Julien Solari: Singapore thriving as a superyacht hub

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One of Asia’s leading financial centres, Singapore is a fantastic place for superyachts to dock and prepare for further exploration of the region. With its ideal location in the heart of Southeast Asia, it allows for easy access to Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Last year, ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove – where Simpson Marine is based and has a dedicated Sanlorenzo Asia lounge – completed an upgrade and reconfiguration to increase the number of spaces for 80ft-plus superyachts from 15 to 33, including several 50m-plus berths in a dedicated superyacht area, facing the marina club.

This major project has significantly helped us to bring in more superyachts on a permanent basis, as berthing space is typically one of the major concerns of superyacht owners and captains in the region.

While there are many superyachts berthed at ONE°15 Marina including Lady Candy (Benetti), Double Haven (Feadship) and Petra Tara (Admiral), I am delighted to witness that Sanlorenzo superyachts currently take up almost half of the superyacht dock.

At present, Sanlorenzo superyachts include two 44.5m Alloy models, a 46Steel and an SD96, while an SX88 is joining them. One of the Alloy yachts features a custom layout, impeccable decoration by Christian Liaigre and a wide range of facilities that combine to give her owner an experience that might only be expected from a much larger yacht.

Among the Alloy model’s notable features is a 148sqm, three-level owner suite with a private terrace and pool. In recognition of her outstanding design, the Alloy was crowned as a winner in this year’s World Superyacht Awards, in the category of ‘Semi-Displacement or Planing Motor Yachts, 40m and above’.

Sanlorenzo has been building high-quality motor yachts since 1958 and has pushed its boundaries further and further since then, embracing languages and creative forms belonging to similar worlds such as design and art.

Aside from the global partnership with Art Basel, Sanlorenzo also works with world-renowned designers like Piero Lissoni, Patricia Urquiola, Laura Sessa, Antonio Citterio, Patricia Viel, John Pawson and more. With its growing desirability thanks to its uniqueness and limited production numbers, Sanlorenzo is currently the leading shipyard in the 24m-plus segment in Singapore.

In early October, we witnessed the arrival of two Sanlorenzo superyachts at ONE°15 Marina – an Alloy and the iconic SL86, while another Alloy is in Republic of Singapore Yacht Club. More will follow, with an SD118, SX100 and SX76 among models scheduled for delivery to owners in Southeast Asia in the coming months.

We’re also grateful to the owners and friends who have trusted us to help them find their dream yacht or their house on the sea. Our good relationships with owners have helped us in our continued efforts to grow interest for superyachts. We have some major deals for very large yachts that have not been announced yet and we remain positive superyachts have their firmly established Southeast Asia hub here in Singapore.

One piece of advice we usually share with future Sanlorenzo owners is to take delivery of their brand new yacht at the shipyard in Italy. It’s a unique opportunity to enjoy a season of scenic yachting in the Mediterranean, cruising around the Italian coast and south of France, visiting the likes of Sardinia and Corsica.

Other destinations include Spain’s Balearic Islands to the west or the Adriatic Sea to the east, with Croatia and Montenegro. Owners can enjoy gorgeous waters and a superb yachting lifestyle.

They can also attend the Cannes, Genoa and Monaco yacht shows on the Riviera in September and stay at anchor in one of the nice bays around the area. Subsequently, their yacht could head to the shipyard for a couple of weeks of warranty works before being shipped to its destination in Asia, just in time to enjoy Christmas and Chinese New Year festivities in the likes of Phuket or Singapore.

After two years of business impasse due to the pandemic, we’re observing much more activity than ever. The typical owner’s profile has shifted towards a younger buyer, active businessmen and entrepreneurs from various industries including tech.

Another interesting trend is the surge of Chinese citizens in Singapore, a trend that will probably continue to expand due to severe Covid-related restrictions ongoing in Mainland China and partially in Hong Kong. Singapore has smartly outpaced every major city in Asia, and that open, business-minded policy has been reflected in the superyacht industry.

There has never been a better time to consider your superyacht purchase in the Lion City. At Simpson Marine and Sanlorenzo Asia, we offer experience and expertise to make these projects a rewarding reality for our yacht owners.

JULIEN SOLARI

Julien Solari is Singapore Country Manager for Simpson Marine, Asia’s largest yacht dealership. Having studied business and management in France, Netherlands, Denmark and Italy, the Frenchman worked in Rotterdam for three years and spent four years as a yacht broker with The World of Yachting in Nice before joining Simpson Marine in Singapore in 2017. His recent sales have included several Sanlorenzo yachts.