Is long-term berth leasing a viable business model for marinas?

For superyacht owners, the main benefits of securing the long-term lease of a marina berth are the assurance that their yacht will always have access to a berth in a safe, convenient and preferable location, the stability for the crew that a homeport provides during downtime, as well as the potential to mitigate operational expenditure  against rising berth prices.

For marinas, selling long-term leasing structures means a lucrative cash injection for a business model that is otherwise reliant on income that fluctuates with the seasons and cruising trends. Marinas often sell such leases on the basis that the number of yachts in build in certain size segments will soon exceed the number of berths able to accommodate them in sought-after locations, and thus these berths provide owners with not only security, but an attractive investment opportunity if the berth can be rented out in the high season for a premium.

But with more superyacht marinas offering long-term leasing options, and some of the biggest yachts moving away from the idea of a homeport and towards non-stop cruising programmes with rotational crew, is the attractiveness of the concept as a business model losing its allure? And how much does the success of such business models depend on location, size of yacht or type of programme?

To gauge the viability of this business model in today’s market conditions, SuperyachtNews.com is inviting relevant readers to complete this short survey, the results of which will be published at a later date.

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