Sailing booms in Montenegro - driven by no tax, cheap fuel
by Lee Mylchreest on 18 Aug 2013
Porto Montenegro today SW
Porto Montenegro, one of Europe’s most up-and-coming luxury yachting hotspots, is to double its marina capacity to 490 berths by summer 2014 – giving it one of the biggest superyacht capacities in the world.
Currently the port’s marina, which is located in Montenegro’s Bay of Kotor, is home to 245 berths, with the next development phase seeing an approximate doubling of that figure. The additional berths will comprise around 100 more berths for yachts up to 20 metres and 145 berths for yachts over 25 metres.
In addition to the berth expansion, a new jetty will be constructed as well as the extension of jetties 1,2 and 3.
Tony Browne, Porto Montenegro’s Marina Director, said: 'The expansion of the marina is not only a testament of success of Porto Montenegro, it's also confirms the Adriatic has cemented itself as an exciting destination for yachts of all size and class.
'The new berths mix will appeal to all ends markets especially for super and mega-yachts soon supported from a state-of-the-art maintenance& refitting new facility.'
Since opening its marina in 2009, Porto Montenegro has grown to become one of the Mediterranean’s leading luxury yacht homeports and marina villages.
However, the recent roll-back of the boat tax levied on boat-owners in Italy could find that some of the estimated 20,000 yachts from Italian ports that crossed waters to anchor in nearby France, Spain, Malta, Croatia, Greece, and Montenegro might start drifting back to Italy.
The government had aimed to recoup EUR 150 million from this tax primarily from wealthy boat owners, but foreign boat owners were also caught in the new tax. This has now been rectified.
Additionally, the high price of fuel has led many Italians to seek cheaper options outside of their own waters. Yachts from Italy anchoring along the Montenegrin coast can save up to 50% on refuelling as the offers duty free fuel to all yachts that do not carry the Montenegrin flag.
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