Evaluating the Increasing Expense and Challenges of Crew Training in the Superyacht Industry

When it comes to the superyacht industry, the undeniable backbone is the crew. However, important conversations are arising around the increasing cost of crew training, raising the question – who should rightfully foot the bill? These elite vessels, though exceptional in their build, can only function optimally with the presence of a well-trained crew.

The number of crew on a yacht varies greatly, largely influenced by the size of the vessel and its operational functionality—private versus charter. The current range typically lies between 6.5 crew members for vessels up to 39 metres to a hefty 60.4 average crew for superyachts exceeding 100 metres. With the total number of crew in the superyacht world estimated to be just shy of 70,000, it’s clear that staffing these luxurious vessels is no small feat.

Alongside salary inflation, the price of maintaining competency has surged. The average annual training expenditure for a crew member is reported to be €2,567. When this figure is aggregated across the entire fleet, it represents an annual spend of €125 million on crew training alone. In a surreal twist, support for crew training appears to have maintained or slightly increased for vessels in the 50 to 60-metre and 70 to 80-metre segments, but has dropped in other size categories, indicating a strain on operational budgets.

Beneath these financial figures, there lies a growing cause for concern. Compared to 2024, crew benefits and career support have deteriorated. This shift has placed crew members in a precarious position where they’re often expected to self-fund their development to stay competitive in a job market that is getting tighter. An overwhelming 71% of crew members are required to pay upfront for their training and only get reimbursed after a pre-determined service period. This stipulation essentially ’locks in’ the crew to a specific vessel, limiting their mobility and career choices. Additionally, about 18% of crew members must complete their training during their leave without any expense coverage, thereby eroding their essential rest time. All these factors cumulatively paint a grim picture of the current state of affairs in the superyacht industry, one where the crew, ironically, may be paying the heaviest price.