The nautical cluster of Barcelona (Spain), the association of institutions and companies working for the competitiveness of the marine industry, closed the year 2015 with 71 members. For its third year, the cluster seeks to reach the hundred members.
The Barcelona Clúster Nàutic represents a sector that is an economic driving force for the city of Barcelona. According to a study by the Chamber of Commerce of Barcelona, the 305 companies related to the marine sector in Barcelona generated a total of 836 million of direct, indirect and induced economic impact and up to 8,300 jobs. The 71 cluster members represent the 62% of these figures.
The economic impact of superyachts
One of the main themes of this sector in the city is the area of superyachts, which affects both the ports and marinas of the Barcelona coastline and businesses dedicated to repair & refit, as Marina Barcelona 92 and Varador 2000, and a wide range of SMEs engaged either this area or other services to the captains and crews of superyachts.
According to a study from the United States Superyacht Association, it is estimated that the annual cost of a 55-meter yacht totals 2.9 million euros, of which two thirds would be the economic impact for the city in which it is moored, excluding the salaries of the crew.
With the expansion work of Marina Port Vell and the creation of Marina Vela, whose construction began last September 1st and is expected to be completed in 15 months, Barcelona will add about 160 new berths for superyachts. They will be added to the berths for boats over 24 meters that offer Port Forum (31), Port Olimpic (19), Real Club Nautico de Barcelona (18), Mataró Marina (25) and Vilanova Grand Marina (49), among others.
“With only 5% of world traffic of these yachts the 300 berths are filled, which would represent a huge economic impact for the city. Only in the industrial sector, refit & repair, the cost could be more than 210 million euros a year, while the impact on ports would be about 70 million”, explains Barcelona Clúster Nàutic president, Toni Tió.
To attract this traffic to Barcelona, the cluster has carried out an important promoting task with meetings with some of the leading players worldwide in superyachts. It has also worked in the legal environment, with significant improvements to VAT for non-EU yachts and the issue of visas in the Schengen area.
