Marinas During Quarantine Days

The Covid 19 pandemic emerged and began to spread around the world, and after a certain period of time, it came to Turkey through different routes and affected Turkey as well.

The measures taken gradually affected our lives and living spaces.

At this point, maritime traffic, companies engaged in maritime trade in all areas, marinas, schools providing maritime education, sailing clubs had to stop or slow down their activities,

their operations.

As a result of successive measures, first land transportation and then maritime transportation were negatively affected.

While harbor authorities imposed very serious restrictions on going to sea with amateur vessels, finally the Istanbul Governorship banned entry and exit to the city by sea

and navigation within provincial borders during the pandemic.

So when will this pandemic end, when will life return to normal, and when will amateur sailors go to sea.

For now, there is naturally no concrete answer to this.

So what are the organizations providing services in this sector doing in the current situation, what will they do?

We want to open the first of the files in this area as the MARINAS file. We will create the other files in order with the relevant parties.

Marinas; gateways to our freedom area, to our world.

The crisis showed itself clearly right after the opening of Tuzla Boat Show.

The measures taken throughout the country were also reflected in the marinas.

Marina entry and exit restrictions, limitations in commercial areas, and slowdowns in hauling and launching operations began to manifest themselves.

We also started to see days when boats coming from abroad were kept under quarantine for a certain period.

In these developments; what are those who cannot access their boats, those who hauled out but cannot launch, and apart from these, those who continue their lives on their boats doing.

And what about those whose contracts are expiring, those who spend the summer months at sea every year. In this period when health disrupts the economy, and the economy disrupts payments,

what is happening and what will happen in the marinas.

We prepared a few questions about this topic and asked the authorities of some of our marinas to answer them.

In the interviews we conducted, we saw that the measures taken and expectations were generally similar.

So how did our marinas face this pandemic, what kind of measures did they take, what are their expectations from the future and from the state?

FARUK GÜNLÜ

Teos Marina General Manager

“I don’t think anyone expected the coronavirus outbreak called Covid 19 to grow this large and turn into a pandemic spreading across the world. 

However, we first started to experience its effects during the Düsseldorf Boat Show. 

Although we partially saw its effects at the CNR Boat Show, the Tuzla Boat Show, especially in the second half, had almost no visitors to the fair. 

Of course, some effects are not difficult to predict. 

We made a situation assessment, put possible scenarios on the table, and started taking measures. 

Teos Marina is a marina that experiences four seasons. 

Even in December or January, boat owners come to their boats on weekends. 

They enjoy themselves either at their boat in the marina or by going out to sea. 

There are even boat owners who live on their boats summer and winter. Due to the coronavirus, this situation saw a significant decline, especially in March. 

As travel was restricted, boat owners coming to the marina from outside Izmir decreased. 

We also called on them not to come, informing them that we could handle front office transactions online. 

I can say that this call was a precaution taken to protect our staff and customers against the virus. 

However, coming into April, our yachtsmen, especially from the Izmir region, started coming to our marina much more than in previous years. 

We started experiencing in April the boat traffic we used to experience in May or June in previous years.

Teos Marina continues its ongoing disinfection procedures in enclosed areas, shower and toilet units, as part of the measures taken against the Covid-19 virus. 

Our personnel continue their services without interruption by using protective equipment, observing physical distances, and taking necessary precautions.

Long before intercity travel was prohibited, Teos Marina made a call through both email and social media 

“NOW IS THE TIME TO STAY AT HOME” 

inviting yachtsmen not to travel, contributing to efforts to prevent the spread of the virus. 

Additionally; entries and exits to the office are arranged so that there is one guest per employee at the front desk. 

Front desk operations such as reservations, contracts, and payments are conducted online, attempting to minimize face-to-face contact and document exchange. 

We kindly request those who are far away to stay at their homes, and those living on their boats at our marina not to leave the marina.

Following these developments; as a marina known for its very active cultural and social events, we unfortunately had to cancel or postpone most of the events we had planned due to the

outbreak. 

On the other hand, while lively spring days would normally be experienced in the marketplace, businesses are forced to remain closed. 

We hope that healthy days are near for all our tenants and yachtsmen.

Looking at the positive side, haul-out operations at Teos Marina are being carried out safely. However, every year in March and April

it becomes easier for us to manage the workload since some of the maintenance and repair works accumulated during the months have been postponed to the next period. 

All of the technical workshops operating in the haul-out area, the yacht market and laundry continue to work open and actively. 

Maintenance of the boats on land continues. Those whose work is completed are launched and moored safely. 

