As the world is reacting and taking precautions to slow the spread of COVID-19, events have been postponed or canceled and travel policies have been amended to follow suit. While it is best to check directly with the organization/country and their official websites, we’ll do our best to update this page as things change. For ways to be proactive on board, read more on precautions and best practices that crew can take to help keep those aboard safe. If there is any relevant information that we have missed, forward it to aileen@dockwalk.com.
Events
Dubai International Boat Show
Initially planned for March 10–14, the Dubai International Boat Show has been postponed to November 24–28, 2020. It will take place in its new home, Dubai Harbour. boatshowdubai.com
Clipper Round the World Yacht Race
The Clipper 2019–20 Race has been postponed with immediate effect. The remaining three legs of the race will be postponed for approximately 10 months, when the remaining circumnavigation will be completed. This impacts the timing of future races, so the next full edition of the race will start in the summer of 2022. clipperroundtheworld.com
Singapore Yacht Show
Hosted at ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove, the Singapore Yacht Show 2020 scheduled for March 19–22 has been rescheduled for October 15–18. singaporeyachtshow.com
St. Barths Bucket Regatta
The 2020 invitational regatta set for March 19–22 has been canceled. Next year’s edition will take place from March 18–21, 2021. bucketregatta.com
The Superyacht Summit
The 7th annual Superyacht Summit, hosted by the U.S. Superyacht Association, was scheduled for Tuesday, March 24, in West Palm Beach. It has been postponed and a new date will be released in the coming weeks. ussuperyacht.com
The Superyacht Gathering
Scheduled for March 25–27, The Superyacht Gathering 2020 in Auckland, New Zealand, has been canceled. thesuperyachtgathering.com
Palm Beach International Boat Show
The Palm Beach International Boat Show and Superyacht Show Palm Beach, originally scheduled for March 26–29, have been postponed. This means events set to take place at the show, including the Aqualuxe’s Top Notch Tabletop competition, will be postponed as well. The Superyacht show will debut at the Flagler Museum in March 2021, and the show has been postponed. A virtual version of the show will launch on May 14. pbboatshow.com
LYBRA SuperYacht Experience
Organized by the Large Yacht Brokers Association, the inaugural edition of The Superyacht Experience at Rybovich Marina had been scheduled for March 26–29 but has been canceled. The event will take place in 2021.
Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta
The 2020 edition of the Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta will be postponed until next year when it will take place on March 31 – April 6, 2021. antiguaclassics.com
Yachty Nationals Invitational Golf Tournament
National Marine’s golf tournament originally scheduled for April 19 has been postponed. It will be rescheduled for late May or June. nationalmarine.com
Antigua Sailing Week
Scheduled for April 25–May 1, Antigua Sailing Week has been canceled. If you’re a registered participant with a boat in the region and in need of advice for onward logistics, they are standing by to assist you. sailingweek.com
MYBA Charter Show
The show was to take place in Marina Port Vell, Barcelona, from April 27–30. It has been canceled. The press release thanked members and attendees for their patience while they assessed the situation and that they look forward to a great show in 2021, which will be held from April 26-29. mybashow.com
Palma Superyacht Show
The Palma Superyacht Show at Moll Vell de Palma has canceled its 2020 edition, which was to be held from April 29 to May 3. boatshowpalma.com
Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show
The show in Queensland, Australia, scheduled for May 21–24, has been postponed until later in the year. Organizers are working with exhibitors and stakeholders to safely deliver the event at a later date. sanctuarycoveboatshow.com.au
World Superyacht Awards
Organized by BOAT International, the 15th edition of the awards due to be held in London on May 15 and 16 has been postponed until September 5 and 6. Entries to the awards will remain unaffected and tickets already purchased for the May event will be honored for September. boatinternational.com/luxury-yacht-events/world-superyacht-awards
Superyacht Cup Palma
The 2020 regatta of the Superyacht Cup Palma, originally scheduled for June 17-20, has been canceled in line with recommendations from the Spanish and Balearic governments. The dates for the 25th anniversary edition are scheduled for June 23–26, 2021. thesuperyachtcup.com
Travel Policies
With countries modifying their immigration/customs policies almost daily and global airlines changing operations/scheduling in response, be sure to monitor their websites for the latest info. GMT is advising clients if they must travel to ensure that they have in their possession: valid passport and applicable visas; boat papers, employment contract or other supporting documentation; and a copy of the CBP travel ban exemptions document.
