Port de Bandol

What Port de Bandol does

Port de Bandol is a municipal pleasure boat marina located on the French Mediterranean coast in Bandol (Var), between Marseille and Toulon, operated under a quasi-regie management contract by SOGEBA (Société d'Economie Mixte Locale), a mixed-economy company controlled by the commune of Bandol. With 1,700 berths it ranks as the 9th-largest pleasure boat marina in France and serves recreational boaters in the Var region and broader Mediterranean. The port's core products are berthing services across three contract types — annual contracts (~700 boats, 4-40m), transit/escale berths (~120 year-round), and long-term guarantees of usage (up to 35 years, used as an infrastructure financing instrument that has raised over €10M) — supplemented by a year-round haul-out facility with 40 places and a Travelift up to 35 tonnes, a 24/7 fuel station with 2×60,000L storage, and 17 professional temporary occupation authorizations (AOTs) across 8 nautical activity categories.

The underlying operational platform runs on Alizée Soft port management software (the port served as a 2020 pilot site for the provider's smartphone application), supported by dedicated online booking portals for haul-out, monthly contracts, and quay access, plus a real-time weather station (installed 2021) and 360° webcam. Environmental infrastructure includes free waste pump-out stations, an oil-water separator, an anti-pollution bubble curtain for dredging, and the Ports Propres environmental management system audited annually by AFNOR Certification under ISO 18725 — for which the port obtained formal certification in July 2025.

The business model is asset-heavy and subscription-driven: annual berth contracts and guarantee of usage fees provide recurring base revenue priced per square metre per year (2026 reference rate €87.10/m²/year, ~19% below regional average), while transit berths, haul-out operations, fuel sales, professional AOTs, and waiting-list fees (€30 per registration) generate transactional and ancillary revenue. Tariffs are voted annually by the municipal council under an FSD2-indexed formula, and under the quasi-regie structure no dividends are distributed — profits are reinvested in port infrastructure, currently funding a multi-year modernization project that began construction in October 2025 and is expected to deliver wider berths, improved draft, full video surveillance, a new fuel station, and a nautical hub. The port primarily serves mid-market recreational boaters, with a secondary commercial ecosystem of nautical professionals (shipchandlers, sailing schools, diving clubs, boat dealers) operating under tendered AOTs.

Name

Port de Bandol

Legal name

SOGEBA (Société de Gestion du Port de Bandol)

Website

https://portbandol.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Port de Bandol is a municipal Mediterranean pleasure boat marina in Bandol, France, managed by SOGEBA under quasi-regie. It offers 1,700 berths (annual, transit, and guarantee-of-usage contracts), a year-round haul-out facility, and a fuel station, serving recreational boaters and nautical professionals along the Var coast.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marina Services

NAICS

Marinas (713930), Marinas (71393), Port and Harbor Operations (48831)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

Ferry Terminal, Port & Passenger Handling Services (THAEAGAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Ferry Terminal & Passenger Pier Operations (Ferry-Specific) (THAIAJAJ)

Keywords

• Marina berthing services
• Pleasure boat harbor
• Boat haul-out services
• Port fuel station
• Nautical services

Headquarters

HQ city

Bandol

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Annual Berth Contracts: Annual berth contracts (contrats annuels) renewed each year. The reference tariff for 2026 is €87.10/m²/year, down from €90.80 in 2024, following a formula based on the FSD2 index (energy and construction costs). Approximately 700 boats are held under annual contracts. The port also sells 'guarantees of usage' (garanties d'usage) — long-term rights to a berth for up to 35 years, funded by a lump-sum contribution to port infrastructure plus an annual maintenance fee. Over €10 million has already been raised through guarantee of usage sales to finance the modernization project.
2. Transit/Short-Stay Berths (Escale): Transit berths (approximately 120 passenger berths) available year-round for boats from 5 to 40 metres, for stays of up to 14 consecutive days, renewable subject to availability. Tariffs depend on period and boat size; tariff adjustments are governed by the same FSD2-based formula. Boats over 17m can reserve up to 6 months in advance; boats under 17m reserve only on the day of arrival.
3. Haul-Out Area (Carénage) Services: The haul-out area, open year-round with approximately 40 places, generates revenue through dry-docking, lifting via electric crane or Travelift (up to 35 tonnes), and related maintenance services. Two cranes are available: an electric crane for small motor boats and a Travelift for boats and sailboats up to 35 tonnes. Booking is via telephone or online portal.
4. Fuel Station (Station d'Avitaillement): The port operates a 24/7 fuel station dispensing Gazole (diesel) and Sans Plomb 95 (unleaded). A high-flow pump is available for larger vessels during capitainerie opening hours. The station supplies important storage capacity of 2 × 60,000 litres (diesel and unleaded each). Revenue from fuel sales is a secondary stream; the modernization project includes relocation and upgrading of the station.
5. Professional AOT (Temporary Occupation Rights): Professional economic operators (shipchandlers, boat dealers, sailing schools, diving clubs, water sports operators, etc.) pay temporary occupation fees for commercial use of port space. A 2024 consultation covered 17 lots across 8 activity categories (boat sales/rentals, sea excursions, maintenance services, sailing schools, diving clubs, towed water sports) valid from 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2029.
6. Waiting List Fees and Registration Charges: Plaisanciers registering on waiting lists for annual berths or guarantee of usage pay a €30 registration fee per inscription or category change. Annual renewal is required between 1 January and 31 March; failure results in removal from the list. Separate waiting lists exist for public port berths and guarantee of usage.
7. Meeting Room and Rooftop Terrace Rental: The port rents a meeting room and rooftop terrace at the capitainerie to professionals and private parties for events and gatherings. Tariffs are published separately.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Port de Bandol operates a 1,700-berth pleasure boat marina on the French Mediterranean coast between Marseille and Toulon. The core offering centers on berthing services (annual contracts, transit/short-stay, and long-term usage guarantees) for boats from 4 to 40 metres, supplemented by a year-round haul-out facility with lifting capabilities up to 35 tonnes, a 24/7 fuel station (diesel and unleaded), and professional temporary occupation rights for nautical businesses.