During this process, boat owners do not need to be physically present at their boats. 

The instructions of the boat owners are evaluated through remote communication via email and they are informed by sharing all processes with them through photographs and videos.   

Additionally, during these quiet days, landscaping, renovation and beautification works to be carried out in our area are being continued. 

We are happy that we are not disturbing our marina residents too much with the noise and dust that emerged during this period. In a sense, as a team

our motivation is full and we are preparing for the season. 

When these dark clouds disperse and our marina residents come to the marina, they will encounter a much more beautiful marina

environment with new pleasure and comfort areas added and renewed. We are excited to be reunited with our yachtsmen again.

We observe that the tourism sector has been significantly damaged by what is happening worldwide. 

This year will be a very challenging period for all businesses such as hotels and restaurants. 

It is obvious that many other sectors will also be affected.

Marinas have certainly had and will have revenue losses. 

However, I want to be prepared for bad scenarios and remain optimistic. 

After overcoming the atmosphere of fear, we will embrace our climate, geography, and freedom that we live with even greater enthusiasm. 

I think good days are near.

Meanwhile, we expect the State to heal the wounds of commercial businesses. 

First and foremost, small businesses must be kept alive. The wheels of the economy must be turned. 

The State must take steps that will give confidence to all segments.

The State should share in the revenue losses experienced in all sectors. 

For example, instead of the fixed rent collected from Marinas, rent should be demanded according to the turnover realized in the year total. If they are not making a profit, it should not say I will collect my full rent.

Or, it should apply a rent reduction at a certain rate specific to this year, and should be the regulator and auditor regarding applying the same rate to yacht owners as well, so that

the support it provides is reflected to other segments. 

As Teos Marina, we will somehow cover our own losses with our own means, but we are ready to reflect any support such as rent reduction that our state will provide to us at the same rate to our yacht owners and tenants.

Commercial life in the shopping areas of marinas has stopped. 

We must share in the losses of the tradespeople here, the rents they will pay to marinas, and their taxes. 

In marinas operated under the Build-Operate-Transfer model, while each year's rent is fixed by contracts as being paid in advance in January, the 3-month postponement decision for payments between March 1 and June 30

has no real-life equivalent. 

Or since services at marinas continue uninterrupted, benefiting from short-time work allowances is not possible either. Again, since the business operations continue,

postponement of VAT, Withholding Tax, and Social Security payments is not possible either. In short, benefiting from any support package announced by the state so far

is not possible. 

Measures that will heal the wounds of all sectors and employees and share in the losses experienced must be taken urgently. 

Otherwise, the wounds will deepen further and become much more difficult to treat.

I wish for these dark clouds over our world to disperse as soon as possible and for everyone to reunite with the blues on sunny days.”

ÖNDER KARADUMAN

Gökova Ören Marina

“The marina sector, like every sector, has naturally been one of the sectors extremely negatively affected by Covid-19.

The quarantine days mandatorily put into effect by our Ministry of Health have primarily affected the businesses operating within marinas and giving life to marinas

cafeteria, bar, restaurant and market-like places, as well as the closure of technical services operating in the haul-out area.

This situation has also affected marinas and especially boat owners who have hauled out their boats for maintenance in an extremely negative way

and continues to do so. 

As Gökova Ören Marina, we have started to implement to the letter all directives communicated to us through our Governorate, District Governorate and Coast Guard Command channels.

The marina sector, like every sector, was naturally one of the sectors negatively affected. 

First of all, it caused the closure of restaurants, markets, cafes and similar places operating within marinas, as well as technical services operating in haul-out areas.

There have been serious disruptions in the maintenance of boats that boat owners have hauled out for maintenance. 

This has also disrupted their schedules. 

As a marina, we have been deprived of such operational revenues.

As a marina, all working personnel have been warned about masks and cleanliness, and everywhere, especially places like showers and toilets within the marina, has been disinfected and continues to be disinfected. 

In addition to this, all personnel working at our marina and boat owners living on their boats have been seriously warned about using masks and disinfectant, and the entire marina, especially the sanitary facilities, has started to be disinfected periodically. 

Boat owners living on their boats have occasionally begun to be warned about cleanliness. 

The marina sector, unfortunately, after the blow it took from the economic crisis in recent years, was expected to straighten its back in 2020, when it faced a second shock

by taking the pandemic blow. 

The sector, unfortunately, is among the sectors most neglected by the state in such times, yet is the first to be remembered when it comes to collecting money. 

The sector is seen as the easiest source of income for employees at the Ministry of Finance. 

