The start of a Black Sea revolution?
Imeretinskiy Marina has been officially opened within Port Sochi. The marina, which is part of the complex that housed the athletes' village at the 2014 Winter Olympics is owned by Oleg Deripaska's Basic Element subsidiary, Imeretinskiy, and can accommodate vessels up to 45m.…
Imeretinskiy Marina has opened in Port Sochi, Russia. The marina, which will be the port’s first privately operated facility of its kind, has 40 berths and can accommodate vessels up to 45m in length, with a draft of 7.8m.
Superyachts, up to 120m, will also be able to dock within the port and utilise the marina’s facilities, via an on-site ferry. Facilities include service facilities, shops and restaurants, a dry dock, yacht cleaning, watch-keeping and absentee yacht management.
The marina is part of the newly established Imeretinskiy resort, which previously served as the athletes’ village at the recent Sochi Winter Olympics. Imeretinskiy is a subsidiary of Basic Element, a Moscow-base, diversified investment company, owned by Oleg Deripaska. Deripaska made the headlines in a yachting context, when his superyacht, the 72.6m Queen K, played host to then EU Trade Commissioner, Peter Mandelson, and later-Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osbourne, in 2008.
The total level of investment in the project has been estimated at between €50-100 million. “With almost 300 days of sunshine a year, lush greenery, 90 miles of coastline and European-level services in Imeretinskiy, Sochi is a great cruising destination, and we are glad to launch the marina four months after the Olympics”, Elinson added.
The opening of this marina offers some tangible support to a claim by Russian government spokespeople that the country wanted to boost superyacht activity in the Black Sea region. Earlier this year, claims were made that Crimea would be the subject of a large yachting infrastructure investment.
Superyachts, up to 120m, will also be able to dock within the port and utilise the marina’s facilities, via an on-site ferry. Facilities include service facilities, shops and restaurants, a dry dock, yacht cleaning, watch-keeping and absentee yacht management.
The marina is part of the newly established Imeretinskiy resort, which previously served as the athletes’ village at the recent Sochi Winter Olympics. Imeretinskiy is a subsidiary of Basic Element, a Moscow-base, diversified investment company, owned by Oleg Deripaska. Deripaska made the headlines in a yachting context, when his superyacht, the 72.6m Queen K, played host to then EU Trade Commissioner, Peter Mandelson, and later-Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osbourne, in 2008.
The marina is officially opened.
Commenting on the future of the marina, Basic Element’s deputy head and marina MD, Andrei Elinson, who also acts as Deputy Head of Ecology and Exploitation of Natural Resources Committee of Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RUIE), said further expansion would follow. “There will be more mooring equipment and services over the following years [and] the marina will be developed in line with the port’s reshaping programme.” The total level of investment in the project has been estimated at between €50-100 million. “With almost 300 days of sunshine a year, lush greenery, 90 miles of coastline and European-level services in Imeretinskiy, Sochi is a great cruising destination, and we are glad to launch the marina four months after the Olympics”, Elinson added.
The opening of this marina offers some tangible support to a claim by Russian government spokespeople that the country wanted to boost superyacht activity in the Black Sea region. Earlier this year, claims were made that Crimea would be the subject of a large yachting infrastructure investment.
An early arrival to the marina.
Click here to become part of The Superyacht Group community, and join us in our mission to make this industry accessible to all, and prosperous for the long-term. We are offering access to the superyacht industry’s most comprehensive and longstanding archive of business-critical information, as well as a comprehensive, real-time superyacht fleet database, for just £10 per month, because we are One Industry with One Mission. Sign up here.