Having seen its market value share of global superyacht deliveries rise to 30 percent in 2017, the year 2018 saw further proof of the strength of the Dutch superyacht industry. Delivering over 1.5 billion euros worth of 30-metre-plus yachts to owners around the world, the specialist yards in the Netherlands also have a further 60 superyachts at various stages of construction. This ongoing expansion is showcased by the opening of the new state-of-the-art facility in Amsterdam by Feadship. As the HISWA Holland Yachting Group celebrates its 50th anniversary, 2019 is set to be a golden year for the Dutch industry.
The newly released statistics for the superyacht sector in the Netherlands make for impressive reading. According to SuperYacht Times, six Dutch yards launched 18 superyachts over 30 metres in length in 2018 between them. They had an estimated value of some 1,556,000,000 euros, which means the average superyacht cost around €86 million. New yacht sales were also buoyant, with orders being placed for another 17 motoryachts and two sailing yachts in the Netherlands. This brings the total number of new builds underway to 60, 13 of which are longer than 80 metres.
“These figures showcase the scaling up of orders from clients looking to have their vision for large superyachts translated into reality at the highest possible quality level,” comments HISWA Holland Yachting Group Export Director Jeroen Sirag. “The average value of the 2018 deliveries is a record figure, one which reflects the extraordinary degree of sophistication of these vessels and the ongoing readiness of wealthy individuals to come to the Netherlands and invest in the finest yachts money can buy.”
Forward thinking
The leading Dutch superyacht companies have foreseen industry trends in advance and prepared accordingly. The new Feadship yard in Amsterdam is a prime example. “This facility will allow us to build new Feadships up to 160 metres long and 22 metres wide,” explains Feadship Director Jan-Bart Verkuyl. “Combined with the second giant hall now being built at the Feadship Makkum yard, it significantly enhances our options for clients.”
“The fact that this new yard in Amsterdam will be opened by Her Majesty Queen Máxima illustrates how important the Dutch superyacht sector is to our country,” adds Sirag. “The Netherlands has a wealth of expertise across the spectrum of yacht building and equipment supplies, all within a radius of just 200 km from each other.
“And our offer goes beyond new builds alone. Owners and their captains are also increasingly seeing Holland as a prime destination for refits and major maintenance activities. This is reinforced by the growing popularity of the Northern European Superyacht Route as ever more superyachts choose to visit our country enroute to exploring Scandinavia and the Arctic region.”
Meeting demand
With all this in mind, more exciting news is on the horizon. Other major companies are set to announce additional facilities in the Amsterdam region very soon, aimed at meeting growing demand among current and new customers. Sirag welcomes these developments, which will bring a greater diversity of yacht-related services to the area.
“The HISWA Holland Yachting Group entered into a partnership with Port of Amsterdam in 2017 to put the Dutch capital on the map as a superyacht destination for owners and a business location for yachtbuilders and suppliers. Now, in our golden jubilee year, we can see this strategy bearing fruit for all parties concerned. These latest developments and the excellent delivery and sales figures illustrate how the Dutch are continuing to set the benchmark for the global superyacht world.”
