Abu Dhabi has launched Marsa Al Saadiyat, a $27.2 billion (AED100 billion) master-planned waterfront development that will add residential, hospitality, cultural, and leisure assets to Saadiyat Island.
His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, witnessed the launch and reviewed the project’s masterplan.
The 6.4 million square meter development will be master-developed by Aldar, which is responsible for the project’s overall design and delivery of its primary infrastructure.
During the launch, Sheikh Khaled directed the renaming of the project from Saadiyat Marina District to Marsa Al Saadiyat. The new name reflects the UAE’s maritime heritage and aligns with Abu Dhabi’s vision to further develop the island as a leading cultural, tourism, and residential destination.
Final phase of Saadiyat Island masterplan
Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi and Chairman of Aldar, said that the Marsa Al Saadiyat marks the activation of the final phase of the Saadiyat Island master plan.
Al Mubarak added that the project reflects Abu Dhabi’s long-term development strategy by combining high-quality infrastructure, investment opportunities, and an enhanced quality of life while solidifying the emirate’s appeal to international investors and residents.
Talal Al Dhiyebi, Group Chief Executive Officer of Aldar, remarked that the $27.2 billion (AED100 billion) development will strengthen Abu Dhabi’s position in the global luxury real estate market and add significant scale to Saadiyat Island’s residential and lifestyle offering.
Image Credits: ADMO | Cropped by GBN
Integrated waterfront community
Marsa Al Saadiyat will extend across an 8-kilometer waterfront, featuring 5.6 kilometers of beaches, approximately 140 kilometers of interconnected walking paths, and a 46-kilometer cycling track.
The master plan includes green parks, community clubhouses, sports facilities, healthcare services, three schools, public parks, waterfront promenades, and leisure amenities designed to create an integrated residential community.
Once completed, the project can accommodate more than 58,000 residents across private mansions, luxury villas, waterfront apartments, branded residences, and a hillside villa community. The initiative will include Abu Dhabi’s largest marina, with capacity for up to 350 berths for sailing boats and luxury yachts.
It will also feature a one-kilometer retail and dining promenade, a yacht club, two luxury hotels, and Dar Al Funoon, a performing arts venue with capacity for more than 6,000 guests.
A pedestrian walkway will connect Marsa Al Saadiyat directly to the Saadiyat Cultural District, providing access to major attractions including the Louvre Abu Dhabi, Zayed National Museum, Natural History Museum, teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi, and the upcoming Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.
The development will be connected to Umm Yifeenah Island and Reem Island through a new network of roads and tunnels to improve connectivity across Abu Dhabi.
It will also include an Etihad Rail underground high-speed rail station, supporting transport links between Abu Dhabi and the UAE’s other emirates. In addition, a new bridge will connect the development to a separate Aldar-developed island off the coast of Saadiyat Island.
Sales of the first homes at Marsa Al Saadiyat are scheduled to begin in the second half of 2026, while enabling and infrastructure works are expected to commence in the third quarter of 2026.
