SELLING, BUYING AND CHARTERING A YACHT IN TIMES OF PANDEMIC

What are the trends in the nautical world after the difficult period we have all just been through?

And what should we expect in the near future?
That’s the million dollar question for every operator in our sector right now. We spoke with Alex Mazzoni, senior broker Equinoxe Yachts International, after his speech at the recent Genoa International Boat Show.

Hi Alex, what is your analysis of the current brokerage market
in terms of both motor and sailing yachts?

The market is enjoying an extremely positive phase right now. The yard scenario is proof of that: there has been a significant increase in new builds particularly in the case of craft over 24 metres. The preowned market has also seen an increase, largely with regard to more recently built craft. The bestsellers have mostly been built after 2000.
The trend is the same in the Italian motoryacht building segment. As the largest international builders in the sector, the Italian yards that produce medium-size craft currently have enough orders to cover almost all of 2024. Even the big German and Dutch yards (such as Feadship, Heesen, Amels, Lürssen, Oceanco) have no availability for the next few years either.
Unfortunately, we can’t say the same about the sailing yacht world. Here in Italy, after the closure of Perini Navi and with the exception of Southern Wind, the yards are now more purely artisanal, even though the standard is superb (Pardo Yachts, Grand Soleil, Advanced). Wally Yachts is reorganising under the Ferretti flag but is increasingly focusing on the motoryacht world. Even Jongert of Holland is organising itself in that way.
The leaders in the sailing sector are the Northern European yards that specialise in building bigger boats: Nautor Swan, Oyster Yachts, Baltic Yachts, Royal Huisman, etc. The smaller yacht scene is dominated by Hallberg-Rassy and the Bénéteau Group.

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But let’s take a look at what is happening on the charter market….

The summer season just gone by (2021) saw a genuine boom is the Italian charter market in Italian, Croatian and Greek waters. Uncertainty about being able to travel abroad greatly benefited the Italian coastline, while the ban on charters between Turkey and Greece greatly reduced the Italian presence in the Turkish caique segment.
Their extraordinary beauty and new laws introduced in France also saw a large increase in foreign boat numbers in the waters around Portofino, Capri, Ischia and Sardinia, which are essentially the most representative locations of our country. I’d also like to mention that France withdrew tax breaks on fuel for commercial yachts which Italy, on the other hand, has decided to retain.

So, all in all, a very successful season…

There is one hidden threat to this phase of very definite expansion, however: supply chain difficulties for materials. Chinese-made electronic components are starting to get scarce and are taking longer and longer to be delivered. This is a problem that has been affecting the car industry for quite some time also. Inboard and outboard engine manufacturers, for instance, can’t now fully meet the demand from the yards.

If you want to know more about Alex career and successes in yachting, read Alex Mazzoni A broker by passion