“Owners and charter guests are travelling to the eastern Mediterranean more and more, but the Captains and crew can sometimes have little practical and operational knowledge of the area. This is where they need a partner with local knowledge and a good reach throughout the region.” We know Croatia is in the EU, but are there different charter rules there? Ajka explains, “It is relatively easy to obtain a charter licence, but time is needed and there are of course certain hoops to jump through, but we have an experienced team, and once an itinerary is planned, we work with the Captain to facilitate the correct paperwork, but it can all depend on the yachts LOA and GRT. Our office takes care of everything and lets the Captain concentrate on looking after the guests on board.”
As we’ve mentioned before this eastern Mediterranean area of the Aegean is becoming very popular and with the current ‘logistical’ issues, the industry feels that this region could be very busy in 2020. Ajka and her team have worked long and hard to build a robust support network that enables them to offer and myriad of services to visiting yachts, including bespoke itineraries, help with spare part delivery and of course the all important opportunity for tax free and duty paid marine diesel. Having talked candidly to Ajka we too are confident, that 2020 will certainly see an uplift in charter guests and owners cruising the Adriatic.
In light of the current situation, our hope is to be able to work this summer
and thinking up new services remains a simple mental exercise
Italy
Rosalia Di Perna of Argentario Yacht Services usually starts off a new season by looking at how to improve services based on experiences from the previous summer; “… So that we can continually improve on what we offer. Our beach set up arrangement was popular last year,” she says. “This year plans are to add seabobs and fliteboards to the services available to visiting yachts in the Argentario area. And while there are no new regulations affecting yachting in the zone she covers, the public health emergency of Covid19 prevails in some form for now.” Says Di Perna, “We hope that everything gets back to normal soon, so the restrictions will be lifted. We really hope we all get the chance to enjoy the summer.” As with all yacht agencies, the Argentario Yacht Services’ aim is to satisfy any kind of request; for example taking just 20 minutes to fly a doctor onto Giglio Island to tend to a minor accident on board or sourcing a type of meat for dinner that is not readily available.
Siracuse
At the other end of the country Gianmarco Mauceri Boccadifuoco runs Siracusa Boccadifuoco Yachting. In September 2019 14 mooring buoys with 50 ton blocks were installed for megayachts in the Siracusa marina: “This means yachts do not need to put their anchors stern to and it can be a great option for the winter season,” he explains. He had been working on preparing new itineraries, services and magical places to visit before Covid19 struck; “Right now is a very sad time but we hope the restrictions relax more as possible and people start to travel again.” He adds, “We always work with a ‘can do’ attitude no matter what the request, be it private excursions, provisioning, spas and massages, bunkering etc…”
San Remo
Based out of San Remo but covering the Mediterranean and northern Europe, All Services was founded by Alessandro Sartore in 1980. Since the Italian lockdown began on 9th March 2020, the entire All Services team worked remotely but life is slowly getting back to normal. Alessandro has no idea how busy the season will evolve but he is fairly certain that supply will be greater than demand for chartering, although some reports suggest chartering will be popular with guests seeking to keep (or get) away from it all. Says Sartore, “In light of the current situation, our hope is to be able to work this summer and thinking up new services remains a simple mental exercise. But we are confident to see yachts arriving and as ever will deliver and faultless services.”
