Sailing in Italian Waters in the Time of Coronavirus

On May 18 2020, Italy returned to the water once again after the Italian prime minister authorised sailing within the region of a person’s residence until June 2 and as of June 3, it should be possible to leave regional waters to sail freely around the Italian coast. 

The charter sector has received the go-ahead for measures to be taken to allow this to happen, and it has been confirmed that a COVID-19 test will be required for the charter's permanent crew who have to deal with many different guests on large yachts. From June 3, the government will reopen the borders to EU citizens without quarantine periods. In other words, summer 2020 is finally starting.

Given the gradual recovery of the country, the Italian Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure has published the rules to be observed for pleasure yachting, chartering, renting and for the management of ports and marinas. Below you will find the key points to respect when sailing in Italian waters. 

The Ministry has highlighted that in pleasure yachting, the individual is responsible for making social distancing measures effective by:

• avoiding close contact

• proper sanitization of spaces

• interpersonal distance of at least one metre

• nose and mouth protection for passengers

Private Pleasure Yachts

The primary measure remains the social distancing of at least one metre for each linear metre of the vessel unless guests are part of the same family or live together. Even relatives, if not living together, must respect this social distance. The provision of personal protective equipment for passengers and the use of surface sanitiser are also mandatory.

Charter

The same preventive rules for private vessels apply to yachts engaged in charter activities. Only people living in the same family can stay in the same cabin. The owner is obliged to sanitise all the areas - including the engine room and services – and to provide adequate supplies of sanitising products as well as information signs, written in several languages, to make the charterer and his guests aware of the necessary hygiene measures to be taken.

Crew must wear masks, gloves and any other protective equipment depending on the type of vessel during mooring, unmooring, bunkering and towing operations. Crew who may be required to carry out first aid must take a COVID-19 test before boarding, the result of which must be kept on board. There should also be a mandatory temperature measurement of crew members daily.

Crew must also take care to prevent access to the ship to strangers while in port or at sea.

For guests, the general rules on social distancing and interpersonal prevention measures apply, including with crew members, unless the guests live together.

Tourist and Port Marinas

The managers of marinas must provide the ports with special information signs, in Italian and English, on the conduct measures to be respected, the use of personal protective equipment, the installation of sanitising dispensers on the docks, the limitation of movement, bans on gatherings and respect for social distancing.

Navigation and System Rules

It is mandatory to comply with the regulations for travel within and between regions, and to respect international anti-contagion laws during navigation outside national territorial waters.

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