Choice of Yacht Marinas in the Med Increases for 2014

Among the destinations that must be visited while chartering the Mediterranean are the hotspots of St. Tropez, Cannes, Monaco, Portofino and Porto Cervo. These destinations have all established themselves as favourites in the luxury charter industry over a number of years. Over the past few years however, more and more marinas have been developed in countries that have previously had little to do with the superyacht industry, whether due to lack of funding or higher tax regulations.

Following changes to the Spanish Matriculation Tax rules, Spanish waters are now much more accessible and appealing for yacht charters and the renovation of Marina Port Vell in the heart of Barcelona is sure to be a big success next season. Norma Trease, Director of Investors, Salamanca Marine, states that “The original settlement was put in place by the Phoenicians and Romans and was then developed into a yacht marina in 1992 in time for the Barcelona Olympics".
Barcelona has been named the ‘Top Beach City’ by National Geographic and is rich in art, sport, history and architecture. Now the guests aboard up to 160 large charter yachts will be able to appreciate the city in luxury very soon.

In Tarragona, the six-year-old Port Tarraco was designed specifically for superyachts and provides 64 deep water berths. Following new ownership, the port now has backing from MB92 and IGY Marina Management for a further push.

The General Manager of Port Tarraco, Marc Colls, commented on the increase in superyacht sales during the economic recovery, saying that “the number of superyachts delivered and afloat has increased, there are many new projects under construction, and the average length of new yachts is rising significantly. The superyacht service sector needs to prepare for this – that means being able to accommodate larger yachts of various sizes at any one time and providing the necessary facilities.”

East of the Mediterranean, Limassol Marina in Cyprus opened last year and has a capacity for 70 yachts of up to 110m. Porto Montenegro is also due to double in size to accommodate 490 superyachts by next season. “The range of new berths available will appeal to all ends of the market especially for super and mega-yachts soon supported from a state-of-the-art maintenance and refitting new facility, ” Tony Browne, Marina Director said.

Further projects are also planned across the Mediterranean over the next decade including Portonovi, a new luxury development in Montenegro, featuring a 250 berth marina, which is due to launch in 2016 in the Bay of Boka Kotorska. “Montenegro is a culturally rich destination that is catching the attention of a truly international audience. As part of our work we are looking to maintain and enhance the surrounding areas whilst at the same time delivering an unparalleled luxury mixed-use resort,” commented James Wilson of Azmont Investments.

The range of new berths available will appeal to all ends of the market especially for super and mega-yachts soon supported from a state-of-the-art maintenance and refitting new facility - Tony Browne, Marina Director