Netherlands the world’s leading builder of super yachts; Market cooling down

The Netherlands was the world’s largest builder of long superyachts in 2024, ABN Amro has reported in a new analysis. Seven super yachts longer than 80 meters were manufactured in the Netherlands last year. Italy is the world’s largest superyacht builder, mainly producing smaller superyachts. But after record years, the market now seems to be cooling off.

Any yacht longer than 24 meters is considered a superyacht. Clients choose Dutch yacht builders because of their expertise in custom design, innovation, and craftsmanship, ABN AMRO explains.

Almost 70 percent of the yachts built in the Netherlands are designed and built in accordance with the wishes of the client. In the Netherlands, superyachts are built by companies such as Oceanco and Damen Yachting, a subsidiary of Damen Shipyards, the country’s largest shipbuilding company.

The global sales of superyachts have dropped in recent years, but they now seem to be returning to regular levels, according to the bank. Sanctions against Russian buyers due to the 2022 invasion of Ukraine temporarily affected the number of yachts delivered.

In recent years, an increasing number of shipyards have started building superyachts without having a buyer lined up. The market has also shifted from traditional billionaires to American tech billionaires who are looking for an adventure and plan to go to a place like Antarctica, for example. For this reason, they purchase larger yachts that are suitable for remote areas.

ABN Amro also wrote in the analysis about the expected effect that the American import tariffs will have. According to the study, the sector expects that Dutch yacht builders will be affected "minimally" as a result. “Although 24 percent of yachts over 40 are owned by Americans, the flag state, the country in which the ship is registered, can easily be changed,” the bank explained.