Yacht Management

A yacht management company takes full responsibility for the operational, technical, and financial administration of your vessel. That means flag state compliance, crew employment, insurance, maintenance scheduling, refit supervision, and monthly reporting — coordinated by one team so that every decision is joined-up. The owner deals with one point of contact, not a chain of subcontractors.

A proper management agreement should define every deliverable explicitly — not hide behind vague terms like "full management." At Drivas Yachts, the scope covers crew administration, planned maintenance, insurance placement, flag state and classification compliance, financial reporting, and 24/7 operational support. The agreement also sets out reporting frequency, fee structure, and termination terms. If it is not written down, it is not included.

Look for direct experience with your vessel's size, flag state, and cruising area. Ask how they handle crew employment law, who supervises yard work, and whether they manage operations, technical, and financial in-house — or subcontract. A management company that separates these functions will give you fragmented advice. Fifty years in the Eastern Mediterranean has taught us that the best management is integrated management.

Management fees are quoted individually based on vessel size, crew complement, and scope of services. A 30-metre motor yacht with a crew of four has different needs from a 60-metre with twelve crew and an active charter programme. Drivas Yachts provides a transparent fee proposal after an initial assessment — no hidden charges, no percentage-based markups on operational spending.

Annual operating costs typically range from 10% to 15% of the yacht's purchase price. The largest components are crew salaries (30–40% of total costs), followed by maintenance, insurance, berthing, and fuel. These figures vary significantly by cruising region, usage patterns, and whether the vessel charters commercially. Professional management helps control these costs through better purchasing, planned maintenance, and transparent budgeting.

Yes — and it usually pays for itself. A management company with established yard relationships, supplier networks, and insurance broker access negotiates better rates than an owner or captain acting alone. Planned maintenance prevents expensive emergency repairs. Transparent monthly reporting identifies cost drift before it compounds. The savings are structural, not cosmetic.

Yes. Drivas Yachts works with your existing crew. We handle the employment administration — contracts, payroll, social insurance, certification tracking — while the captain continues to run the vessel day-to-day. If crew changes are needed, we source replacements from a Mediterranean network built over fifty years.

Drivas Yachts administers [crew payroll, employment contracts, and social insurance](/owner-services/crew) under Greek maritime law, fully compliant with MLC 2006 and SEA regulations. This includes registration with Greek maritime authorities, tax withholding, leave entitlements, and repatriation obligations. The owner receives a clean monthly summary — not a pile of paperwork.

All crew must hold valid STCW certificates, medical fitness documentation, and any flag state-specific endorsements. Senior officers require additional qualifications depending on vessel tonnage and operational area. We track every certificate and expiry date — renewals are flagged and coordinated before they lapse, not after.

If your yacht is 500 GT or above and engaged in commercial operations, ISM (International Safety Management) and ISPS (International Ship and Port Facility Security) compliance is mandatory. Even for private yachts below the threshold, many flag states and ports require equivalent safety documentation. Drivas Yachts manages the full compliance cycle — documentation, audits, inspections — coordinated with flag state, port state, and classification societies.

Your yacht is registered under a flag state — Greece, Marshall Islands, Cayman Islands, or others — and must comply with that state's maritime regulations at all times. Non-compliance can result in detention, fines, or loss of class. Drivas Yachts maintains your vessel's flag state registry, coordinates annual and intermediate surveys, and ensures every certificate is current. It is the foundation everything else sits on.

The Maritime Labour Convention (MLC 2006) sets international standards for crew working conditions — contracts, wages, hours of rest, living conditions, medical care, and repatriation. If your yacht is 500 GT or above, or commercially operated, MLC compliance is mandatory and inspected. We handle the full scope through our [crew management service](/owner-services/crew), ensuring every seafarer agreement, working hour record, and welfare provision meets the standard.

Drivas Yachts supervises all maintenance and refit work on-site. We manage yard selection, contractor tendering, timeline oversight, and cost control directly — across yards in the Aegean and wider Mediterranean. When the vessel is in yard, we are at the yard. Sea trials are attended before any vessel is signed off. Details on our approach are covered under [technical services](/owner-services/technical-services).

Written monthly reports covering technical status, operating expenditure, and any decisions requiring your input. These are written by the management team — not auto-generated. You also have real-time access to the [ADY management platform](/owner-services/technology), where maintenance schedules, crew records, certification status, and financial data are available on demand.

Yes — many owners offset running costs through charter. Drivas Yachts handles [charter management](/owner-services/charter-management) as a connected service: marketing, bookings, MYBA contract administration, APA accounting, and guest operations. Because the charter team and management team are the same firm, preparation standards stay high and there is no gap between how the vessel is maintained and how it is presented to charterers.