Come March, megayachts can call on a new dedicated marina in downtown Papeete, Tahiti. It’s a supplement to the existing Marina Taina, part of an ongoing effort to accommodate the growing number of megayachts heading to the region.
Marina Taina can accommodate 550 yachts, 20 of them being megayachts to 197 feet. Unfortunately, larger yachts have had to dock at the cruise-ship pier in Papeete. The Port Authority of Papeete developed the new marina to change this. It includes a 656-foot-long (200-meter-long) dock and complies with the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS Code). This code, enacted by the IMO, is intended to enhance the security of vessels and port facilities.
Along that same subject, yachts visiting the new marina will not be charge for the extra cost of security guards. The latter policy has been enforced at the cruise-ship docks.
Furthermore, the new megayacht marina will offer free WiFi, a bike path, a pedestrian area, and a tropical fish pond. These features are part of a larger effort to improve Papeete’s waterfront.
The Port Authority and Tahiti Tourism have been keen to smooth the way for more megayachts to come to the country. This explains why, for example, import taxes levied on long-term visiting yachts and/or ones registered in the country were lowered a few months ago, to eight percent of the vessel’s value.
For further details on arrival procedures and more, see the Port Authority’s Yachts Guide.
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