A petition for free access to the technical area of the Antibes marina
Access to the technical area of Port Vauban, the marina of Antibes, has been closed by barriers. Boaters and boating professionals alike must now pay a barrier fee to access the platform dedicated to boat maintenance. This decision by the manager of the marina, the Artemis group, headed by Riviera Ports, the dedicated entity of the Nice Côte d'Azur Chamber of Commerce, angered the users of the antibait basins.
David Pénard, manager of Gabier' n Rigs, a rigging and fittings company based in Antibes, has launched a petition on the change.org website to denounce the situation. In one week, it has already collected more than 140 signatures.
An economic challenge for the boating industry
For David Pénard, it is both a question of principles and an economic issue for boating companies. "It is state property. We are under Colbert regulations. As maritime companies, we need access to the seaside. Today, there is 1 hour free, but it is impossible not to exceed when you have material to deposit. They make maps, but if all the ports do the same thing, we won't be able to follow." The professional denounces the ICC's desire to "do business with parking" and indicates that he wants to launch a procedure.
Contacted by BoatIndustry, the port manager did not respond to our requests.
A dynamic of port closures
This controversy is part of a general movement. After having closed access to the pontoons with barriers for the purpose of securing the boats, many managers close access to the various shore-based areas. The Vauban port of Antibes had already closed for some time the access to the famous billionaires' quay where the biggest superyachts in the world dock, preventing the onlooker from strolling there.
If a security logic is understandable, ports need professionals to remain attractive. Imposing an additional cost on them could be counterproductive.
