MYS 2022: Ambitious expansion plans in the pipeline for Porto Montenegro

By Nina Done 14 October 2022

YachtCharterFleet recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Tony Browne, Marine Director at Porto Montenegro, to discuss the latest development plans for the world-class marina on the Adriatic coast.

Harnessing his experience over the last 13 years of the varying standards of worldwide marinas, Tony Browne has managed the Porto Montenegro Marina team covering design and construction development, through to the ongoing operational aspects of Porto Montenegro’s industry-leading superyacht marina.

The former superyacht captain has been with the marina since its inception, and was instrumental in garnering Porto Montenegro's impressive accolade as the world’s first platinum-status marina and luxury complex, which offers an array of state-of-the-art amenities, bevy of upscale bars and international restaurants and an exclusive yacht club – featuring a 64-meter infinity pool, fitness center and mezzanine cocktail bar and nightclub, among other highlights.

Porto Montenegro with superyacht and palm trees

Luxury boutiques lined along Porto Montenegro

Infinity pool in Porto Montenegro at night

There are also excellent provisioning services, luxury boutiques, a helipad and even a music studio for budding rock stars, alongside a packed year-round schedule of events & activities. It's a small wonder Porto Montenegro is one of the most popular marina destinations in the Mediterranean.

Read the full article: All you need to know about visiting Porto Montenegro by charter yacht

What are the current expansion plans for Porto Montenegro?

100% love, attention and energy has been invested into every single element

The luxury yacht homeport and marina village has a current capacity of 460 berths that can accommodate yachts up to 250m. Under a concession agreement with the government, the marina has been granted permission to expand its offering in phases to up to 850 berths, of which 315 will be specifically for superyachts, with an addtional bank of luxury residences being developed, which will adjoin the current complex.

Year-round refit hub

Porto Montenegro is also expanding its services, in a joint venture with Drydocks World, Dubai, to include Adriatic 42, a full-service mega yacht refit facility, which will offer a range of overhaul and maintenance services facilitated by a 10,000-tonne 180-meter floating dock and 720-tonne travel hoist.

Built on the grounds of the former Bijela shipyard nestled in the well-protected harbor of Boka Bay, Adriatic 42 is the final piece of the puzzle for the marina, firmly establishing its place as a year-round refit hub, something Browne confirmed has long been missing from the region. The new shipyard has already booked a number of high-profile yachts, including a 106-meter superyacht scheduled to undertake its first 5-year survey at the yard this winter.

History of Porto Montenegro

Originally a former Yugolav military base, the small port city of Tivat in the UNESCO protected Bay of Kotor was transformed when Canadian mogul Peter Munk purchased the land in 2007 and began the process of turning it into one of the most prestigious marinas on the Adriatic and beyond.

Today, Porto Montenegro routinely attracts hundreds of yachts to its palm-lined jetties every year, who all come to enjoy the marinas luxury offerings, not to mention the beautiful cruising grounds on offer in the region. According to Browne, Bill Gates spent an entire week at the marina this summer with friends, playing tennis and enjoying the marina's first-class facilities.

Beautiful old town in Montenegro with steeple in the background and small row boat and stone harbor in the foreground

Bill Gates spent a week here in the summer, playing tennis and enjoying the marina's first-class facilities

Another major draw card is the favorable tax perks, with yacht owners and charterers enjoying substantial tax savings, with tax applied to marina services capped at 7% and zero VAT on yacht charters cruising within Montenegro. And although the tax-free fuel law was rescinded in June 2022, the marina has been actively lobbying the government to reinstate this benefit to regain their competitive advantage over other European destinations, which they hope will be overturned by next year.

On top of all this, Porto Montenegro is served by 3 international airports within an hour and a half of the marina, with Tivat International Airport conveniently located just 5 miles away – with additional parking for private jets.

Porto Montenegro is also set to host the ACREW Awards this October for the first time, which celebrates excellence in the superyacht industry, bringing together over 500 captains, crew and professionals from Porto Montenegro and other marinas in the Adriatic and the wider Mediterranean.

As we concluded our interview, Browne added that "100% love, attention and energy has been invested into every single element [at Porto Montenegro] to make it the very best experience for yacht owners, charterers and crew alike." A shining tribute to an extraordinary destination.

yacht in Porto Montenegro marina at sunset

Porto Montenegro
Attraction

If you’d like to learn more about Porto Montenegro or booking a berth, please contact a recommended yacht charter broker.

To find out more about chartering in the region, check out our Montenegro yacht charter guide. For some inspiration, browse our selection of itineraries handpicked by experts with in-depth knowledge of the region.