Business News - Olympic dealmakers seek safety at sea

28.04.2004

By A. CRAIG COPETAS

On the blustery Athens waterfront, luxury yacht broker Karina Hadjisava buttons her Chanel knit jacket and says the champagne charter fleet of Pontos & Condoyannis now packs the muscle to protect her Wall St clients from terrorist attack during the 2004 Olympic Games.

'The ultimate two-week package is called amplified security and it costs US$500,000,' says Hadjisava, who is negotiating leases for her firm's 100 vessels this August to house Olympic revellers from companies such as McDonald's and American Express.

That security cocoon includes a US$30,000-a-day yacht, helicopters, bodyguards, a convoy of armour-plated limousines and a motorcycle escort that promises accelerated transport along a restricted road network to and from any of the 38 Olympic venues.

As an added security measure against terrorism, yacht brokers in the US and Greece say high-profile businessmen and corporations are forgoing hotels and going down to the sea for ships, including the recently christened Omega, an 82m floating stronghold that sleeps 32 guests and comes with a crew of 21 sailors.

'We are looking at various entertainment and hospitality options and are in the process of making our decision,' American Express spokesman Tony Mitchell says about his company's interest in Olympic yacht life. "