The second day of The Balearic Superyacht Forum has begun by analyzing the activity related to the repair and refurbishment of large yachts.
Today marks the second and final day of the first edition of The Balearic Superyacht Forum, a pioneering initiative in the Balearic Islands focusing on the superyacht sector. It analyzes the current situation and growth potential of an activity that has become strategic for the future of the economy in the Balearic Islands, with the participation of top international experts.
The first meeting of the day analyzed the future of the refit industry in the islands, the companies dedicated to the repair and refurbishment of large yachts, an activity mainly concentrated in the Port of Palma.
The president of The Superyacht Group and moderator of the round table, Martin Redmayne, emphasized the importance of refit in the world of superyachts, noting that it was undoubtedly the most important topic of the forum. Redmayne provided some brief data on the exponential growth of this activity in the Balearic Islands over the last 30 years, reaching a capacity of 100,000 tons today. «Not only is the number of boats growing, but also their size,» he emphasized. Redmayne warned about the need to plan for future growth to make it sustainable. «We are doing things right in Mallorca,» he opined, «and if local governments understand the potential of the sector, the island can become the hub of refit services in the Mediterranean.»
In a brief intervention, the president of Balearic Marine Cluster, Toni Salom, stressed the need to ensure collaboration among refit companies in the Balearic Islands: «We need to help each other. We want to ask everyone, clients, managers, companies, etc., to maintain solidarity within this strategic sector.»
The general director of Astilleros de Mallorca, Carlos Morales, highlighted the versatility offered by the 40,000 companies in the sector: «In Mallorca, there are plenty of offers for every type of client. I don’t know any other place with such variety and possibilities. Here, there are premium-level companies and specialists capable of competing worldwide. For me, we are not just a hub in the Mediterranean but in the whole world.»
Another major refit company in Mallorca, STP Shipyard Palma, was represented by its production director, Carlos Albons. Albons emphasized the adaptability to the needs of superyacht clients offered by services in Palma but called for more space for this activity: «Looking ahead to 2030, we need to work together in the same direction and secure all the space we can get for our activity. We must be good neighbors. The Balearic Islands and Palma need their ports. We have to move in that direction to keep growing.»
Olimpia Corral, operations director of Baltic Yacht Service and Refit, analyzed the strategic model that refit in the Balearic Islands should adopt for the future: «The model works well, and it is being copied elsewhere, but we will have to decide whether we are moving towards more smaller boats or fewer, but larger ones.»
The managing partner of BWA Yachting Spain, Antonella della Pietra, welcomed the holding of The Balearic Superyacht Forum and urged attendees to reflect on what such a significant event means for Palma: «We are creating the future. It’s a historic moment. It seems incredible to me. It’s the first time we have gathered so many industry representatives in Mallorca.»
Rupert Savage, operations director of GYG/Pinmar, referred to the importance of Mallorca as a destination in the rise of the nautical industry in the islands: «The reason people come here is because they like the destination. Those who come will continue to come. I’ve known Mallorca for 35 years. It was very different then. Now there is a lot of experience and professional knowledge.»
Finally, the commercial director of Hill Robinson, Xavier Perrone, pointed out two areas where the Balearic Islands must improve in the activity related to superyachts: confidentiality and privacy, and warned about dangerous legislative initiatives that could undermine the competitiveness of this activity: «We have seen in France and Italy how a change in the law can halt the momentum these companies are experiencing and change a future that until then seemed bright.»
The second morning debate session was a workshop focused on the environmental sustainability of the sector under the heading ‘The industry’s roadmap towards the Sustainable Development Goals’. This part featured Lucía Mingot, director of innovation and quality at Astilleros de Mallorca, Nigel Marrison, CEO of Blue ESG and superyacht captain, Isabel Teruel, port director at Ocibar Marinas Singulares, and Jose Escaño, project director at the MedGardens Foundation.
Finally, the grand finale of the first edition of The Balearic Superyacht Forum will be held this afternoon with the Blue Start Pitching Competition. An initiative by the Balearic Marine Cluster to decide which is the best innovative company in the nautical sector. In this workshop, five startups previously selected from numerous candidates will present their projects and strategic plans to a group of sector experts. The main objective is to train and promote innovation in the nautical industry. The five finalists competing for, among other benefits, a prize of five thousand euros are Keep Boat Afloat, SafetyCraft, Searebbel, Seawex, and Toroi Marine.
The first edition of The Balearic Superyacht Forum has been organized by the Balearic Marine Cluster and The Superyacht Forum. This internationally oriented event has only been possible thanks to the sponsorship of Astilleros de Mallorca, Baltic Yachts Service & Refit, BWA Yachting, Evolution Yachts Agents, Hill Robinson, Nautipaints, Ocibar Marinas Singulares, Pinmar, and STP Shipyard Palma, and has had the institutional support of the Consell de Mallorca and the Palma International Boat Show.
