Work will begin on Wednesday, October 7 to create a new, organised anchoring zone in Monaco Bay, designed to protect the seabed whilst improving safety for visiting yachts…
The project is expected to be completed by March 31, 2027, with the new facility becoming operational for the summer 2027 season.
Repeated anchoring by vessels can damage the marine environment. Monaco’s solution will replace individual anchors with permanent mooring points, reducing pressure on the seabed in an area regularly used by yachts during the summer and major events.
Nine mooring buoys will be installed in water between 45 and 80 metres deep, making the operation technically more complex than similar facilities elsewhere in the Mediterranean. Four will accommodate vessels up to 50 metres, three will serve yachts up to 70 metres and two will be suitable for vessels reaching 90 metres.
From summer 2027, anchoring outside the designated area will be prohibited throughout waters under Monegasque sovereignty, although special arrangements may be introduced during major maritime events.
Developed by Monaco’s Department of Maritime Affairs in consultation with French maritime authorities, the new zone will be managed by the Société d’Exploitation des Ports de Monaco.
Image: Michael Worden