Boat owners struggle to pay mooring fees

ISTANBUL

Mooring fees at Turkish marinas have soared three-fold in a year to 80,000 Turkish Liras ($2,645), the president of the Yacht and Boat Industry Association (YATED) has announced, stressing that docks are currently full.

YATED is organizing a Bosphorus Boat Show at the Istanbul Expo Center from Feb. 17 to 24, during which over 1,500 products from more than 250 exhibitors will be exhibited.

Murat Bekiroğlu, the president of YATED, stated that more than 40,000 square meters of space has been sold so far in the fair. "We estimate that we will reach 100 percent occupancy by the time of the fair. Apart from exhibiting boats, yachts, or products needed by the sector at the fair, discussions on the problems of our sector and preparations for the future will also take place."

Bekiroğlu stated that marina occupancy rates have reached 100 percent and that there is a three-fold price increase in mooring fees between 2023 and 2024.

"There is a supply and demand imbalance. As the president of the association, we met with the ministry and explained the situation. But this situation is not something that will change in a short time. For a short-term solution, fishing shelters can be converted into marinas. Both fishermen will have better conditions and boat mooring capacity will be increased,” he stressed.

"The definitive solution is provided by marina investments. If they make these investments, we will attract boat and yacht owners from abroad to Türkiye," he added.

"Marina prices seriously affect the sector. As we sell 8-meter boats to the middle segment, these boats can cost up to 250,000 liras. But while giving these prices, annual mooring fees of marinas cost 80,000 liras. Therefore, there is a disproportion, and we have completely lost the middle segment,” Bekiroğlu stated.

“Boat owners came together, paid the fishing shelters and started to employ a staff there. There are boats parked in the bays all year round, and this increases pollution,” he said.