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Mass departures of yachts "usually based" in Greek ports quietly underway...?!

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by airship, May 21, 2010.

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  1. airship

    airship Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 2, 2006
    Messages:
    297
    Location:
    French Riviera...
    Currently dealing with a somewhat decrepid-looking Greek-flagged 34m motor yacht recently arrived in s. France. The owner apparently instructed that the yacht be moved here pending further instructions. This is a commercially-registered (ie. charter yacht) but as the captain explains, would probably not be able to attract any of the usual charter clients to be found here in s. France. He believes that the real reason why he finds himself here in s. France today is directly as a result of the Greek government's debt crisis and the repercussions of the current government's intention to "name and shame" (see here ), beginning with doctors, but which may rapidly escalate to include even the "beneficial owners" if they're Greek citizens or companies, of even many larger superyachts flying "any flag" and usually berthed in Greek ports...?!

    This is just the beginning of the summer cruising season, when most yachts will anyway intend to, or have already left their home ports. Hence the "quietly underway". How many will come back at the end of the summer though? The captain of this humble 34m however, believes that even the most well-connected Greek superyacht owners (whether or not merely beneficial) will be running important risks if they insist on relying on "the old rules"... :eek:
  2. airship

    airship Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 2, 2006
    Messages:
    297
    Location:
    French Riviera...
    Yacht owners targeted in Greek crackdown (source: IBI Magazine).

    Better brush up on my Greek if all these Greek-crewed superyachts are going to be staying here in France over the winter?! ef-kharee-sto polee... ;)
  3. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    11,208
    Location:
    Long Island, NY
    Ah, but where is next? Could France or any of the Med ports be next and will they co-operate with each other? Wasn't Bernie Madoff's yacht siezed in France?:cool:
  4. AMG

    AMG YF Moderator

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    Jul 26, 2004
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    5,380
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    Sweden
    Right now they are checking out about 25.000 boats in Italian ports. Who the owner is and if he have a declared income that corresponds to having the boat.

    In Sweden they have checked through the insurance companies for several years...

    But in France they will meet problems if they are chasing all the visiting yachts away I guess...
  5. K1W1

    K1W1 Senior Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
    My Office
    Hi,

    I can see the Nthn African ports being places of refuge for those Owners who have not prepared their Beneficial Owner Documentation robustly.