Be prepared and understand that flights and tickets are subject to delays and/or cancellation with little to no warning. As of March 23, no airline is waiving cancellation fees on published fares, but they are allowing revisions to future dates with no penalty. And if booked on a marine fare, these tickets may be refunded slower than usual and at the airline’s discretion. If you need any travel-related assistance, the GMT private yacht team can answer your questions: yachting@flygmt.com.
The European Committee for Professional Yachting shared the certificates tailored to foreign seafarers for derogatory travel and the exemption for professional travel: here.
France
Metropolitan decree n°DPA 2020-011 prohibits access to metropolitan ports for all pleasure crafts not holding a contract with a port of the metropolis, as well as passenger transport vessels. The European Committee for Professional Yachting (ECPY) shared the notice and that the eight ports of the metropolitan areas (Nice Côte d’Azur, Cros de Cagnes, Saint Laurent du Var, Nice, Beaulieu Plaisance, Beaulieu Fourlis, Eze, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, and Cap d’Ail) are affected by the decree. Pleasure crafts will only be authorized to dock if they have a mooring contract with a Metropolitan home base. ecpy.org
Marshall Islands
The Marshall Islands Registry remain fully operational and accessible to their clients. For updated guidance and guidelines, visit: register-iri.com/covid-19
Pacific
Australia: Australia’s borders are now closed to non-residents or non-citizens, and there are widespread lockdowns through some states. Anyone arriving in Australia overseas by plane will be required to self-isolate for 14 days, including rotational crew. There are 14-day self-isolation procedures in place for superyachts. The two-week period begins from the day of departure from the last overseas port of embarkation. homeaffairs.gov.au
Cook Islands: Effective beginning March 16 until currently June 30, there’s a temporary ban on all cruise ships, pleasure crafts, and yachts entering Cook Islands waters. health.gov.ck
Fiji: Entry will be barred for all foreign nationals who have visited mainland China, Iran, Italy, or South Korea. health.gov.fj
French Polynesia: Non-residents or citizens are no longer allowed to enter French Polynesia, and travel outside the home is now severely curtailed and a certificate is needed. polynesie-francaise.pref.gouv.fr
New Zealand: New Zealand’s borders have closed to all but permanent residents and citizens, and it is under a four week shutdown. Self-isolation is not allowed on board vessels within any Panuku marinas (Silo or Viaduct). All travelers arriving to New Zealand are to self-isolate for 14 days, except those arriving from the Pacific islands. health.govt.nz
For more travel restrictions and updates across the Pacific, visit National Marine Pacific: national-pacific.com
Panama Canal
Any pleasure or commercial yacht arriving in Panama from international waters will not be allowed to dock in any marina or port of the Republic of Panama, according to emails from Associated Yacht Services. No crew or guest changes will be authorized. The use of tender is also not authorized, and all yachts that arrive for Panama Canal transit will be required to stay at the anchorage and wait their turn to transit the canal. AYS can arrange fuel by barge at the “explosives anchorage,” and if provisions are required, they can arrange by hiring a commercial launch. Currently, Panama Canal delays for unbooked vessels is about three to four days. ays.shipsagent.com
Tunisia
All air, land, and sea borders in Tunisia are currently closed. The three major superyacht marinas are closed to all overseas visitors and will remain so for as long as necessary. Yacht Services Tunisia is still available to answer any enquiries via the usual channels. ys-tunisia.com
U.S.
