A Talk With Gulf Craft CEO Erwin Bamps
The chief executive discusses his return to Gulf Craft. Plus, news from Old Doha Port and the upcoming Wynn Al Marjan Island Resort.
This month, the newsletter welcomes Mr. Erwin Bamps, the recently reappointed CEO of Gulf Craft Group. Bamps, who was instrumental in the rise of the shipyard, completed his tenure in 2018, just as the region started to grow its leisure marine offerings and become a winter alternative.
Returning to the shipyard and the Middle East in this shifting landscape, the chief executive, via email, discusses what lies ahead for the builder, establishing trust and meaningful connection to meet the cultural needs of clients from different parts of the world, and the Gulf’s evolution as a superyacht market.
Elsewhere in the news, marina owners and operators can now submit their facilities for the 2025 Abu Dhabi Maritime Awards. The deadline is August 31st. Good luck to all. If you enjoyed this newsletter, sign up now and receive a complimentary edition every month, straight to your inbox.
All the best,
Faisal
Faisal@maritimeobserver.com
Gulf Craft Group CEO Erwin Bamps Discusses The Builder’s Global Rise and More
Over the past 40 years, Gulf Craft has charted a rapid rise through the boat-building industry. What once began as a story of friends who built wooden fishing boats in the middle of the Arabian desert, with no surrounding infrastructure, has grown into an economy unto itself, becoming an internationally recognised superyacht builder with a vertically integrated operation in multiple facilities across the Emirates and the Maldives. The risk paid off - as of May 2025, the UAE-based shipyard ranks 13th in the list of builders who have produced the most vessels over 30 meters in length, according to BOAT International Media. The company has achieved great lengths since its entry into superyacht manufacturing, but to understand just how the company evolved into the powerhouse it is today, it helps to know the name Erwin Bamps.
Of course, he needs no introduction. By now, the Belgian native is an old hand in brand building and vessel manufacturing, with a guiding ethos that combines his engineering background with the artistry of storytelling. Joining Gulf Craft in 2002, Bamps helped steer the company into new levels of innovation and craftsmanship when he headed its commercial and industrial operations. He rose to Chief Operations Officer in 2009, before ascending to Chief Executive status in 2014, becoming one of the industry’s youngest CEOs during his four-year tenure.
Fast forward to May 2025, Bamps is back. The newly minted, two-time CEO returned to Gulf Craft to build upon the foundations he has helped lay, with plans to scale up production, expand the shipyard’s offerings, and continue with the brand’s global expansion. In his first interview since his reappointment, Bamps discusses the evolution of the Gulf and wider region as a leisure marine market, the importance of understanding the client, and his immediate priorities upon his return.
The Middle East Yachting Movement
It has been seven years between Bamps’ tenures at Gulf Craft, a period where the world has been cleaved into before and after the COVID-19 pandemic, an event that has been characterized as one of the superyacht sector’s biggest growth multipliers when it brought swaths of new boaters their own homes on the water. In the region alone, the number of superyachts over 30 meters owned in the UAE has catapulted from 109 in 2022 to 148 in 2024, according to the Superyacht Times Gulf Reports. In turn, this yachting boom has created demand for more berthing and cruising options, and the Gulf has stepped up to the challenge, as Bamps has been observing in absentia. “The Middle East leisure marine market has seen a remarkable development with the creation of new lifestyle marinas, no longer designed to be merely boat parking spots on the water,” says the chief executive, pointing out one significant advantage the influx of new facilities has brought. “Dotting the coastline of the UAE and the inner Gulf, today this string of new and already existing marinas offers boat owners the possibility and enjoyment of marina hopping, solidifying the region’s ambition to become one of the world’s key yachting destinations.”
“With innovation and care, the region can rival global yachting hubs.”
Zooming out some more to view the Red Sea and wider Gulf, it can be concluded that a whole new cruising itinerary around the area is not out of the realm. Thanks to the fusillade of infrastructure projects happening in neighbouring states, from Jordan to Bahrain and Egypt, emerging markets are becoming yachting destinations of their own. “We are witnessing substantial investments in world-class infrastructure, including integrated marina developments, shipyard facilities, and luxury waterfront ecosystems. Qatar’s Lusail Marina, Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Project, Bahrain’s Marassi Galleria, and Egypt’s growing Red Sea ports are all indicators of a shared regional ambition: to become globally recognised yachting hubs, not just in terms of infrastructure, but also in lifestyle, service, and sustainability,” says Bamps, who along with Gulf Craft has had a front row seat to witnessing the rise of the Middle East leisure marine industry. “As a shipyard, Gulf Craft of course welcomes the Middle East’s yachting growth. It opens doors for ownership, marine services, and regional collaboration,” adds Bamps, who cautions that stakeholders behind this growth should not overlook two vital aspects. “ But sustainable development and clear regulations are key. With innovation and care, the region can rival global yachting hubs.” But while these destinations continue to mature, the builder has its hands full with clientele from all over the globe.
