Key players in the superyacht sector are suggesting that 2016 is set to be the best year ever for the industry Superyacht brokers and shipyards have revealed a positive start to 2016 with strong sales, continued growth and optimism.
Burgess Yachts confirmed that greater revenue had been achieved in 2015, compared to 2014, Rupert Nelson, sales director explained, “This is a good sign for the overall market, and another positive factor is that in some cases we’re seeing as much as a 12-month reduction in the sales cycle. This year is looking very strong out of the blocks.”
A number of superyacht shipyards revealed strong starts to 2016 including the Damen owned Amels, which currently has 10 Limited Editions superyachts and five SeaAxe Yacht Support vessels in build at its facilities, as of the end of February 2016.
Fellow Dutch shipyard Heesen Yachts currently has 10 superyachts under construction, ranging from 47m to 70m in length. Speaking on behalf of the builder Sara Gioanala said, “2016 is going to be a very exciting year for us as we’re going to launch the largest project to date, Kometa, a 70m superyacht.”
Superyacht sales are reported to have increased by 40% between 2014 and 2015. In line with this growth trend, Yachting Pages Media Group, Michelle Williams confirmed, “More and more marine businesses want to invest in advertising, because they can clearly see return on investment. Captains and crew are spending large amounts of money on supplies and services and they want to be found.
In the latest edition of the annual Wealth Report published by estate agent Knight Frank, both the growth of sales in the superyacht industry, and the perception of yachting among ultra-high-net-worth individuals was commented on. Madelaine Ollivier from global wealth intelligence firm Wealth-X said, “In a world where many UHNWIs are cash rich yet time poor, yachting continues to provide the ultimate sanctuary for privacy and an opportunity to spend quality time with family and friends.”
The US sector in particular is looking to be both a source of success and a target market for 2016. Rupert from Burgess Yachts also attributed the health of the overall market to the strong US dollar, as well as a “sizeable client base of UHNW Americans with a good appetite for superyachting.” When asked about the US market, Sara Gioanala commented, “We are investing a lot in the US market and look forward to the results!”
As well as builds and sales, superyacht shows are seeing a promising start to 2016, with a number of shows reporting record visitors, including Yachts Miami Beach and Boot Dusseldorf. London Boat Show in particular saw a rise in industry revenue and continued growth in the domestic market.