The United States has suspended entry for most non-U.S. citizens who have been in or traveled through affected areas, including China, Iran, the UK, and the E.U.’s Schengen Area. This ban does not include U.S. citizens, legal permanent residents, and their immediate family members, who will be redirected to one of 13 U.S. airports for enhanced entry screening. Global Marine Travel notes that seafarers can still travel to the country, as long as they have all valid visa documents. According to Section 2 (a) par. (vii), the proclamation shall not apply to: “any alien traveling as a nonimmigrant pursuant to a C-1, D, or C-1/D nonimmigrant visa as a crewmember or any alien otherwise traveling to the United States as air or sea crew.” flygmt.com
The U.S. Department of State is temporarily suspending routine visa services at all U.S. embassies and consulates, which will cancel all routine immigrant and nonimmigrant visa appointments as of March 20, 2020. As resources allow, they will continue to provide urgent and emergency visa services. This does not affect the Visa Waiver Program. esta.cbp.dhs.gov
For more information on travel restrictions and flight operations, visit: pandemic.internationalsos.com/2019-ncov/ncov-travel-restrictions-flight-operations-and-screening
Company Updates
Advanced Mechanical Enterprises
AME is a commercial enterprise business that is considered essential for working on operating machinery. They are available for emergency services and their field service engineers and technicians are ready to mobilize quickly to customers with maintenance needs. AMEsolutions.com
Baglietto and CCN Shipyards
Their shipyards will be closed until April 3. However, safety and security services will be guaranteed to secure the safety of the shipyard and the yachts. baglietto.com
bluewater
The team are currently working from home, available on Skype for interviews, checking profiles, continuing to search their database for CVs and sharing them with recruiting yachts. The training teams are working on the upcoming course schedule and will be or have already been in touch with anyone booked in one of their courses. bluewateryachting.com
Camper & Nicholsons Marinas
The marina network is open and proactively working to ensure a safe and secure environment for its berth holders, visitors, and local partners. Camper & Nicholsons Marinas is monitoring local developments at its marinas and the guidance provided by local government agencies. cnmarinas.com
ChefMN Café
Owned by former yacht chef Mike Nichols and Lucia, ChefMN Café in Fort Lauderdale resumed business in the café in a to-go only capacity for lunch only from 11:30 a.m. to 3 pm. starting on March 23. chefmn.com
Da Gama Maritime
Certain Hydrographic Offices are reducing their ability to produce Notices to Mariners. The French Hydrographic Office until further notice will not be making any updates to their products, including Notices to Mariner, SNC New Editions, and ENC updates. NAVAREA warnings will be used by France to issue the most critical navigational information. DG Maritime’s products that are reliant on that data from France will likely be affected and not receive updates. The NAMRIA Hydrography branch in the Philippines will stop its regular activities until further notice. Navigational Warnings and monthly Notices to Mariners will still be promulgated. dgmaritime.com
Dometic Marine
Abiding by the Pennsylvania governor’s order to close all non-life-sustaining businesses in the state, Dometic Marine will close its Limerick, Pennsylvania, facility as of March 20 and will remain closed as long as the order is in effect. However, all their other manufacturing facilities and offices remain open and in full operation. dometic.com
e3 Systems Group
Their support desk is operating normally, with almost everyone in their team working from home, and their goods in and out is currently operating. While their techs cannot travel to yachts, e3 can provide remote technical service, along with remote diagnosis and health checks for clients.. They’re offering clients a free e3 IPTV box with three months subscription to UK Freeview entertainment channels and a selection of international news channels. e3s.com
Floating Life International
The majority of the staff is always remotely active and available, and their experts have full remote access to their IT systems, communications, and video conferencing capabilities. The Yacht Management and Administration departments are in contact with owners, captains, and crew, as well as governments, health authorities, and Coast Guard, to implement security practices and reduce the risk of infection on board their fleet and among crewmembers. floatinglife.com
Marina Casa de Campo
From March 18 until further notice, Marina Casa de Campo will not receive vessels in transit, and in the case of vessels returning to home port, they must comply with the established quarantine period. Access for yacht crew will only be allowed from 7 a.m. to 12 p.m., and crewmembers must remain on their boats and avoid wandering around the docks. There will be dedicated surveillance to ensure compliance. casadecampo.com.do/experiences/marina
Marina Costa Baja
While they are virus free in La Paz as of March 23, Marina Costa Baja is continuing their prevention actions. Their next step is “home office plan and rotating staff.” marinacostabaja.com
MHG Insurance Brokers
The team at MHG is ready to answer your insurance questions and concerns relating to the virus. For specific information on how COVID-19 affects your insurance coverage, you can call them or visit your insurance carrier’s website. mhginsurance.com/corona
Monaco Marine
All of their shipyards will be closed for a period of 15 days, and that means works will be stopped as of March 19. However, Monaco Marine will be maintaining 24-hour security at all their sites during the closure period. The management team will remain operational and available to provide information on the situation via email and telephone. monacomarine.com
National Marine Suppliers
Director Dean Dutoit wrote to customers that National Marine Suppliers are doing everything they can to get orders out as promptly and as efficiently as they can under the circumstances. However, they are seeing shortages of certain items, such as cleaning and disinfectant products and toilet paper. They are researching new and alternative resources to make the items available as soon as possible. As of March 18, their plans are to remain open, and the warehouse area will continue to pick, pack, and ship orders. The NMS Facility and Ships Store is closed to walk-in customers, and orders will be processed by phone or email only. nationalmarine.com
Porto Montenegro
All Porto Montenegro services are still available to clients, and they are implementing virtual marina reception, which delivers a friendly and safe option in a time of social distancing. portomontenegro.com
Watermakers, Inc.
As a company engaged in the marine supply and repair industry, Watermakers, Inc. is classified as necessary by the Broward County Commissioner’s office and is open for business. They have implemented a number of procedures to ensure the safety of their employees and customers, including practicing social distancing and proper hygiene in the factory. watermakers.com
Reverse Osmosis of South Florida
Remaining operational as an essential business, Reverse Osmosis can provide you with sales, customer service, and back-office support on providing water purification equipment and parts for Watermakers, Reverse Osmosis systems, and related accessories. Their office is available via email, mobile, or WhatsApp. reverse-osmosis.net
Riviera Yacht Support
The office is manned daily by a single member of the team from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. to receive packages, and the rest of the team is working from home. All day-to-day management continues as usual. There are no changes to deliveries and shipping services, and most of their suppliers are still open. The only area of concern is the increase in online shopping impacting the courier sector and having it take longer than expected for them to receive deliveries. rivierayachtsupport.com
Roscioli Yachting Center
No outside contractors will be allowed in the shipyard, and as an extra precaution, there will be a temperature screening at the entrance to RYC. As of March 31, RYC is open during regular business hours, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. rycshipyard.com
RPM Diesel Engine Co.
They are currently open for all components of their business. Their service, parts and fuel injection departments are ready to meet any needs you have. RPM encourages customers and vendors to limit visits to their facilities and use phone and email communications. They remind customers that they provide free pickup and delivery for parts and fuel injection. RPM is following CDC guidelines for essential businesses to keep operations running as close to normal as possible.rpmdiesel.com
Safe Harbor Newport Shipyard
Until further notice, the marina office will be closed to all foot traffic, and they ask that all communication and business be conducted via phone, email, or mail. The marina team will continue to work but possibly with modified schedules, so if you need assistance, phone the marina office. Captains, crew, and owner’s reps will be allowed on the property during normal business hours. shmarinas.com
Saybrook Point Resort & Marina
Located at the mouth of the Connecticut River in Long Island Sound, Saybrook Point is open for business and fuel sales, welcoming seasonal and transient boaters. Its restaurant currently offers take out and delivery and opened for outdoor dining after May 20. They’re following social distancing guidelines and have a rigorous sanitization schedule. saybrook.com/marina
Southport Marina
They have shifted to emergency services only, so their ValvTect fuel and overnight transient dock is closed for normal service, but may be available for EMERGENCY service during their temporary shutdown. Please qualify this service in advance to ensure proper customer service by the on-call manager using the online reservation request form on their website.You may still reach one of their on-call managers at 910-457-9900 for additional questions or support. southport-marina.com
UKSA
They will be suspending operations from Sunday, March 22, until the end of April. If you have an existing booking with them, they will work with you to ensure they can accommodate your booking later in the year once the situation passes. You can still reach them via phone or email if you have any questions or would like to speak to them. uksa.org
Viking Crew
As of March 18, all Viking Crew services remain running. The offices in Dover, UK, and Auckland, NZ, are operating Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. For March 18 to 20, there will be no face-to-face interviews in the U.S. office, which will also be closed from March 23 to 27 due to annual leave. They are happy to do a phone call/WhatsApp or Skype interview. vikingcrew.com
Ward’s Marine Electric
The company is closely monitoring the situation, but as of March 18, they will remain open for normal business hours to ensure they meet the needs of both their customers and employees. wardsmarine.com
West Marine
While West Marine stores are deemed an essential business and will remain open on a limited schedule to provide supplies to first responders, U.S. Coast Guard, FEMA, and other essential marine businesses, some stores have closed or adjusted retail hours. Customers are encouraged to call their local store or visit their website. They will be shipping items directly to customers to decrease traffic to stores and promote social distancing. westmarine.com
Yacht Chandlers
While Yacht Chandlers will be minimalizing face-to-face contact, their office will be staffed and available via email, mobile, or WhatsApp for quotes and requests. As of March 14, their delivery and shipment schedule will not be affected. yachtchandlers.com
YPI Crew
Their office is now closed for visitors, and most recruiters are working from home. You can still check-in online, and recruiters will be monitoring and taking action as required. ypicrew.com