It is widely accepted that, perhaps with the exception of their German neighbours, the Dutch superyacht builders have created, and continue to create, some of the world’s most revered superyacht projects. However, more so than the quality of the products produced, the HISWA press tour stands to highlight the diversity of the yards and the unity that exists within them.

“I think it is one of the great strengths of the Dutch yachting market. We are open to working together, we team up when we go abroad, we often stay in the same hotels, we go to the same and we understand that, assuming it was only Feadship in the Dutch market, we would be nowhere near as effective or profitable,” explains Bas Nederpelt, sales and marketing director at Feadship.

There is an acute understanding in Holland that, without relative mutual success, the domestic new build market would suffer irreparable damage. Without the yards producing superyachts, there would be a lack of infrastructure and supplies, as well as a knowledge gap because the universities and schools would stop catering to a non-existent market. “As a small country, you need to work together to succeed,” adds Nederpelt.

In issue 181 of The Superyacht Report (TSR) we explore the strengths of the Dutch superyacht market from the perspective of the HISWA press tour and recent infrastructure developments.

Elsewhere in the business section, we consider whether or not recent attempts to breathe the new life into the Dutch flag will provide commercial yacht owners with a legitimate alternative to the tried and tested flags, as well as having Rene van der Paardt, professor of indirect tax at Erasumus, Rotterdam, and tax partner at Benelux law firm AKD, explain how a taxation system originally designed for the Digital Single Market could be applied to the superyacht market.

“The European Commission held a pubic consultation in 2015 concerning the commitment in the Digital Single Market strategy to present a proposal in 2016 on modernising cross-border e-commerce,” says van der Paardt. “The question is: can this system also be available for services and service suppliers other than electronic services, distance sales ad imports of goods?”

To explore the aforementioned topics in greater detail, be sure to get your copy of The Superyacht Report issue 181 by clicking here. Alternatively, join The Superyacht Group team and a host of industry professionals at The Superyacht Forum 2017, held in Amsterdam 13-16 November.

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