Chairman’s Message 27 January 2025
Dear APSA Members and Friends,
January has been an exceptionally busy month, involving two New Year Celebrations! APSA kicked off the year with the Thailand Yachting Conference and the Thailand International Boat Show (TIBS), which was held at the Phuket Yacht Haven marina for the first time. The Thai Prime Minister, Ms. Paetongtarn Shinawatra, officiated at the Opening Ceremony, underlining the importance of the show as an economic driver for luxury tourism, and its continued role in the development of the Thai marine industry.
APSA was pleased to be a Supporting Partner for both the Thailand Yachting Conference and the TIBS, and our thanks go to APSA Committee Members Gordon Fernandes, Antony Cowie and Joe Yeung for participating in the conference, and being on hand to catch up with APSA members. Reports on both the conference and TIBS can be found in this newsletter.
This month APSA welcomes Ankor Software as a new member. This fast-growing technology company offers innovative technology designed specifically for the yacht charter sector. The platform provides tailored software that gives retail agents access to a centrally managed database of luxury yacht listings.
In the world of luxury lifestyle management, expertise and good governance are paramount. Managing the asset structure and the yacht is complex and time-consuming for superyacht owners, but partnering with a single yacht ownership and private wealth services provider such as Praxis can transform the process. Bruce Maltwood, Praxis’ Director of Yacht Services, reviews the key advantages of an integrated approach.
Our travel experts, GMT Global Marine Travel, remind us that the UK government has made some recent changes to immigration regulations, among which are changes is the ETA requirements for travel to the UK. The United Kingdom Electronic Travel Authorisation (UK ETA) is an official travel permit introduced by the British government for nationals of visa-exempt countries, so remember to get this in place before you travel to the UK.
Other local news comes from Asia Pacific Superyachts who update us on the new modern marinas that are under development in the wonderful cruising destinations of Phuket, Bali, the Maldives and Sri Lanka, and the Hong Kong Government has recently proposed the “SKYTOPIA” projects that aim to capitalise on the unique advantages of Hong Kong by leveraging the land and marine resources in close proximity to Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA).
APSA would like to recognise the great work being done by Melanesian Yacht Services and Angela Pennefather in Papua New Guinea, The company dedicates 25% of their annual profits to giving back to local communities, and their most recent project is to bring clean drinking water to isolated rural communities through a simple but effective water filter developed by Gary Litz. Those of us who take clean water for granted should all take a moment to consider the impact of this project. Thank you, Angela and MYS.
Finally, APSA pays respects to Paolo Vitelli, founder of the Azimut-Benetti Group, who passed away following an accident at his home in Val d'Aosta on 31 December 2024. There is an Asia connection: Benetti built its first diesel-electric yacht, the 213ft (65m) Ambrosia, in 2006 for Hong Kong businessman Ambrous Young, a project that helped Vitelli to create the company know today. Our condolences go out to his family, friends and work colleagues.
There is plenty to look forward to in the Year of the Snake, starting with the Japan International Boat Show in March, SEA Yachting Conference and Singapore Yachting Festival in April, followed by the Asia-Pacific Superyacht Summit in May. With most of Asia celebrating the Lunar New Year this week, we wish you smooth sailing in 2025, and may the Year of the Snake bring you happiness, health, and abundant opportunities.
Best Regards
Nigel Beatty (APSA Chairman)