French Lawmakers Propose Ban on Superyachts Over 50m

The Private Member’s Bill Would Prohibit Large Recreational Yachts from Using French Ports and Territorial Waters.

French lawmakers have introduced a private member’s bill that would ban recreational yachts measuring 50m or more from entering French seaports, using berths or remaining in the country’s territorial waters as part of efforts to reduce the environmental impact of large yachts, according to Business Street Magazine.

The proposal was deposited in the National Assembly on 23 June by Thomas Portes and fellow members of the left-wing La France Insoumise (LFI) party and has been referred to committee for consideration.

Under the proposal, courts could impose fines ranging from 1% to 15% of a yacht’s estimated value for breaches. The legislation also provides for vessel seizure and bans of between five and 10 years preventing other vessels controlled by the same owner from using French waters.

The bill would also introduce additional ownership transparency requirements, allowing authorities to request details including a vessel’s flag state, owner, operator and ultimate beneficial owner, together with documentation relating to crew employment and social security arrangements.

The explanatory memorandum accompanying the bill argues that the largest yachts generate disproportionately high emissions while benefiting from publicly funded port infrastructure, adding that the proposed 50m threshold is intended to target only the largest recreational vessels.

According to figures cited in the supporting documents, the yachting sector contributes an estimated €1.1bn (approximately US$1.3billion) to the economy of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region and supports around 10,200 jobs across technical services, refit, maintenance, equipment and tourism.

If enacted in its current form, the legislation could prompt some owners to relocate affected yachts to neighboring destinations such as Monaco, Italy or Spain