Appointments in the world of aviation and beyond
For many yachting and boating afficionados, the Singapore Yacht Show is a must-go annual event. Here are the highlights of Singapore’s biggest nautical party.
Glamorous yacht parties, exhilarating watersports experiences, gourmet eateries, bustling bars and show-stopping supercar parades entertained guests for a four-day celebration of the yachting lifestyle.
More than 16,000 visitors, 87 yachts and over 150 brands and exhibiting companies descended on ONEº15 Marina Sentosa Cove on 11-14 April for the ninth edition of the Singapore Yacht Show (SYS). With footfall at a record high, there was a greater contingent than ever – estimated at more than half – of visitors from overseas.
Potential buyers and charterers came from all around Asia Pacific, from as far away as Japan, China and Australia. They were greeted by impressive lineups of yachts and boats from Azimut Yachts, Boat Lagoon Yachting, Ferretti Group, Hong Seh Marine, Princess Yachts, ProMarine, Simpson Marine, Sunseeker and many more. Over 30 local and regional premieres from the biggest global brands were showcased at this year’s event.
Kiran Haslam, Marketing Director of Princess Yachts commented, “We have been participating in the Singapore Yacht Show since its inception and have seen it go from strength to strength with each edition. We are seeing a real emergence of the Southeast Asian market and an increased excitement and enthusiasm for yachting.”
With the weather staying fine and the rain holding off, total visitor footfall over the weekend was well up on last year, adding to the festive mood as yacht brands, builders, brokers and dealers reported a busy four days full of activity and interest.
Marine Italia Executive Director Paul Grange was happy to share that his team was flat out with a constant stream of enquiries. Reporting the sale of at least two yachts in the first two days alone, Grange said: “We are delighted by the activity levels and results that we have achieved since we’ve started representing Azimut in Singapore in 2018. With three Azimut Yachts sold in the runup to the Singapore Yacht Show and a further two yachts sold during the show, it is clear that there is a genuine demand for Azimut’s truly Italian yachts in the region.”
Returning exhibitor Leopard Catamarans , presenting four boats this year, noted an increased amount of interest in sailing catamarans, in particular the newly launched Leopard 50. “While power catamarans are still very popular, we’ve noticed a big change among our clients, with many of them veering towards the sailing catamarans this year,” said Kit Chotithamaporn, Regional Manager for Leopard Catamarans.
Andrew de Bruin, General Manager of Multihull Solutions, the dealer for Fountaine Pajot, reported another successful showing with the sale of three yachts, including one of the Fountaine Pajot Alegria 67 sailing catamarans which was making its Asian debut. “SYS is always a must-do boat show, with a focus on the region’s dealers and manufacturers. We put our best efforts into this Show as it has a great track record of delivering the customers and rewarding our big team of multihull specialists,” he said.
Longtime supporter Simpson Marine, showcasing a massive 16-strong fleet – their largest ever display, and a record for any single exhibiting company in the history of SYS – featured two Asian premieres from Sanlorenzo, three from Lagoon and one from Beneteau, as well as displays from Monte Carlo Yachts and Aquila.
Group General Manager Richard Allen enthused: “We have taken pole position ever since the show started, and we’ll be back in even greater force for the 10th anniversary edition next year!”
Over at Singapore-based dealer Hong Seh Marine, Executive Director Edward Tan commented on the quality of clients visiting the show. “People are coming to look at a variety of yachts, from the small Boston Whalers, mid-sized Riva Yachts, all the way up to large custom build yachts that we carry from the Ferretti Group. SYS draws good quality clientele, and it is definitely the place to be for people who are interested in yachting and want to learn more about it,” he said.
In addition to the impressive on-water yacht showcases, show visitors were treated to the revelation of new concepts by some of the major superyacht builders. SilverYachts and Espen Øino International unveiled their brand new series of superyacht catamarans at the Singapore Yacht Show. Construction of the 35m ‘SpaceCat’ power catamarans, will commence in China next month.
Jona Kan, executive board member of SilverYachts commented: “The launch of the SpaceCat at the Singapore Yacht Show, along with our decision to build these vessels in our new Chinese shipyard is a clear statement of the great potential we believe the region holds for yachting. We are confident that these new yachts will appeal to an Asian client base and are excellent for the beautiful cruising areas in this region.”
