Every new year begins with a bang, but it is especially true for full-service yacht brokerage Fraser. Talk about ruling the roost, and Fraser Yachts will walk the walk, as the firm closed 12 superyacht transactions in 12 days with a combined last-asking-price value of about $250 million. Fast superyachts and even faster deals were sealed through a mix of brokerage sales and new-build contracts with top European yards, including Lürssen, Feadship, Abeking & Rasmussen, and Benetti……..Continue reading…..

By Neha Tandon Sharma

Source: Luxurylaunches

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Critics:

A superyacht or megayacht is a large and luxurious pleasure vessel. There are no official or agreed upon definitions for such yachts, but these terms are regularly used to describe professionally crewed motor or sailing yachts, ranging from 40 metres (130 ft) to more than 180 metres (590 ft) in length, and sometimes include yachts as small as 24 metres (79 ft).

Superyachts are often available for charter with a staff that caters to guests at a high standard of comfort. They may be designed to emphasize comfort, speed, or expedition capability. Depending on the season, superyachts may be most frequently found in the Mediterranean or the Caribbean. Many are available for charter; prices may far exceed €100,000 per week. Larger examples may have more than one swimming pool; they may carry a variety of water toys, other boats, and some have helipads to receive guests from helicopters.

Some yachts are used exclusively by their private owners, others are operated all year round as yacht charter businesses, and a large number are privately owned but available for charter part-time. As of 2018, superyacht charter costs were €70–550 thousand per week. Charter contracts usually include an advance provisioning allowance—a deposit to cover such operating expenses as food, fuel, and berthing. The unspent balance of the allowance is returned to the customer at the end of the charter.

The luxury yacht charter industry functions effectively because private yacht owners mitigate their running costs with charter income as well as keeping their yachts and crew in top running order. Conversely, private charterers charter yachts (rather than owning them) because it is generally considered to be less expensive, and less hassle, than owning a yacht and it also provides them with extra choice related to yacht type, location and crew.

The vessels may do short cruises with the owners and/or guests aboard. Antigua is one of the main ports in the Windward Islands of the Caribbean and hosts a Charter Show at the beginning of the winter seasonSuperyachts may be accompanied by a support (or shadow) vessel that carries such items as watercraft, helicopters or other large items that the yacht itself cannot readily accommodate. Such vessels range in length from 20 to 100 metres (66 to 328 ft).

There are at least four manufacturers that specialize in building such vessels. One 67-metre (220 ft) example included the following amenities: a helicopter deck, six guest rooms, two-story helicopter hangar with sound system, movie theater, freshwater pool, a landing craft, four each of: jet skis, kayaks, sailboats, diving and fishing gear, and water skis. For use ashore, there were reportedly a two-seater automobile, two motor scooters and two bicycles. The vessel also featured a 35-tonne (35,000 kg) crane

The crew of a superyacht comprises five elements, each with its own staff: the captain, who has overall responsibility for the yacht; the chef, who is responsible for the cuisine; the interior staff, who create a hotel-like environment; the deck crew, which operates and maintains the vessel; and the engineers, who ensure the proper functioning of the vessel’s many systems.

A superyacht may be maintained by its crew, which may be reduced in size during the periods that the owners are not on board and no charters are booked. Most crew members live on board and are paid a monthly salary, with most living expenses covered by the owner. Live-on-board crews do not pay rent, food, electricity or water bills. 

All superyachts have crew areas below deck, which consist of a crew mess, crew cabins and laundry. While most crew cabins contain bunk beds, there are captains and chief engineers who, on the larger yachts, have their own cabins. There are no set hours that crew members work each week. The hours depend greatly on how often the owners are on board, how often it is chartered and on what hours the captain sets when there are no guests on board.

Crew members may be hired through crew agencies or various websites.Superyachts have significant environmental impacts, primarily due to their substantial greenhouse gas emissions and other forms of pollution. A report by SuperYacht Times indicates that the global fleet of nearly 6,000 superyachts has expanded fourfold over the past three decades, reflecting a broader trend of wealth concentration. These vessels are predominantly powered by diesel engines.

Notably, the annual CO₂ emissions from just the top 300 superyachts are estimated to be nearly 285,000 tons, which surpasses the total national emissions of countries like Tonga. Beyond carbon emissions, superyachts also contribute to marine pollution through the discharge of wastewater, and by generating considerable noise and light pollution.

These activities have raised significant concerns regarding their ecological footprint. These yachts typically spend less than 20% of their year under way; when in port many continue to emit CO₂ from diesel-powered generators that support any guests or crew on board.

 

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