Thailand’s premier property development company Singha Estate on Tuesday announced a deal with Abu Dhabi-based Jalboot Holdings to manage its luxury marina at Crossroads, the first and largest integrated tourism destination in the Maldives.

As part of the 10-year exclusive deal, Jalboot will be providing a full spectrum water transport solution for Crossroads, including marina management, water transport and other support services.

“Singha Estate is very excited about this collaboration with Jalboot. They are the perfect partner for Crossroads as our upscale water transportation and services that will bring in the new marina experiences,” Naris Cheyklin, CEO of Singha Estate, was quoted in a statement, as saying.

Jalboot will also open a ‘one stop shop’ retail space at Crossroads’ Township — the project’s leisure and entertainment hub — that will hold agencies for different vessels and spare parts, with a chandlery stocking specialist supplies and equipment. This retail space will include a dedicated VR lounge for visitors to experience virtual tours on many of Jalboot’s vessels available for purchase.

Alongside managing Crossroads’ luxurious berth yacht marina, Jalboot will be providing a comprehensive range of luxury cruise services at the integrated destination totalling six vessels consisting of:

• Round-trip ferry transportation services to and from Velana International Airport and other nearby islands
• A yacht chartering service
• Cutting edge electric Dhoni boats providing inter-lagoon services

Jalboot says its vessels have been uniquely designed for Crossroads, fully equipped with air-conditioning and having the capacity to transport over 4,000 passengers per day. Placing sustainability first, key innovations of the vessels include:

• Water jet propulsion instead of conventional propellers, which can have a damaging effect on precious marine life and corals; suitable for the geography of the Maldives.
• Full-scale Solas standard facilities.
• A catamaran design engineered to enable vessel stability and comfort.

“The creative DNA of Jalboot and Singha Estate are very similar,” Jalboot’s CEO Mohamed Roestali and Group Chief Financial Officer Thomas Rebollini said.

“Singha Estate is a very progressive organisation that has brought the first marina and the first inter-linked resort of its kind to the Maldives. Amongst our many similarities, Jalboot has trail-blazed the creation of a water transport network in the UAE as well. Together, we can create an experience unlike any others in the Maldives.”

According to Jalboot, plans are also underway for inter-island transportation to be completely electric-powered, as it aims to make a significant future investment on marina and yacht management in light of the growth potential of the Maldives market.

Visitors to Crossroads can also look forward to enjoying a show, where Jalboot will showcase new models of luxury vessels. Additionally, the marina is expected to include an upscale boardwalk, featuring a stylish dining experience, hosting celebrity chefs and world renowned DJs.

From the marina management collaboration, Jalboot says it plans to enhance employment opportunities among Maldivian communities by sharing its specialised know-how with a local team at Croassroads marina via a specially formed start-up group.

Founded in 2013, Jalboot Holdings is a leading integrated provider of vessel design, construction and operation of sightseeing and passenger transfer ferry services based in Abu Dhabi. The company has surged to the frontline of the marine transport service industry, and in addition also provides private and commercial boat charters.

Developed by Singha Estate, Crossroads spans nine islands in the Emboodhoo Lagoon and will have a plethora of dining, retail, entertainment, recreational and leisure-lifestyle offerings, including a 50-berth marina. In addition to Hilton’s Curio Collection resort, which will be set exclusively on one of the islands within the integrated destination, Crossroads will also be home to Hard Rock Hotel Maldives and Hard Rock Cafe Maldives — the first development in the Maldives by world-class entertainment and lifestyle brand Hard Rock International.

With its close proximity of a 15-minute boat ride from the Maldives main Velana International Airport and capital Male, Crossroads aims to captivate leisure travellers and family markets with a development spanning nine islands, boasting 1,300 rooms and a retail space of over 11,000 square metres.

The project’s leisure and entertainment hub, The Township will house a variety of international restaurants, retail outlets, a world-class wellness spa, a Maldives Discovery Centre with coral preservation and coral propagation activities, a diving centre, a multi-purpose hall, a kids club, and a cultural centre. World-renowned partners at the Township include Hard Rock Café Maldives, Café del Mar, and two of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, Ministry of Crab and Nihonbashi.