In such times of crisis, while payments that every sector has to make to the state, such as rents, taxes, and social security premiums, are facilitated by the Ministry of Finance and Treasury

through installments or deferrals, marinas are not even considered in this regard. 

Since there is no Ministry of Maritime Affairs, unfortunately, there is no owner of this sector in our country. 

The sector is tossed around like a ball between the rules that the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Ministry of Environment and Urbanization, and Ministry of Treasury and Finance

try to implement. 

The Ministry of Tourism makes a decision regarding charter boats, increases bureaucracy related to foreign-flagged boats, and marinas suffer the loss. 

The Ministry of Treasury and Finance used to charge marinas rent based on land area, but now by including the sea surface, it doubles the rent

burden on marinas. 

Not enough, it also demands a certain percentage of their annual turnover, and marinas suffer the loss. 

The Ministry of Environment and Urban Planning imposes sanctions on marinas regarding treatment and not polluting the sea, and cuts fines of thousands of TL

related to this sanction. 

It itself creates rivals to Marinas in various bays under the name of Environmental Foundation and virtually competes with ignorant people in polluting the seas, no one

speaks up. 

Fishery Shelters are used for purposes other than intended, no one intervenes. 

While there are Marinas groaning under all these burdens built with build-operate-transfer at the base of Municipalities, municipalities enter the marina business and no one makes a peep..!!

If boat owners rightfully complain, saying brother, how much are these marina owners riding on our backs... 

Unfortunately, no one hears that either..!!

If you ask what the State should do in such situations; it should not do the works I mentioned above, stop seeing marinas as geese in a coop

and let boat owners breathe.”

In the marina sector today, the future does not look very bright due to the reasons I mentioned above. 

For this to be corrected, the Ministry of Finance must not grant permission for THREE KURUŞ equivalent rental fees for coastal piers, prevent the piers it grants from doing winter storage,

and these places need to be well inspected by SGK and AYGM in terms of preventing the informal economy.. 

In this situation caused by the pandemic, the State needs to transfer the credits we have obtained from private banks for investment to state banks. 

Thereby; it is necessary to prevent private banks from charging interest against investors even during extraordinary periods."

ONUR UGAN 

D Marin Turkey Operations Director

"I anticipated that the pandemic would have an impact, but I did not expect it to expand and affect life all over the world this much.

When the virus spread widely, especially foreign boat owners could not come to the marinas to use their boats.

Charter boats could not do business. Their operations were disrupted.

Marina shopping areas remained empty, many shops had to close.

Boats coming to our country from abroad could not come

Boat manufacturing companies could not deliver boats. Therefore, the arrivals of new boats are also postponed for now.

As our marinas, we also took many measures regarding the issue and are following up;

We took measures regarding hygiene.

We took protective measures for our guests and personnel.

We made the necessary notifications regarding changing regulations.

The informational visual prepared about Covid-19 protection measures was sent to all boat managers via e-mail and posted in every visible corner of our marina.

Marina operations continue; however, all employees have been trained in fighting the virus and are using protective equipment. 

Personnel with chronic illnesses will work from home or be sent on leave.

Common areas, sanitary facilities and the Administrative building are being regularly disinfected.

Only packaged meal service is provided to our own personnel in the cafeterias.

It has been decided that cash transactions will not be conducted at Front Offices.

Credit card, mail order or bank transfer is being used for collections.

Document processing is being done electronically as much as possible, paper circulated between individuals has been minimized.

Maintenance work requiring external service for our marinas' own units and equipment has been postponed until after the pandemic.

The Yacht Club building in Didim and Turgutreis (including the Hotel and Restaurant in Didim) has been closed until the end of April at this stage.

The Crew Lounge located within Didim Marina has been temporarily closed to service.

Meetings have been cancelled, ensuring that marina employees are not together in groups.

Distance has been created between essential office employees.

The number of seats in marina service vehicles has been reduced

The positive aspects of the measures we have taken are that awareness about hygiene has increased.  

While conducting our business, we have provided somewhat more reliable environments in terms of health.

I think that the wounds will start to heal in a shorter time in our country.

Since not only our applications but also the applications and progress in other countries are important during this process that has affected the whole world,

It would be wrong if I said "I see the future very clearly."

The state has made a number of arrangements. 

However, steps to compensate for the losses of tourism workers and companies are our greatest expectation.

We expect the losses of tourism businesses to be accurately determined and necessary support and loans to be provided, and

we expect the losses of tourism workers to be compensated."

Yes, this is the situation in the beautiful marinas of our beautiful country.

We hope that this situation we are in will be brought under control and we will return to our old days soon.