‘THE PAST 12 MONTHS HAVE SHAKEN THINGS UP A FAIR AMOUNT’

In such a challenging time for superyacht operations, Jack Hogan calls for more focus on the here and now rather than looking too far ahead ...

This Operations report is a chance for us to reflect on the lived experience of crew and those tasked with the safe transport of yachts and personnel. The industry juggernaut rolls on and all too often those at the coal face of operations become a secondary consideration.

Across a frenetic few months we have needed to examine some of the more challenging questions that have simmered in across the industry, questions we perhaps had not given enough attention to, such as: Who is the ultimate beneficial owner? What is my legal position, either as a supplier or a crewmember on board? And how has the role of the crew agent evolved to meet a changing market?

In compiling this edition, it was a challenge for us as editors to select just a few of the many regions that are experiencing rapid growth in superyacht infrastructure. Cyprus, Montenegro and the Eastern Mediterranean are just some of the growing number of areas that are examining their offering. Increasingly, it seems that the hard work and lobbying behind the scenes from key stakeholders is creating a more conducive regulatory framework for superyacht operations worldwide. The slow transition from illsuited charter regulations to superyacht-specific designations is connecting to the world for cruising.

There are no clear moments that a generation changes, they flow from one to the next. Waiting for a clearly defined epoch is impossible, and this only becomes clear with the gift of hindsight. That said, the past 12 months have shaken things up a fair amount. Sometimes I think we are guilty of looking too far ahead, and I welcome a little more focus on the short term. Superyacht operations occur in the present, and the generational shift may already be well under way.

The experiences of those on board, and the efficiency of the operations, don’t benefit from vague guesses about the future. Being able to draw on our experiences, across a challenging and rewarding start to 2022 while writing this report, as well as the welcome input of a wide spectrum of industry leaders, has shown our shortcomings as well as our strengths. It’s hard to think of a more challenging time for superyacht operations and I believe that, despite the headlines, we will come through this in a stronger, more mature, position. JH