The Horta Marina, the busiest recreational ports of the Azores, has welcomed 1,256 yachts until the end of August, which is a new annual maximum of that infrastructure.
The previous annual record dates back to 2004, when 1255 the marina of Faial received 1,255 yachts.
Managed by Apto – Adminsitração dos Portos do Triângulo e Grupo Ocidental, S.A., the Horta Marina is simultaneously the oldest and busiest marina of the Azores, having already received 25,088 vessels since 1986, when it was opened.
The “barrier” of the 1,000 yachts was overcome at this marina with currently 300 mooring berths by the first time in 1992 (with 1,086 vessels), and by the second time in 1996 (with 1,020).
However, the number of yachts that have which annually enter the Horta marina have been exceeding one thousand since 1998, being considered by industry publications as the second busiest ocean recreational port in Europe and the forth in the world, only surpassed by Gibraltar, Trinidad and Bermudas.
The regattas Ceuta/Horta, Hortências (Ethel/Horta/Concarnou), Vannes/Horta/Vannes and Les Sables/Horta/Les Sables are some of the international sailing competitions that usually stopover at the port.
The demand for this infrastructure by recreational vessels, whether sailing or motor, with over 25 meters in length has been growing. The Horta marina received 152 of these “mega-yachts” in 2007, which is an absolute record. Their annual number has always exceeded a hundred over the last years.