• Tasa de ayuda a la navegación (Navigational assistance rates or the “lighthouse tax”)

Very briefly, the majority of costs incurred by the Spanish Maritime Safety and Rescue Agency (Sociedad de Salvamento y Seguridad Marítima (SASEMAR)) were being found to be covered by the General State Budget rather than maritime entities – i.e. those enjoying the very services provided. Redressing the balance then, those sailing in Spanish waters are then requested to make a contribution to these services.

There is a little inconsistency in where the law is applied, but all ports and marinas under the control of the Port Authorities (essentially those in basins shared by commercial ports: Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Las Palmas, Arrecife, San Sebastian (La Gomera), Santa Cruz de La Palma, etc.) are strictly obliged to charge these additional rates. Non-port authority-run marinas (i.e. private marinas) are still a grey area.

Visiting yachts

It’s not all bad news however; Calero Marinas has worked hard to help with a sector-driven lobby to prevent transient visitors from suffering what is universally considered to be an unfair application of the Navigational Assistance rates, where in previous years, an entire year’s worth of rates could be charged for what amounted to only a few days’ visits.

As a consequence, visiting yachts from abroad (without a home port in Spain) are now charged a daily rate for their time in port. The calculation is pretty convoluted, but at the time of writing, the daily rate for sailing (or motor) yacht with 13m LOA and 4m beam is about 1.30€. Importantly, sailing boats of 12m LOA or less are exempt.

Homeport

If a yacht is based in a Spanish port (also considered to be the case after 6 months’ occupancy), things are a little different and the yacht will be expected to demonstrate payment of the full year’s rates.

• Tasa de Embarcaciones deportivas y de recreo (Recreational vessel rates)

This is also charged by day (i.e. a single night’s berthing corresponds to two days’-worth of rates) and calculated according to a yacht’s m² – or LOA x Beam (m).

As a guideline, for a yacht of 13m LOA x 4m beam, this corresponds to a daily rate of 2.52€

Sailing boats <12m LOA and motor boats <9m LOA are favoured, paying a lesser rate.

After 6 months, “home port” status is achieved, affording a lower daily rate.

Current rates are as follows:

Visitors:

Sail >12m / Motor > 9m                                       0.0484 € /m²/day

Sail < 12m / Motor < 9m                                      0.0186 € /m²/day

Home port (after 6 months’ occupancy)

Sail >12m / Motor > 9m                                      0.0397 € /m²/day

Sail < 12m / Motor < 9m                                     0.0124 € /m²/day

See the following link for current tariffs:

Caleros Marinas/Lanzarote