports in the Mediterranean, belonging to Smeralda Holding, a company indirectly owned by the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) – has received recognition at the Blue Marina Awards, the national award programme dedicated to excellence in the field of Italian tourist ports.
The initiative, now in its fourth edition, was created and is coordinated by Walter Vassallo, with the institutional partnership of ASSONAT – Confcommercio and the technical support of its external certification organisation RINA – Italian Marine Registry for the requirement assessment process. The award ceremony took place in Genoa, at the prestigious Circolo Artistico Tunnel at Palazzo Doria, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and saw the participation of hundreds of representatives of marinas and institutions.
The 2025 edition saw the recognition of marine tourism structures that stood out for their commitment to sustainability, inclusion and tourist hospitality services; these included Porto Cervo Marina, which was rewarded in the category of tourist ports catering to superyachts. The award for Porto Cervo was received by Davide Cerea, the CFO of Smeralda Holding and Porto Cervo Marina.
The white and blue flag of the Blue Marina Awards will therefore continue to fly for 2026 over Porto Cervo Marina, contributing to lending value to the choices made by leisure boaters.
“The recognition received from the Blue Marina Awards for the third year running is confirmation of the excellence and quality that characterise the services dedicated to leisure boaters who choose Porto Cervo Marina”, stated Mario Ferraro, the CEO of Smeralda Holding. “This award serves as encouragement for us to continue to improve our high standards with a concrete commitment, above all in terms of sustainability, respect for the environment, the community in which we operate and the people who live in or visit the area”.
Porto Cervo Marina is located in the heart of the Costa Smeralda® tourist area, in the Sardinian region of Gallura. It has a capacity of approximately 600 berths and offers a prestigious range of services and support for luxury boats. Every year, it plays host to the largest and most luxurious boats in the world, of up to 160 metres in length, with more than 60% of its clientele from abroad, with an average stay of 30 days. The marina relies on the operational consultancy of IGY Marinas, an American world leader in the management of marinas for yachts and super yachts, which manages around twenty exclusive marinas worldwide.
“There are no winners or losers here. This is a celebration of the sea, because the sea has the power to unite and the Blue Marina Awards have been founded specifically to benefit our country”, stated Walter Vassallo, the founder and coordinator of the Blue Marina Awards. “This edition is confirmation that marine tourism in Italy is a vibrant and growing sector capable of innovation. The energy and participation that we have seen today is a sign that the future of the blue economy is already here, and ports will be playing a leading role. The Blue Marina Awards contribute to creating a tourist port sector that is competitive, sustainable, innovative and inclusive.”
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Smeralda Holding is a company indirectly owned by the Qatar Investment Authority (“QIA”). QIA is one of the most important sovereign funds in the world, and in 2012 it acquired ownership of a real estate portfolio comprising of four hotels (Cala di Volpe, Romazzino, Pitrizza and Cervo), Porto Cervo Marina (one of the most important in the Mediterranean), a shipyard and the Pevero Golf Club, as well as other minor assets such as shops, offices, apartments, bars, and restaurants, in addition to 2,300 hectares of land on the Costa Smeralda.
Press contacts:
Smeralda Holding
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Daniele Pinosa – daniele.pinosa@secnewgate.it – +39 335 7233872
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