The Kingdom of Bahrain has introduced new yachting rules and regulations for foreign flagged vessels, designed to promote yacht tourism and further enhance safety at sea.
Announced by Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications Dr Sheikh Abdulla bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, the "Yachting in Bahrain" initiative comes as part of Bahrain's commitment to positioning the country as a preferred yachting destination within the Gulf while ensuring maritime security standards are upheld.
In particular, Edict 9 of 2025 has been issued to streamline the process for yachts looking to obtain navigation permits. The new regulation stipulates that non-commercial foreign-flagged leisure vessels must secure a navigation permit from the ministry’s Ports and Maritime Affairs Directorate before entering Bahraini waters, if they do not wish to work with a local shipping agent.
The minister emphasised this regulation aims to bolster Bahrain's reputation as a regional yachting hub while advancing its maritime, environmental and sports tourism sectors in accordance with the Bahrain Economic Vision 2030 and Sustainable Development Goals.
In addition, the Undersecretary for Ports and Maritime Affairs, Bader Hood Al Mahmood, announced a new guide from the Ministry detailing procedures for the entry and exit of visiting vessels in Bahraini waters.
The guide outlines all the necessary pre-arrival, operational requirements and departure rules that are essential to comply with national law, such as the operation of the Automatic Identification System (AIS), insurance, immediate reporting of incidents and the owner’s obligations regarding navigation permits and entry visas for passengers and crew.
Once issued, the navigation permit will be valid for one year with the possibility of being renewed to allow for multiple visits.