As Northern European yards begin to cut costs so Italian shipyards are coming under pressure.
There has always been a notable price gap between the well-respected Northern European yards and the long-established Italian shipyards, which have traditionally benefitted from lower labour rates. However, it now appears that this gap is steadily getting smaller.
Top shipyards in Holland and Germany are getting much more competitive on price. There is still a widely held belief that you have to pay dearly if you want a top quality product from a Dutch yard, but this is no longer an accurate picture.
Recent analysis by brokers at Fraser Yachts shows that the prices are becoming increasingly comparable.
The Northern European shipyards appear to have better control over their production processes and are seemingly better set up to stream line their processes and reduce their costs.