Superyacht orders picking up

The superyacht Athena is moored in Auckland. File photo / Richard Robinson

New Zealand boatbuilders have signed 10 orders worth an estimated $500 million for superyachts in the past 11 months, as the top end of the boating market bounces back.

The uplift in demand followed a period of 14 months to September last year when the industry failed to secure a single order for a new superyacht, NZ Marine Industry executive director Peter Busfield said yesterday.

He noted the turnaround in superyacht orders in a five-year strategic plan. Under the plan the industry is aiming to grow 55 per cent by 2015 - from around $1.71 billion this year to $2.66 billion, with marine industry exports lifting from $720 million to $1.11 billion.

The targets were based on a recovering market for superyachts, new infrastructure in key ports around the country and several initiatives, including promotions during next year's Rugby World Cup, Busfield said.

Large numbers of baby-boomer retirees were also expected to mean an increase in recreational boating, nationally and internationally.

With the rebound in superyacht orders, the number of large pleasure boats coming to this country for lucrative refits had seen a pronounced pick-up.

Vital infrastructure now either complete or being built includes two new 90m superyacht berths at the entrance to Westhaven marine. Athena, one of the world's largest aluminium pleasure boats, was now moored to one of those berths.

Other key developments were under way at Wynyard Point, Hobsonville and Gulf Harbour in Auckland and at Whangarei, Tauranga, New Plymouth, Wellington, Marlborough, Nelson and Lyttelton, Busfield said.

With the help of partners such as Trade and Enterprise, Marine Export Group was planning an aggressive marketing campaign in key international markets.

That included attendances at boat shows such as Fort Lauderdale and Monaco, and the wide distribution of the latest edition of the Marine Export Guide.

NZMI was to promote widely a new Destination E Book, a digital guide for any vessel planning to visit this country.

Among sectors of the industry forecast to show strong growth, marine equipment sales were expected to reach $600 million a year by 2015 and top more than $700 million by 2020. Launches, yachts, power trailer boats and other marine services were also forecast to have substantial growth.

To help train workers in the industry, the Marine Industry training organisation was introducing a new on-line learning management system, called RudderLive, that would allow apprentices and trainees to study online.

- NZPA

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