World's Top Shipyard Leaders Unveil the Present and Predict the Future of Yachting

When it comes to the yachting market, the ones with the most accurate insight often are those who are steering the ship — the leaders of world-famous shipyard companies. Nine such exemplary leaders were recently asked key questions to provide an inside view of the current market and a glimpse into its future.

The vast spectrum of the European market was represented, drawing participating leaders from acclaimed companies such as Royal Huisman, Damen Yachting, Feadship, Palumbo, Sanlorenzo, Azimut Benetti, Ferretti, Abeking and Rasmussen, and Bilgin. Their collective reflections constitute a valuable snapshot of the new-build yacht landscape.

These leaders showed a commendable united front on their approach to building yachts. The last few years have seen a significant evolution in organisational and delivery methods, with facility upgrades, digital innovations, and improvements in the integration between engineering and production being the highlights.

Supply chains have managed to stabilize, but specialist components continue to be a vulnerable link. On the financial front, maintaining a high quality without depleting the margin is seen as the success-defining factor.

The nature of customer orders has also undergone a shift. Today’s owners are more thoughtful and experience-oriented, with an emphasis on purpose, sustainability, and authentic adventures guiding their preferences. Surprisingly, no leader spoke of ’explosive growth’. What they envision instead is a market that will value quality over the quantity, the credibility of the yard, and relevance to contemporary owners who wish their yachts to be more than just a vessel.