BOATPro Monthly Digest - April Edition

Welcome to the BOATPro Monthly Digest, offering all the latest news and insights from the world of superyachting in a convenient bite-sized package.

Found exclusively on LinkedIn, this monthly news recap is based on insight from BOAT International‘s award-winning superyacht market intelligence platform, BOATPro.

Interested in learning more about BOATPro? Book a demo here.

Market report: how the United States shifted from biggest builder to biggest buyer

Despite rumours of an impending slowdown, the United States continues to represent the world’s largest consumer market for superyachts. So why isn’t it building more superyachts for itself? BOATPro looks into the evolution of the US from a producer to a consumer nation, how Europe eventually overtook the US and which American yards have managed to buck the trend. Read the full report here.

Interview: CCO Fabio Ermetto on Baglietto's decision to branch into explorers

BOATPro was on the ground when Baglietto Yacht 's announced its new XO line, marking the brand’s initial foray into the explorer yacht sector. Speaking to Chief Commercial Officer Fabio Ermetto, BOATPro digs into the development of the new model, where the yard drew its inspiration and what this new direction indicates for Baglietto moving forward. Read the rest of the article here.

Industry movements

The superyacht industry is constantly chasing new pathways to growth and innovation with a myriad of events taking place each year to help highlight the latest trends and technological breakthroughs. Take a look inside three of the industry’s highest-profile events from this past month by clicking the images below.

Ferretti Convergence 2024: AI will not take over from captains

Palm Beach International Boat Show 2024: "Lower footfall, better quality clients"

Monaco Ocean Week 2024: four takeaways from the event

Marina mania

The industry is busily working to address the global shortage of superyacht berths, with multiple marina developments announced over the past month. Vilamoura is set to open a new superyacht destination in Portugal this year, while Azimut-Benetti has partnered with D-Marin to build an 815-berth marina in Livorno, Italy. On the other side of the pond, it was revealed that leading US marina operator Suntex Marinas had acquired US-based Almar Marinas in order to develop its network on the nation’s west coast.

Brokerage spotlight: did the Palm Beach boat show have an effect on yacht sales in March?

Brokerage activity appears to be entering a seasonal hike, with the number of superyacht sales up 50% in March compared to the previous month. According to BOATPro, this amounted to 33 yacht sales for a collective value of €304 million as the brokerage market continues to recover from a significant decline at the end of 2023. Read the full report here.

Expert insight: Azimut - Benetti boss predicts slow-down for certain markets

Azimut|Benetti Group Chief Executive Officer Marco Valle spoke to BOATPro about the superyacht industry’s uncertain future and what kind of pre-emptive measures he has taken to protect the business from shifting market dynamics. Valle also sheds light on how Azimut-Benetti has continuously managed to grow and develop each of its brands without encroaching on the other’s territory.

“We are very careful and clear with our brand positioning for both Azimut and Benetti. The design is different, the style is different, the client is different, and that distance has to be kept.”

Read the full interview here.