New Porto Santo Marina usage regulation sets rules for moorings, shipyard and commercial area

The Administration of the Ports of the Autonomous Region of Madeira, S.A. (APRAM, S.A.) has approved Regulation No. 5/2026, which establishes the operating and usage regulation of the Porto Santo Marina. The regulation was approved by the Board of Directors on 30 September 2026 and published in the Official Journal of the Autonomous Region of Madeira on 30 October 2026.

APRAM granted the operation of the marina to the company MARINA PXO - ACTIVIDADES NÁUTICAS, S.A. (MPXO), under a contract signed on 29 May 2026. The new regulation repeals the previous one, which was outdated in terms of procedures and scope of application.

Main points:

• Mooring berths: may be allocated on an annual or daily basis. Annual allocation is valid only for the vessel owner and renews automatically, unless terminated by either party with 60 days' notice.
• Waiting list: follows the date the application was submitted and is segmented by berth classes, based on length, beam and draught. The list is published on MPXO's website, using anonymous codes. The first eligible applicant has 10 working days to accept the berth and pay the fees. Registrants must renew their registration between 1 and 31 January each year.
• Reserved berths: MPXO will always reserve 20 mooring berths for transient vessels with limited stays.
• Insurance and certificates: valid third-party liability insurance and a valid survey certificate are mandatory.
• Expiry: authorisations expire, among other cases, when fees are not paid for periods exceeding 60 days, or when the vessel is used as a residence, whether temporary or permanent, including local accommodation.
• Succession: the death of the holder does not cause the berth right to expire, provided that the successors notify the fact and their entitlement within 90 days.
• Boatyard: operates with vessels up to 25 metres in length and 50 tonnes displacement, using Travelift-type equipment. Personal protective equipment is mandatory, and the dumping of oils and paints onto the ground or into the drainage network is prohibited.
• Commercial area: establishments must operate every day of the year, between 08:00 and 20:00. Restaurants and bars may operate between 07:00 and 23:00.
• Non-compliance: occupying a mooring berth after the authorisation has expired results in a 100 % surcharge on the fee due, for as long as the vessel is not removed.

Transitional period and entry into force: users have a transitional period of 2 months to regularise non-conforming situations, after which they lose the rights they hold. The regulation enters into force on the working day following its publication in the Official Journal.