Camper and Nicholsons Marinas sold a 30m berth at Grand Harbour Marina, Malta.
This is the company’s second sale this year.
Concluding the sale during the Monaco Yacht Show, the UK-based buyer cited Malta’s unique package of benefits as the reason behind the purchase, including its central Mediterranean location, high-quality facilities, extensive yacht-support services, availability of berths for sale – and numerous financial advantages.
Grand Harbour Marina is a 240 berth world-class marina set against the background of a UNESCO World Heritage site. The ISPS compliant marina is one of the few yacht specific compliant ports in the Mediterranean and the only one in Malta.
With berths up to 135m LOA, the marina offers internationally renowned Camper and Nicholsons’ excellence in service and facilities, as well as comprehensive vessel support services. The region’s temperate climate provides year-round cruising opportunities, and the yacht-friendly island of Malta possesses the infrastructure and amenities demanded by discerning owners, their guests, captains, crew and their families.
Grand Harbour Marina’s top quality facilities and services ensures visitor and berth owner needs are met. Waterfront shops, boutiques, restaurants and marine services outlets means the marina basks in a vibrant, cosmopolitan ambience, where open-air living is the order of the day.
Kurt Fraser, Sales & Marketing Director for C N Marinas commented, “Malta’s Grand Harbour Marina has clearly established itself as a destination of choice, not only for superyacht owners, but for captains and crew. The package of strong financial, tax and operating benefits have certainly underpinned recent berth purchase decisions. But it’s the exceptional year-round weather, natural beauty, historic architecture, rich culture and comfortable Mediterranean lifestyle that has visiting superyachts returning for more, with owners acquiring a berth.”
Berth owners benefit from rises in marina occupancy through a 60% share of any sub-leasing income. From an investment perspective, the selling price for superyacht berths at Grand Harbour Marina has risen from €500 per square metre in 2003 to the current price of €2,020 per square metre, quadrupling in value over an eight year period.
The Maltese government’s efforts to develop the superyacht industry have seen the island embrace a ‘superyacht friendly’ policy which has proved successful in establishing Malta as a destination and home-port of choice for owners and captains. Supported by many yacht-related businesses from yacht financing and registration, to residency and tax support, Malta is becoming a unique one-stop-shop for financially astute yacht owners. Another of Malta’s key strengths when it comes to berth sales is that the contract is in the form of a deed which provides the owner with a definitive right of ownership for the duration of the contract as opposed to that of a long term lessee.