According to the recently released Superyacht UK survey, the superyacht industry grew by more than 10% to £542 million in 2014/15 writes Katy Stickland from Yacht & Boating World. Out of those surveyed, 48% reported an increase in profits. There was also a 6.9% increase in jobs.
Speaking at the launch of the report, the Head of International Development at British Marine, Richard Selby said: “Despite the challenging environment, these figures show that the UK’s marine industry is heading in the right direction. British brands are globally respected and we need to make sure that remains the case.”
Meanwhile, it’s been revealed that 11% of the world’s superyachts are owned by Britons.
The new global ownership survey by Camper & Nicholsons and Wealth-X, the global authority on wealth intelligence, reveals that only 1,512 individuals own a superyacht. One third of them are billionaires.
The top country for superyacht ownership is America at 33%. Second is Britain with 11%, while Italy comes third with 5% of the total. Australia is fourth with 4% and Russia has 3%.
The average value of the yachts owned is US$10 million.
The report also identifies a new, younger generation of ultra wealthy who want unique experiences rather than goods and services. They “are demanding that the returns on their most precious possession, time, are maximised in every way possible. Superyachts provide the pre-eminent platform to do this,” concludes the survey.
The President of Camper & Nicholsons International, Paolo Casani commented: “The landmark study on the state of wealth, luxury and yachting shows the superyacht industry in a different light from the usual statistic reports; instead it sheds light on how the shifting sands of wealth and luxury affect trends in yachting – something that has never been reported on before.”
The report also identified four trends in the superyacht industry.
1. Growing desire for remote locations such as the Galapagos, Antarctica and Asia, meaning demand for ice-breaking hulls and long range capabilities is on the up.
2. Innovative Layouts: today’s yachts are moving away from traditional, compartmentalised layouts toward brighter, open-plan interiors. Also, there is increased attention to the outdoor areas to create a direct, intimate experience of the sea.
3. New Toys and Entertainment: alongside standard toys such as jet skis, water skis and canoes, there is an increasing demand for the latest gadgets such as a jetlev, skibob or hover board. Top-quality cinema rooms are also becoming popular.
4. Focus on Health and Wellness: in order to not compromise passenger health when aboard, yachts are offering expert personal trainers, nutritionists, therapists and masseurs.
About Superyacht UK
Superyacht UK is a unique membership only association. Their mission is to represent the interests of the UK Superyacht industry both at home and internationally. Their members cover the diversity of the UK industry from leading naval architects to award-winning manufacturers, and all of their 250 plus members draw on this island nation’s rich heritage as seafaring pioneers and spearhead truly world-class products and services.
The Superyacht UK (SYUK) committee steers the work of the association. Headed up by Mike Carr of Pendennis the committee makes key decisions to ensure the services Superyacht UK delivers are relevant and meet the aim of the association: ‘to achieve greater co-ordination and professional support for the UK Superyacht industry sector with the aim of the UK gaining greater market share of the world Superyacht sector.’