Clientele: A Tailored Approach
When Gulf Craft launched its first luxury motor yacht, the Adora 53, in 1992, it enabled the builder to enter the European market for the first time. It was not long after that when Gulf Craft began to compete for a slice of the global order book, slowly and strategically entering various international markets in pursuit of internationalizing the Gulf Craft brand. This is one area of the shipyard’s evolution where Bamps has been credited as playing a seminal role. With stints in Japan, the Philippines, and most recently France, he is aware of the level of cultural discernment required to communicate with the diverse boating needs of the brand’s clientele, where owners from different parts of the world have different ways of using their vessels. “Clients from the Middle East and Asia typically place a strong emphasis on privacy, extended cruising capability, and family-oriented layouts. These preferences inform how we design space, select materials, and configure onboard features,” says Bamps, emphasizing the differences brought on by Western customers. “By contrast, European and American clients may prioritise social deck spaces, minimalist interiors, and performance for shorter coastal cruising. We adapt accordingly, not just in design, but in service, support, and delivery models.”
“Our consistent presence at international shows such as Monaco, Cannes, Miami and Fort Lauderdale helps us maintain direct engagement with European and North American clientele.”
To understand this in practice, look no further than the most recent iterations of the Majesty series, the shipyard’s flagship model, which has been reimagined to appeal to owners from the West. The Majesty 100 Terrace - which premiered at this year’s Dubai International Boat Show, where the second hull was already sold - preserved Gulf Craft’s DNA whilst exuding a modern feel. Dutch firm Phathom Studio designed the yacht to possess a flexible layout that features an open living plan, increased interior space and the maximization of natural lighting. At the same time, the yacht’s new semi-displacement hull allows for long-range cruising and efficiency. With a world-class product, a strategic marketing approach works in lockstep to bring it to the world.
To continue reaching new customers, Bamps believes that the brand’s presence at boat shows is paramount to expanding its reach to a broader audience. “Our proximity to Asia-Pacific and our established presence in markets like the Maldives allow us to offer hands-on service and regional familiarity. Meanwhile, our consistent presence at international shows such as Monaco, Cannes, Miami and Fort Lauderdale helps us maintain direct engagement with European and North American clientele.”
The Majesty line joins the Nomad, Oryx, and SilverCat ranges, making up Gulf Craft. The Gulf Craft brand is part of the newly restructured company that Bamps oversees since his return
Gulf Craft and The Next Steps
Gulf Craft joins Gulf Craft Maldives and Gulf Craft Services to make up Gulf Craft Group, the newly restructured entity announced in 2024 to smooth internal operations and help strengthen the company’s global presence. However, this move also illustrates the company’s approach to anticipating trends and getting ahead of them. For example, to address the expected increase in vessels entering the region in the coming years, Gulf Craft launched an independent brand under the name Superyacht Service Centre. The facility will offer repair and refit services for yachts of any brand, with in-water servicing available for yachts up to 80 meters in length, and a 75-ton travel lift capable of handling vessels up to 60 meters in length.
All of the happenings at Gulf Craft spring up one question: What have been Bamps’ immediate priorities since his return? “In a first instance, I have been assessing our strengths and areas for further development, focused on enhancing our global distribution and storytelling for each of these brands.” If the past is any guide, Gulf Craft should have no trouble continuing its upward momentum with Bamps back in the captain's seat once again. And according to him, there remains a contingent of people who are in store for a pleasant surprise when they experience what the builder has to offer. “I believe that some of our product ranges are still some of the best kept secrets yet to be discovered by many boating enthusiasts.”
Wynn Al Marjan Island Marina to be Operated by IGY Marinas
Wynn Resorts has tapped global marina network IGY Marinas to be the marina operator for the upcoming Wynn Al Marjan Island facility.
The property, located in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, plans to feature a 101-berth superyacht marina that welcomes vessels up to 85 meters in length.
Old Doha Port Partners with Regional Marinas in Turkey and Dubai
Qatar’s Old Doha Port announced agreements with Abu Dhabi’s Emirates Palace Marina and Turkiye’s Kiyi Istanbul Marina as part of its marina members program.
2025 Abu Dhabi Maritime Awards Announced, Seven Marina Categories Added
Abu Dhabi Maritime, a subsidiary of AD Ports Group, has announced the return of the Abu Dhabi Maritime Awards to take place on 20 November 2025, at the Abu Dhabi International Boat Show, with new additions to the categories for both project and individual-based achievements.