How much does it cost to moor a boat and what factors influence its price?

How much does it cost to moor a boat, and what factors influence its price?

At Motyvel, we strive to answer the most frequently asked questions regarding mooring prices.

At Motyvel, we manage reservations for mooring points for purchase and rental for all types of boats in any port on the Spanish coast and the Balearic Islands exclusively. We locate moorings where you need them, streamline the application process, and provide advice during negotiations.

In this article, we aim to address the most frequently asked questions among boat owners or those considering purchasing one. We’ll explain everything you need to know about mooring prices, including a practical case where we calculate the cost of a mooring in Port Olímpic, Barcelona.

Types of Boat Moorings

In ports, there are generally two types of boat moorings. Depending on one or the other, port fees vary.

The first type is daily mooring. These are for transient boats that only need to dock for a short period. Prices are calculated per day and may include fees for using port services and clubs.

The second type is long-term mooring. These are for boats that stay in the port for a period ranging from 1 month to 5 years. Prices vary based on the contract duration and usually include services and maintenance.

What Determines the Mooring Price?

Each port or administration sets its prices, but in most cases, the price of a boat mooring varies based on several factors: occupied area, contract duration, basic and complementary services, port fees, and the mooring’s season and location. Let’s analyze each of these parameters.

1. Occupied Area

In most ports, the occupied area is calculated by multiplying the maximum length by the maximum beam of the boat. Therefore, the larger the length, the higher the mooring cost. However, in other ports, they use the dimensions of the Navigation Permit. The larger the boat, the higher the fee.

The fee is often calculated in euros per square meter (€/m²). Once we know the dimensions, we multiply the occupied area by this value. If this process becomes complicated, most ports with a website offer a quick and approximate calculation of this cost. By filling in all fields, such as entry and exit dates or the type of boat, the program automatically evaluates the mooring cost. Here is the link to the tool for Port Olímpic, Barcelona. If we use these programs, we must consider that it is only indicative. The final price will include additional costs such as electricity and water consumption.

2. Contract Duration

As mentioned earlier, there is the option to moor a boat either for days or for an extended period. The contract duration depends on the type of mooring you want. In the case of long-term mooring, it’s essential to note that they often receive discounts, such as a 7% discount for contracts of 5 years or more.

3. Basic and Complementary Services

Access to basic services like electricity, water, and internet is often included in the mooring price but may vary based on the boat’s length.

On the other hand, some ports offer complementary services when you moor the boat, such as parking, storage rooms, cranes, and dry docks, among others. These additional services obviously impact the total mooring price. However, it’s not just about the mooring itself but also other aspects that are important to each user, such as these additional services, the quality of the berth, and the port’s security.

4. Season and Location

1. Prices can also vary based on the season and geographical location. During the high season, prices tend to be higher due to increased demand. Additionally, the port’s location significantly influences the mooring cost, with marinas in tourist areas often being more expensive.

Port Fees

Port fees are charges applied to boats and activities carried out in maritime ports. They are a significant source of income for port authorities and are used to finance the operation, maintenance, and development of port facilities, as well as to cover costs related to safety and the protection of the marine environment. They can vary widely depending on the port and geographical location. Boat owners and businesses using ports must be familiar with the applicable fees in each port they visit and consider them in their planning and budgeting.

To know how much the mooring fee for a boat amounts to, attention should be paid to the location and the relationship between supply and demand. Although renting is less expensive than owning a mooring spot, the economic savings and greater freedom to move from one port to another without constraints make renting the best option for many boat owners.

According to Law 33/2010, of August 5, amending Law 48/2003, of November 26, on the economic regime and the provision of services in ports of general interest, port fees are:

1. Those required for the private use or special use of the port’s public domain and for the provision of the maritime signaling service.
2. Those referred to in the previous paragraph are as follows:

a) Occupation fee, for the private occupation of the port’s public domain.
b) Activity fees, for the exercise of commercial, industrial, and service activities in the port’s public domain.
c) Utilization fees, for the special use of port facilities.
d) Aid to navigation fee, for the maritime signaling service.

Moorings in Barcelona, Port Olímpic: Practical Example

To illustrate all these concepts mentioned in the article, we will provide a practical example by calculating the price of a mooring in Port Olímpic, Barcelona, for a specific boat.

1. First of all, the Port Olímpic rates are applied based on the boat’s length. Therefore, it is important to know how much it measures. In our example, the boat has a length of 15 m.
2. The second piece of information we need to know is the beam of our boat. In this case, 4 m.
3. Next, we calculate the occupied area by explaining previously (length * beam): 15 m * 4 m = 60 m2.
4. Finally, we look at the Port Olímpic rates in Barcelona, and we will know how much the mooring costs per month. The applied rate is measured based on the length. We will multiply this by the occupied area.

Below are some tables.

In case the mooring is for a long duration:

In case the mooring is for days for transients: