Maxi yachts and new regulations: impacts on nautical tourism.
The Italian nautical tourism sector, which includes 26 specialized shipyards and 56 marinas, is facing a regulatory change set to significantly impact its competitiveness.
The new provisions concerning non-EU seafarers, which came into force with the implementation of the Entry/Exit System (EES) on April 10, modify the conditions governing crew stays within national territory.
The main change concerns the calculation of days of stay: for non-EU workers entering Italy by land or air, the 90-day limit starts from entry into the country and is no longer interrupted upon boarding, but only upon actual exit from territorial waters.
New complexities in crew management.
This change, seemingly technical, introduces significant operational challenges. Within the same crew, there may be different legal situations, with members subject to varying constraints depending on their mode of entry into the country.
For owners and managers of large yachts, over 30 meters, this results in more complex staff rotation planning. During extended stays in Italian ports — often required for maintenance or charter activities — crews must remain on board to supervise operations, but under the new rules, they may be required to leave the country once the 90-day limit is reached, even if operations are still ongoing.
Risks to the competitiveness of the Italian system.
According to industry estimates, a significant portion of international clients may shift toward competing countries such as France and Spain, where similar provisions do not currently appear to be in place.
The potential reduction in technical stops and commercial activities could therefore affect the entire luxury yachting ecosystem, with a significant economic impact on shipyards, port services, and the local supply chain.
Risk management and operational support: the role of Argos Assistance.
Argos Assistance supports the nautical and travel sector with solutions designed to address complex scenarios:
• 24/7 international medical assistance for crew and passengers
• logistical and operational support for transfers and stop management
• claims management and insurance assistance
• international legal consulting on mobility and cross-border regulations
With a global network of over 580,000 providers and a 24/7 operations center, Argos ensures rapid response, coordination, and service continuity, even in evolving regulatory environments.
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