Durrës Yachts & Marina project transforms Albanian coastline

The Durrës Yachts & Marina project, a strategic investment by Emirati entrepreneur Mohamed Alabbar, is rapidly transforming the coastal landscape of Durrës, Albania. Intensive construction of 8-to-11-story buildings within the port territory is altering the city's visual identity and potentially severing the connection between the urban center and its tourist beaches.

Urban planners and engineers have expressed concerns that the massive scale of the development will block views of the ancient city and disrupt its historical character. The rapid urbanization over the last three decades has frequently clashed with the city's cultural heritage, which dates back nearly 3,000 years. Significant historical landmarks and structures from the post-1926 earthquake era are also facing disappearance due to changing urban landscapes.