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Marinas - Moorings
Nowadays, there are 19 marinas with 6,661 docking places in Greece, offering high quality services. In recent years, the Greek National Tourist Organisation and some of the 13 administrative regions of the country have started the implementation of a programme for the creation of an integrated network of anchoring and relevant services for boats along the Greek coasts; this programme is now nearing completion. New modern marinas, hotel ports and moorings for the safe docking of boats already operate or are in the process of starting their operation, in order to meet the needs of tourists coming to Greece by sea in the most satisfactory way and under the safest conditions.

Moorings
In addition to the docking places provided by public or private marinas, approximately 3,000 yachts can be accommodated in the Greek ports. Apart from the big commercial ports of Piraeus and Thessalonica, small and picturesque moorings have been created and equipped in many Greek ports. Piers and sea walls have been constructed, creating safe areas where yachts can dock, provided they pay the relevant port dues. Basic facilities and elementary services are provided in most of these ports for the docked boats. Such ports have been created in Mikrol?mano of Piraeus, on the islands of Aegina, Poros, Hydra, Spetses, in Nafplio, Gythio, Pylos, on the islands of Z?kynthos, Ithaca, Kefaloni?, Lefkada, Pax?, Ios, Mykonos, Patmos, Symi, Samos, Lesbos (Plomari), Chios and in other places. -Please note the following regulations in force according to Greek legislation:
1. Private yachts, either under the Greek flag or under foreign flag, ARE NOT ENTITLED to tax-free delivery of equipment and supplies, such as fuel, lubricants, victuals and other goods.
2. Professional tourist ships ARE ENTITLED to tax-free delivery of fuel only, through the procedure by which the special oil consumption tax is returned for the amount of fuel that can be proven to have been used for professional reasons. Same vessels are not entitled to tax-free delivery of food supplies and other goods.

Note: The relevant legislation, which was recently revised in order to harmonise Greek legislation with European community policy, may be subject to differentiations with regard to these issues.

Yachts
The Greek seas and coasts, with their many comparative advantages, have made yachting a very popular activity, among both the Greek people and foreign visitors. A trip on the calm Greek waters, on your own or a chartered yacht, offers you the possibility to sail among extremely beautiful clusters of islands, to anchor in naturally protected bays of rare beauty, to visit inaccessible beaches and to swim with safety in exceptionally clear and transparent waters.

Arrival on a privately owned vessel (foreign flag)

Before arriving in Greece on your own vessel bearing a foreign flag, you should obtain information on the basic regulations in force concerning entry and exit, as well as the formalities required.

Yacht chartering procedure
When chartering a yacht, you should know:
-what type of yacht you are interested in;
-if you wish to have a crew on the yacht or not;
-the number of people to be accommodated on the yacht;
-the number of days and the exact dates of your trip; and
-the departure port.

Important Notes
It is preferable that bookings are made through members of the various associations of brokers, owners and licensed travel agents. In order to protect charterers, the Greek government requires yacht brokers to be licensed by the G.N.T.O. and to deposit a bond to ensure proper performance. This is not the case with owners. In all cases, however, it is required that all charter agreements be made on the official form prescribed by Greek law.

SOME PARTICULARS OF GREEK LEGISLATION
1. The right to charter "professional" pleasure craft under Greek flag belongs solely to yacht owners, operators and brokers.
2. It is prohibited for pleasure craft under foreign flag to be chartered from Greek harbours or to take on passengers for a fee. The same applies to crafts under Greek flag that are not licensed as "professional".
3. Pleasure craft under an EU member-state flag or the flag of a state of the European Economic Area and European Free Trade Area, excluding Switzerland, may be chartered on a total charter basis only between Greek ports on the coasts of mainland Greece, without approaching island ports. They can approach island ports only of they exceed 650 G.T. Another exception is made in special circumstances and only by special license granted by the Minister of Merchant Marine, under certain conditions. This exception applies to all foreign flag craft.
4. For charters arranged abroad, the first Greek harbour sailed into is considered to be the first departure harbour.
5. Any chartered vessel must, prior to sailing from the departure harbour and for each cruise, be furnished with a copy of the charter agreement, certified by the Port Authority, where a copy will be deposited.
6. Before each sail, the skipper is required to deposit with the local Port Authority a list with full data of the crew and the passengers, a certified (by the Port Authority) copy of which he must carry on board, together with all other documents of the vessel, throughout the cruise.



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