"Tariffs" and "security": these are the main challenges for the future operator of the port of Saint-Laurent-du-Var

Bernard Leporati spent 30 years at the helm of Yacht Club International, a company whose mission is to manage and operate the port of Saint-Laurent-du-Var.

He will give way to an emissary from the CCI Côte d'Azur, the new delegate from January ^1, 2026.

The Nice Côte d'Azur Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) was chosen by the Metropolis on July 11, 2025, to operate the port until December 31, 2045. What do you think?

We weren't candidates. Because previously, the financial stakeholders, that is, the shareholders of the concessionary company, had paid a one-time sum corresponding to the right to use a port space. This system no longer exists. We should have created a new company with a different purpose, which would have provided the necessary capital for the future work, estimated by the CCI at 35 million euros.

The CCI already has experience in port management. Its purpose was to assist in the creation of infrastructure, such as train stations, ports, and airports, to facilitate trade and industry. Today, the CCI is an undisputed player in port management. What may come as a bit of a surprise is that the CCI was excluded from managing the Port of Nice… and chosen for Saint-Laurent-du-Var…

Will you support the CCI in this transfer?

I am available during the remaining term of office. I believe they will soon approach us so that we can engage in dialogue in the best possible spirit.

What should the next dealer focus on?

The rates charged must be acceptable to the people they are intended for. Security will be an important consideration, as there is a high level of traffic, especially at night and on weekends. We must be prepared to ensure that the facilities are not vandalized and that the boats are not damaged. We will need to plan for people and security systems.

What are your greatest successes at the head of the Port of Saint-Laurent?

I'm relatively proud of having been able to organize parking at the port. It benefits regular users. It's no longer the free parking that allowed for stuck cars to be parked. The port's commercial success is largely linked to parking. We have established all contractual relationships between port users and the Yacht Club in compliance with public law, namely lease agreements for pleasure boaters and temporary occupation permits for traders.

In what condition are you leaving the port to your successors?

The pontoons were redone in the 2010s. We reclassified all the commercial real estate because it was partly irregular due to some who had expanded their surface area onto public land. We reclassified the Quai La Pérouse, then the western jetty. We significantly raised the port's protective seawall in 2022-2023. It is for this reason that the Metropolis owes us the undepreciated value of all this equipment. This is compensation in the order of 12 million euros. It is owed by the Metropolis, but it has been transferred to the new concessionaire.

The port has been maintained over the years, but it hasn't been redesigned. In an ideal world, the technical gallery would one day have to be redone. But that would be a huge undertaking. It's located behind the shops. That would mean closing the port for two to three months. That would pose a real challenge.