Marinas and larger yachts??

There are a few places like Monaco where both the increasing number of cruise ships and gigayachts can be recieved. But in France I know that people are protesting to all new ports along the Riviera. They don´t like to see too many and too big yachts destroying the seafront. Not even Nice harbour have got permission to expand and the proposed doubling of Port d´Antibes will probably never happen.

In reality there is a big demand for marinas taking smaller boats and yachts up to about 60 meters, but larger is not really what can be justified. There isn´t really an explosion of yachts over 100 m and even if there might be one or two added each year in the future, the majority of the marinas can not be on standby to recieve them.

There are however an increasing number of commercial ports with high security areas well suited for visiting gigayachts.

Sounds like where some would like to dump the "industrial" expedition yachts

Kelly Cook

my impressions from mainland Greece are :

Marina Zeas : during the olympics 2004 OCTOPUS moored along the breakwater quay. Previously this was a great quay, following the heavy weather damage works are still progressing on the breakwater repairs many months later.. If you could rent the entire quay like OCTOPUS, there is only one land access at the end of the quay which can be secured and has a moveable barrier to restrict car access. Therefore they had a yacht with many security guards moored stern fast close to the entrance of the quay, people at the barrier and a RIB with security personnel circling around the port all night. It was a good and secure solution.

The remainder of the port has been able to accommodate vessels at the size of PRINCESS MARIANA as visitor at 77m LOA and ALWAELI as home port 67m LOA. both moored stern fast. Since the marina at that end has coffee shops it is freely open to all. Therefore the security is not so great and neither is privacy. Free Car access next to the quay from both sides. There are many large yachts with home port there and with watchmen/crew on board. Sea entrance is next to the Coast Guard Station.

Faliro Marina : The marina is accessible by land from one entrance with two barriers in and out. It is neccessary to discuss with the security people in the hut to open the barriers for car access. Sometimes they are not there and they leave the barriers open. Nevertheless the 120m berth along the breakwater which has been visited by AIR, ENIGMA, ILONA this year is an excellent berth. There is significant distance from the entrance to the stern fast moorings and the 120m berth to monitor access. The stern fast moorings accommodate RM ELEGANT for home berth and have had EXCELLENCE III, WHITE ROSE OF DRACHS, LADY K II for visitors. so yeah good stern fast berths for around 70m LOA probably more.

The 120m berth can be completely secured at its one land entrance if you will take the whole berth. Privacy is very good. Although the other side of the bay has a large coffee shop/club and various sports clubs which are outside the marina the distance is far enough so nobody can see who is on board, only the adjacent mega yachts would be a problem.

Flisvos Marina : The marina is open access for all pedestrians. Cars are prevented by the barriers with control at the security post at both entrances. It is a large marina and therefore there are many yachts with crew/watchmen on board. There is 2-3 Quays which accommodate say LADY SARYA at 76m LOA, SAGITTA at 57m LOA, ALFA FOUR etc. There are many large yachts of the Greek VIPs with homeport there. It is a significant distance from the lower entrance to the 2 upper superyacht quays but only a short distance from the upper entrance. There are many joggers and other visitors but otherwise privacy is good. There are no coffee shops like Zeas and so after late evening it would be easy to monitor access. There are often 1-2 Coast Guard patrol boats moored at the marina.

Lavrion : There is ability to moor major yachts at the passenger port. ALEXANDER, TURAMA and O'MEGA have homeport there. Security is not great at the quay where O'MEGA is at, it is open access for all. At the quay where ALEXANDER and TURAMA are berthed there is a large area for parking where security can be good because of the distance. Lavrion is a reasonable distance from Athens to not be busy and be private. Very near the airport for quick heli transfers.

Piraeus New Passenger Terminal : The cruise ships in the past and still do moor at the old Piraeus Cruise Terminal which is next to the exhibition centre. There is berths for about 4 vessels. There is also the new terminal which was built during the Olympics 2004 to accommodate QUEEN MARY 2 and other vessels. It has deep draught. There are berths for say 3 gigayachts and most of the area around is a huge expanse of parking places and secured by a gate and wall. There is only the lower terminal which is used for some ferries and is open access to worry about. I think it is a great terminal for gigayachts, recently OCTOPUS berthed there although the view of Piraeus is not so pretty

2 more weeks

As just written in another thread, a new marina in Croatia in under signature.
We'll be able to accomodate 2 XXL's with beam of 20 meters, length is not critical.
You're more than welcome.

Update

All berths for sale are now sold, sorry.