SYBAss elects new board member at annual meeting
The Superyacht Builders Association (SYBAss) elected Massimo Perotti of Sanlorenzo to its board at its annual meeting. It also elected Giovanni Pomati from Nautor Swan to represent the sailing yacht sector, as well as welcoming a new member in Golden Yachts from Greece (its 95m O’Pari pictured).
At its annual meeting last week at the Monaco Yacht Show, the SYBAss current board was re-elected for another three-year term. The board comprised of Giovanna Vitelli, Benetti; Jan-Bart Verkuyl, Feadship; Michael Breman, Lürssen Yachts; Michelle Jones, Delta Marina and Theo Hooning.
Jim Ruffolo of Burger Boat Company chaired the re-election. With the two new appointments, the board now stands at its maximum of seven members.
The assembly was also addressed by Erik Floor, Eric Prinsen and Eric van der Knaap who presented information from the 2022 SYBAss Economic Report, available exclusively to SYBAss members.
A key element of the address was a discussion, based on the report, about how the industry is still benefitting from the boom of 2020 and 2021 and has not experienced the dramatic fall-off that many feared earlier in the year.
Theo Hooning, secretary general, SYBAss said: “Despite the challenges, it is clear that the superyacht industry remains in a good position.” Hooning said that this is backed in the SYBAss annual Economic Report.
The report reveals that superyacht orders remain buoyant with a record 134 orders for superyachts over 40m in 2021, suggesting resilience to weather possible economic slowdowns to come. It also states the number of expected yacht launches this year is the highest in a decade.
Moreover, it noted the widening gap between the number of billionaires and superyacht ownership. Trends suggest that maintaining the current ratio would lead to between 80 and 100 superyacht launches per year between now and 2026.
Hooning remarked that the annual assembly was also a chance for SYBAss members to discuss how to tackle other challenges facing the wider industry. “Whether that’s in crisis communications resulting from the war in Ukraine or standing up for the sector at the highest levels of international maritime governance,” he said.
The SYBAss assembly also discussed ongoing regulatory matters, including at International Maritime Organisation (IMO) level. There was also a progress update on the investigations into the idea of a Unified Yacht Code.
“We still live in uncertain times,” said Hooning. “But the energy in the room proves that we are stronger together and that there is still a lot of scope for optimism for the immediate and longer term future of this vibrant and exciting sector of the marine industry.”
Key Trends at Glance
- A record 134 orders for superyachts over 40m in 2021.
- A widening gap between the number of billionaires and superyacht ownership.
- There are predicted to be between 80 and 100 superyacht launches per year between now and 2026.
Pictured below: The SYBAss assembles once again in Port Hercule, Monte-Carlo on 27th September.