Product overview

Port de Bandol operates as a unified marina facility managed by SEML Sogeba under quasi-regie agreement with the commune of Bandol. The port offers berthing services across multiple contract types (annual, seasonal, transit/escale), a haul-out (carénage) area with lifting capabilities, fuel station, and administrative services for boat owners. The core offering centers on berth allocation and management, supplemented by maritime services including haul-out operations, environmental certification compliance, and waiting list administration for berth allocation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Annual Berth Contracts (Contrats Annuels)
• Transit/Short-Stay Berths (Escale)
• Haul-Out Area (Aire de Carénage)
• Fuel Station (Station d'Avitaillement)
• Usage Guarantees (Garanties d'Usage)
• Professional AOT (Temporary Occupation Authorizations)
• Meeting Room and Rooftop Terrace Rental

Quantifiable outcome

• 9th largest marina in France with 1,700 berths
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• SNSM Bandol (Société Nationale des Sauveteurs en Mer)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 May 2021Sogeba signed a sponsorship (mécénat) agreement with SNSM Bandol in May 2021, unanimously approved by the Sogeba board. Under the agreement, SNSM Bandol retains 2 free berths at the port plus an annual financial contribution of €24,000 per year. SNSM is a volunteer nonprofit that rescues people in danger at sea free of charge, funded primarily by public donations and private partners.
• Alizée SoftcoreTechnology or Integration · 21 April 2020Alizée Soft, a leading French port management software provider, partnered with Port de Bandol as a pilot site in 2020 during the COVID-19 lockdown to develop and test a new smartphone port management application. The port served as the pilot location for the application development, which subsequently became part of Alizée Soft's product portfolio.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Port Hercule (Monaco): Premier Mediterranean marina managed by the Monaco government. Comparable as a publicly managed pleasure boat marina with berth contracts, AOTs, and nautical services for high-end recreational vessels, though operating at a luxury scale above Bandol.
• Port Camille Rayon (Golfe-Juan): Mid-sized Mediterranean marina on the Côte d'Azur with annual berths, transit berths, and nautical services for pleasure craft. Directly comparable in scale (~500 berths), customer base, and service mix to Port de Bandol.
• Port de Saint-Tropez: Iconic Mediterranean marina on the Var coast serving recreational boating and luxury yachting. Closely comparable operating model (berth contracts, transit, AOTs, fuel station) but operates at the premium end of the same coastal market as Bandol.
• Port de Sanary-sur-Mer: Neighbouring Mediterranean pleasure marina on the Var coast between Toulon and Bandol. Directly comparable as a French Riviera marina serving similar recreational boater demographics with annual and transit berths, AOTs, and haul-out facilities.
• Port de La Ciotat: Mediterranean marina in La Ciotat, west of Bandol between Marseille and Toulon. Directly comparable as a Var-region/Bouches-du-Rhône marina offering annual berths, transit berths, and nautical services to recreational boaters in the same coastal market.
• Port Vauban Antibes: One of the largest pleasure marinas in France on the Mediterranean coast. Comparable as a major French marina operating annual contracts, transit berths, fuel station, and haul-out for recreational boaters, though at a substantially larger scale than Bandol.
• Vieux-Port de Cannes / Port Pierre Canto: Two adjacent Cannes marinas offering berth contracts and transit services to recreational and yachting clients on the French Riviera. Directly comparable Mediterranean marina operations with similar revenue streams (annual berths, transit, AOTs) to Port de Bandol.
• Port de Toulon / Ports de la Rade: Major Mediterranean port complex in Toulon, adjacent to Bandol's home region. Comparable as a multi-berth facility serving recreational boaters alongside commercial traffic, with annual and seasonal contracts and adjacent nautical services.

Others

• SNSM Bandol: Volunteer sea rescue organization sponsored by Sogeba with 2 free berths and €24,000/year contribution. Comparable as a port-based partner for safety/regulatory compliance, but not a commercial competitor; relevant for benchmarking marina community/governance engagement.
• Alizée Soft: Leading French port management software provider that partnered with Port de Bandol as a pilot site in 2020. Not a competitor but an ecosystem/technology peer; relevant for understanding Bandol's technology adoption and operational benchmarking.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/portdebandol

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Port de Bandol