Blue Flag status for waterfront marina

V&A Waterfront Marina secures eighth fully Blue Flag Status as programme marks 25 years in South Africa

SOUTH AFRICA: The V&A Waterfront Marina has once again been awarded Full Blue Flag Marina status for the current season, following approval by the International Blue Flag Jury.

The renewal was confirmed this week at the Blue Flag and Green Coast Award Ceremony at Grotto Beach in Hermanus, co-hosted by the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA) and the Overstrand Municipality. The ceremony marked 25 years of the Blue Flag programme in South Africa, as well as WESSA’s centenary.

“Achieving Full Blue Flag Marina status is recognition of the ongoing work carried out by our marina team and partners in maintaining world-class environmental and operational standards,” said Graham Wood, V&A Waterfront CEO. “As a working waterfront and one of Africa’s leading destinations, we recognise our responsibility to protect the marine environment while creating safe, accessible and enjoyable experiences for all who visit and use our marina facilities.”

For the V&A Waterfront, maintaining Blue Flag Marina status is particularly significant, given the unique environment in which the marina operates. Located within a working harbour at the heart of a 123-hectare mixed-use precinct, the marina sits alongside commercial, industrial, tourism and leisure activities, while sharing its waters with a diverse range of marine wildlife.

This coexistence requires an ongoing commitment to protecting the marine environment and maintaining clean, high-quality water. The V&A Waterfront’s approach extends beyond meeting Blue Flag requirements and includes several initiatives focused on protecting marine life, managing wildlife and preventing pollution.

One such initiative is the Marine Wildlife Management Programme, delivered in partnership with the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation. By monitoring, protecting and managing marine wildlife across the V&A Waterfront, the programme helps foster harmony among people, businesses and wildlife within the harbour environment.

The precinct also conducts daily marine clean-up operations. Its marine team regularly patrols the waterways, using sweepers to collect litter and debris that enter the marina. This helps keep the harbour environment clean and reduces the potential impact of waste on ocean life.

This work is complemented by trash-capturing netting systems, which collect litter and debris before it can travel further into the harbour and ultimately reach the ocean.

Together, these initiatives form part of the V&A Waterfront’s broader commitment to responsible marine management, recognising that a clean, safe and thriving harbour is essential not only to maintaining Blue Flag accreditation, but also to the long-term health of the marine environment in which the Waterfront operates.

The Blue Flag status marks the marina’s eighth consecutive season of full certification. The programme is run internationally by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) and managed in South Africa by WESSA. Marinas must re-qualify every year against standards for environmental management, safety, accessibility and environmental education.

This focus resonates strongly with visitors. In the V&A Waterfront’s most recent survey (Q2 2026), caring for the ocean and its biodiversity generated the highest level of interest among the ten topics tested. Between July 2025 and June 2026, 87% of surveyed visitors expressed an interest in learning more about the topic in relation to the V&A Waterfront, rising to 95% among international visitors.

“Our visitors tell us that caring for the ocean matters to them. Blue Flag gives us an independent, international benchmark to hold ourselves to, and a platform to share that story with the millions of people who visit the V&A each year.”

WESSA spokesperson Michael Denison, Senior Programme Manager: Coastal, commended the V&A Waterfront’s Blue Flag management team and marina staff for their sustained effort, commitment and collaboration throughout the process. He said, “The outcome reflects the marina’s continued dedication to high standards of environmental management, safety, accessibility and environmental education.”

The same ocean-focused approach is also reflected in the V&A Waterfront’s future plans. The V&A Waterfront’s planned Granger Bay development is designed to include a swimmable marine bay and a turtle conservation centre as part of a wider vision to reconnect Cape Town with its ocean.

Marine geoengineering under the spotlight at IMO Promoting port digitalisation