Guests at the glittering Gala Dinner on the eve of the 2nd Abu Dhabi Yacht Show (ADYS) witnessed a dramatic start to what was a spectacular weekend by the waterside. Seven of the 30 superyachts in the UAE capital for the show performed a graceful water ballet in the Emirates Palace Marina – lit up by a dazzling laser display that danced across the water’s surface and played on the walls and the hotel’s gardens.
The stunning Gala Dinner setting was more than matched by the yacht show’s impressive new venue at Yas Marina, the latest addition to Abu Dhabi’s burgeoning high-profile marina developments. Some of the biggest players in the international superyacht industry, and the region’s most influential and sought-after clientele, congregated between February 25-27 for a show that some experts have tipped as the next big thing for builders and brokers of super and megayachts after the industry-leading Monaco Yacht Show.
Informa Yacht Group, organizers of both the Monaco Yacht Show and ADYS, say the event’s success underlined the tremendous potential of the yachting business in the Middle East and Abu Dhabi’s ambitions to become the leading global marine leisure and yachting destination.
The event, which this year opened in the afternoon until late, witnessed a flurry of activity on the decks of the berthed superyachts each evening, as major shipbuilders and brokers conducted private tours of the vessels for many high-net worth clients.
The 2nd ADYS closed with millions of dollars worth of deals in negotiation, including one potential sale of an 80mt yacht nearing completion. This year’s show saw an expanded line-up of both exhibitors and yachts, with around 140 international exhibitors having a presence in the tented exhibition area – many of them returning participants from last year’s inaugural event – and 30 super and megayachts sailing into Yas Marina especially for the show.
Several new-builds made their global or regional debut. One of the most striking was the 48m Australis (delivered in 2010) that arrived direct from Oceanfast, Australia, and marked the first time the craft was offered for sale. Another 2010 build making its debut was the 62m Roma – which has a top speed of 17 knots and a range of 6,000 miles at 12 knots. Impressive 2009 builds also berthed at Yas Marina included the 65m Trident, 43m Le Yana, and 73m Silver Zwei.
Exhibitors view the show not just as an entry point into the lucrative UAE market, but as a platform to attract serious buyers from the broader GCC and nearby Eastern Europe. Visitor traffic from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Russia boosted local client numbers, and international shipyards at the show revealed interest from brokers and buyers looking for yachts not necessarily destined to be berthed in the region, but elsewhere − including North and South America and Eastern Europe.
On day one of the yacht show, US shipbuilding stalwart, Trinity Yachts, announced the opening of a Middle East regional office on Yas Island – its first overseas operation outside its Gulfport, Mississippi home base.
The 2nd ADYS also saw several key deals and joint ventures announced. Emocean Marine signed an exclusive distribution agreement with Prestige Marine Yachts to represent the Emocean range of vessels and promote the brand in the UAE.
The Abu Dhabi-based luxury yacht manufacturer Gulf Craft and Holland’s Icon Yachts BV also announced a collaboration to build a 52-metre superyacht that would be priced at about €30 million.
The calibre of the show’s visitor profile – comprising some of the region’s most important personalities, including royalty and business leaders, as well as many high net-worth individuals – also managed to attract sponsorship interest from über luxury brands Bentley Emirates and Ulysse Nardin, who signed on as the show’s exclusive associate car sponsor and official watch sponsor.
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