Chairman’s Message 30 July 2021

APSA is looking forward to the second half of 2021 and continuing its year-long 10th Anniversary celebrations. As an Association we are keen to build on the growth of the Asian superyacht market which has seen the sale of several superyachts to Asia owners this year.

The Azimut|Benetti Group, which has a strong presence in the Asia region, reports that the Benetti OASIS DECK™ has contributed to the extraordinary success of the Oasis 40M, which boasts sales of six units in the APAC region. Sanlorenzo is another Asian success story, with Simpson Marine announcing the sale of a second new build 57Steel for an Asian owner. Fraser has recently announced the sale of the 131ft/40m "Silentworld" built by Astilleros M. Ciesto, to a Hong Kong owner, and the yacht is currently preparing for her voyage from Tahiti to Hong Kong.

Other good news for the region is the expansion of the superyacht lifting capacity at the Gold Coast City Marina & Shipyard (GCCM) which has increased their superyacht lifting capacity to 300 tonnes, setting a new city record for the largest vessel ever to be raised on the Gold Coast. This, along with the announcement of the 2032 Olympic Games to be hosted by Brisbane, the “River City”, will undoubtedly be a massive drawcard attracting an influx of superyachts to Australia in the future.

Finally, APSA is looking to have a presence, or even an event, at the Monaco Yacht Show in September. We are interested to know how many of our members are planning to attend the show, either as exhibitors or visitors? APSA is seeking expressions of interest from members to be event sponsors for our 10th Anniversary Celebrations to be held in conjunction with the show, and for advertising in the APSA Guide which is now in the process of being updated. Please let Suzy Rayment know if you might be interested in either of these two options by emailing her at marketing@apsuperyacht.com

As the world travel situation continues to be in a state of flux, APSA is exploring all possible opportunities available to promote the Asia-Pacific Region, and to engage with the wider superyacht community. So stay safe, keep connected, and hopefully there will be an opportunity to celebrate soon!