Truce in Altea marina dispute over mooring fees until September

A temporary truce has been reached in the conflict at the Puerto Deportivo Campomanes in Altea, according to a confidential agreement seen by Moncloa.com. The deal, mediated by Marc García Manzana, director general of Coasts, Ports and Airports of the Generalitat Valenciana, will last until 16 September.

Terms of the ceasefire

Under the agreement, boat owners will remove a warning sign from the Club Náutico building and refrain from speaking to the press. Marina Greenwich, the company owned by Robert Batouche, will stop interfering with the use of moorings and may continue issuing invoices, but cannot market berths because, according to the Conselleria de Medio Ambiente, new public tariffs must first be approved.

The dialogue table, established two months ago by the Dirección General de Costas, Puertos y Aeropuertos, remains open. The Generalitat insists that, although the dispute is civil, the regional administration must remain vigilant over actions within the concession area.

Background of the dispute

The conflict began when the original 50-year concession (1976, 2026) for Marina Greenwich ended. The company obtained a ten-year extension and argues that this extinguishes the historical rights of mooring holders, who had been paying frozen tariffs well below market rates. Some users had even registered the berths as their property after making payments in the past.

Affected parties have denounced what they call a 'pelotazo' (a quick profit) and estimate the company's potential benefit at around 40 million euros, according to Gonzalo Pons-Trénor, secretary of the Club Náutico Campomanes, writing in an opinion piece. The Generalitat has clarified that, although the extension ends previous rights, Marina Greenwich cannot unilaterally set new tariffs; the Conselleria de Medio Ambiente must approve public prices that should be more moderate.

Wider context

The port has been in the news before. Years ago, Marina Greenwich attempted an expansion that would have damaged the Altea coast; the project was stopped by environmental groups and the Generalitat had to pay 1.8 million euros in compensation. Batouche had claimed 97 million euros but lost in court.

Former minister Eduardo Zaplana, who is serving a sentence for the Erial case, is reported to have had a yacht moored at the port, identified by the UCO as his property, and two homes, according to investigations in the Brugal case. In 2017, Zaplana tried to acquire the concessionaire, according to recordings from the case file.

The truce does not resolve the underlying issues. The next meeting on 16 September will determine whether the conflict ends with an agreement on tariffs or, as mooring holders fear, ends up in court.

Why it matters for charter

This dispute reflects a recurring tension in Spanish marinas when public-land concessions expire, directly affecting charter operators and berth holders who face sudden tariff hikes.