Sailors in the Mediterranean experienced a real price shock this season, with inflation and increased energy prices making themselves clearly felt in the overnight costs for guest sailors. "65 at the buoy for 9.5 metres near Split. They won't see me in the south for a long time!" commented YACHT reader Stefan Freyer on Facebook.
In fact, Croatia has long been one of the price drivers for harbour dues in the entire Mediterranean region; there is hardly any other country where prices have been raised as much from year to year in the past.
This season, too, the fees in many marinas have been massively revised upwards. Our research revealed increases of up to 225 per cent, with prices gradually levelling out at a high level. The most expensive marinas only increased their prices for a 40-foot yacht per night on a guest berth by an average of 12.89 per cent, while the ten cheapest marinas increased their prices by an average of 16.42 per cent. Overall, however, harbour fees in the Mediterranean have risen significantly.
Moderate increases in harbour dues in the Baltic Sea region
Anyone who walked along the jetties of the local harbours during the holidays could tell from the conversations that similar price increases were also noticed in the Baltic Sea regions. However, research by YACHT revealed that the increases in harbour fees were far below the average price increases in the Mediterranean.
In Svendborg, Denmark, for example, one of the traditionally more expensive harbours in the kingdom, there has been a price increase of around ten per cent. While guests with a 40-foot yacht still had to pay DKK 295 (€39.57) for an overnight stay in 2021, the price in 2022 was DKK 300 (€40.25). This season, a night there costs DKK 330 (€44.27). The price for guest berths in Marstal on the Danish island of Ærø has also risen by ten per cent, from DKK 200 (€26.84) for the 40-foot example yacht to DKK 220 (€29.52).
In the harbours on the German Baltic coast, on the other hand, there was only an increase in harbour dues of around eight percent. In Kiel, guests with a 40-foot yacht paid €24 for one night last season and €26 this season.
The price increase plays a subordinate role for our charter customers in the Baltic Sea, as the price-performance ratio there is usually completely fine!" (Dirk Kadach, Charter Centre Heiligenhafen)
In letters from readers, other Baltic Sea ports have also reported price increases of eight to twelve per cent. However, the vast majority of readers feel that the increases in harbour dues are entirely appropriate. A typical comment: "In the last two weeks around Funen I have paid an average of 25 to 30 euros including electricity and showers for a ship up to twelve metres. I think that's perfectly reasonable for a beautiful harbour."
In contrast to the Mediterranean, prices for guest sailors in the marinas on the Baltic coast have risen moderately. In view of the generally higher price level, the sailors take this in their stride. And by the time the sun goes down in the cockpit, any initial indignation at the payment machine is long forgotten.