Organisers Verventia believe strongly in the potential for leisure boating businesses in the region, and are constantly seeking to improve the show experience and the return on investment for exhibitors and sponsors.
SELETAR BUSINESS AVIATION CENTRE INAUGURATED
Universal Aviation Singapore celebrated the official inauguration of the new Seletar Business Aviation Centre (SBAC) and its new operations offices at a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by clients, partners, airport, and local dignitaries.
“This beautiful facility will raise the bar for airports in the region by offering an elevated level of privacy, efficiency, and luxury for business aviation operators and potentially positions Singapore as the most business aviation friendly country in the region!” said Greg Evans, Chairman, Universal Weather and Aviation Inc.
SBAC operations are co-managed by a joint venture consortium, SATS Seletar Aviation Services Pte Ltd (SSAS), made up of Universal Aviation Singapore, SATS, Ltd., and Jet Aviation. Universal Aviation Singapore’s new operations centre is located on the first floor of the SBAC and features an integrated crew rest lounge.
“Our clients asked for a better experience in Singapore, and we’re proud to have partnered with SATS and Jet Aviation to help deliver it,” said Evans. “None of this would be possible without Changi Airport Group’s recognition of the unique needs and challenges of business aviation operators and their support for this facility.”
The official opening of the SBAC and Universal Aviation Singapore’s new operations offices caps a busy 18 months at Seletar, said Yvonne Chan, Managing Director, Universal Aviation Singapore.
BOMBARDIER EXPANDS SINGAPORE SERVICE CENTRE
Its award-winning Singapore Service Centre will more than quadruple its current footprint, transforming the facility into a high-capacity, one-stop-shop super centre, offering its customers a full gamut of maintenance, refurbishment and modification services required throughout an aircraft’s life, directly on site. “Our high-capacity, optimised Singapore Service Centre will bring industryleading aircraft availability, faster turnarounds and greater convenience and peace of mind to Bombardier’s growing customer base in Asia,” said Jean-Christophe Gallagher, Vice President and General Manager, Customer Experience. “Customers will enjoy access to the complete range of OEM customer service and support right on their doorstep, 24/7, 365 days a year. This expansion is another key building block in our drive to enhance the accessibility of our OEM expertise for customers worldwide and to solidify our position as a leader in aftermarket services in the Asia-Pacific region, a pivotal part of our global network.”
ROLLS- ROYCE LEADS TO BUILD FASTEST ALL- ELECTRIC AIRCRAFT
Is this the beginning of an electric plane revolution? Rolls-Royce is certainly banking on it. The zero-emissions plane, part of a Rolls-Royce initiative called ACCEL – short for “Accelerating the Electrification of Flight” – is expected to make a run for the record books with a target speed of 480+ kph and is scheduled to take the skies over Great Britain in 2020.
ACCEL is part of a thrust to pioneer a third wave of aviation in support of
Located at Seletar Aerospace Park, the Singapore Service Centre, which opened in 2014, will grow from 9,260 sqm to approximately 40,000 sqm by 2020. The expansion will introduce new customer facilities, a full-service 3,500 sqm paint facility, advanced interior finishing capabilities with key support functions, such as training, sales and customer support and an expanded portfolio of component, repair and overhaul services. It will also offer heavy structural and composite repair capabilities, in addition to 929 sqm integrated parts depot.
The expanded Singapore Service Centre will be capable of supporting more than 2,000 visits annually. Groundbreaking occurred on 27 February 2019, with the facility being operational in 2020. The centre currently employs more than 250 staff, including 100 licenced engineers and technicians and has received more than 20 certifications and authorisations from international regulators to service the full range of Bombardier Global, Challenger and Learjet aircraft including the largest, most luxurious and longest range business jet ever built, the flagship Global 7500 aircraft. the company’s strategy to champion electrification. “This plane will be powered by a state-of-the-art electrical system and the most powerful battery ever built for flight. In the year ahead, we’re going to demonstrate its abilities in demanding test environments before going for gold in 2020 from a landing strip on the Welsh coastline,” said Mattheu Parr, ACCEL Project Manager, Rolls-Royce.
ACCEL is partly funded by the UK government and involves a host of partners including electric motor and controller manufacturer YASA and the aviation startup Electroflight.