Chairman’s Message 19 January 2024
At the start of 2024 APSA is delighted to welcome two new members. Pantaenius Sail & Motor Insurance has earned the trust of over 100,000 yacht owners worldwide, and this family-owned company has been at the forefront of yacht insurance for more than 50 years. The other new member is Roll Group, which offers yacht transport services through its fleet of versatile RollDock vessels. With specially designed, semi-submersible vessels, Roll Group prides itself on finding solutions and carrying out smaller and large yacht transports worldwide.
This year was kick-started with the Thailand Yachting Conference (TYC) and the Thailand International Boat Show 2024 (TIBS) in January. The day-long conference kept the 60+ delegates engaged and informed and provided a valuable opportunity for participants to discuss important issues facing the boating community in Thailand, and to update participants on advancements taking place in the Southeast Asia region. APSA was pleased to be a supporting partner for the event.
The Thailand International Boat Show, which ran for four days following the conference, was also considered to be a major success. A number of APSA members were exhibiting at the show or visiting, and it was great to be able to catch up with many of them. Some of the spectacular yachts on display included the Sanlorenzo SX76, exhibited by Simpson Marine, and the Riva 76 Perseo, a 23m marvel of engineering and design presented by V Yachts representing the Ferretti Group. The sole superyacht at the TIBS - Silentworld (39.6m) - was at anchor outside the marina, and will be available for charter in Thailand and SEA in the near future.
At both the conference and the boat show, the industry welcomed the opportunity to network and showcase the best brands and products from the marine and lifestyle sectors, while cementing the position of Thailand, and Phuket in particular, as one of the top boating destinations in the world.
Next boat show on the calendar is Boot Düsseldorf 2024, the ‘largest indoor boat show in the world’, and Ferretti Group launches the year with the official presentation of two fantastic new products – Riva’s first full electric model, and the incredible wallypower50 by Wally. Horizon Yachts will also be presenting details of their new FD 80 and FD100 superyachts intended for the European market. You can find them at Booth G23 in Hall 7a, so please drop by to say hello if you are attending the show.
Other news in this issue includes Lee Marine’s week-long itinerary for exploring the enchanting islands vibrant culture of Thailand which promises to be an unforgettable Asian yachting experience, and finally the APSA calendar of Asia-Pacific superyacht events will help you to plan for the year ahead.
Wishing you a Happy New Year and looking forward to seeing you out on the water in 2024.
Best Regards
Nigel Beatty