superyacht uk technical seminar

Secure your Place at the Superyacht UK Technical Seminar 2023

Superyacht UK (SYUK) is pleased to confirm that the annual Superyacht UK Technical Seminar, this year sponsored by the UK’s leading superyacht refit, restoration and bespoke build shipyard Pendennis is set to return to London on 18 April alongside British Marine’s London Luxury Afloat boat show.

The SYUK Technical seminar is now in its 12th year and is a well-established event in the superyacht calendar, welcoming industry professionals from within the superyacht world to come together to discuss sector specific topics. As well as being a must attend event for those working within the superyacht industry, the agenda is shaped to also provide valuable insight for insurers and lawyers who service the sector.

With a strong focus on sustainability within the sector and the future of the Superyacht Industry the seminar promises a packed agenda filled with industry updates and panel discussions, alongside a networking reception sponsored by Laurent Giles Naval Architects and entrance to London Luxury Afloat as part of the ticket price. View the full agenda here .

There will be updates on important industry matters such as regulatory changes including an REG code update, discussions on superyacht sustainability challenges, covering a hydrogen-hybrid case study, the importance of Life Cycle Analysis (LCA’s) to support effective sustainable choices and an alternative fuel panel discussion, culminating in a discussion looking at the drive to sustainability and the hidden risks. Chaired by Francesca Conn from Hill Dickinson, this session will look at how the hidden risks associated with the increased use of lithium-ion (Li) batteries are now causing the superyacht industry to look at the design and operation of vessels.

Industry expert speakers from Mayfair Marine, Cayman Islands Shipping Register, Marine Shift 360 and Hill Dickinson are already confirmed for the event, with more to be announced in the coming weeks.

“Keeping up with regulations is essential to our business and attending the SYUK Technical Seminar has always been a great way to catch up on the latest industry developments,” commented Alex Meredith Hardy, Chief Naval Architect, Lateral Engineering. “We have attended for many years and have always found it to offer a valuable balance of networking, technical insight and learning, all packaged into a convenient single day out the office. We will be there again this year.”

“It's great news that this year's SYUK technical seminar is being held in the heart of London at the same time as London Luxury Afloat in St Katharine Docks. It's a great opportunity to get a technical update while also meeting up with industry colleagues,” added Stephen Hills, Chair, Superyacht UK.

“We look forward to welcoming superyacht industry professionals to this year’s technical seminar” commented Lesley Robinson, CEO, British Marine.  “We have an incredible line up of speakers in store, covering a host of diverse topics which are sure to ignite interesting debate and discussions and we hope that attendees will come away with some really useful insights to help shape future thinking in the sector.”

The Superyacht UK Technical Seminar will be held on Tuesday 18 April 2023 10.00 – 18.00hrs at the Dickens Inn, St Katharine Dock, London.

Open to both SYUK and British Marine members as well as non-members, tickets cost just £150 + VAT for Superyacht UK and British Marine members and £300 + VAT for non-members.

Tickets include a light breakfast, refreshments, a networking buffet lunch, an afternoon drinks networking reception, plus entry into London Luxury Afloat, which is also being held in St Katharine Docks.

To secure your place please email [email protected] to request the booking form.

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Superyacht UK Technical Seminar a resounding success

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By SuperyachtNews 17 Sep 2021

A roundup of the Superyacht UK Technical Seminar

The event took place at the leonardo royal hotel as part of the southampton boat show  ….

The Superyacht UK Technical Seminar took place at the Leonardo Royal Hotel In Southampton on Thursday 18th September. The attendees included a range of industry experts who were all present to discuss some of the biggest trends and talking points regarding the state of the market. As well as regulatory updates there were also some interesting speakers present to discuss some of the broader topics such as environmental impact and future innovation.

The morning kicked off with a seminar from the Cayman Islands Shipping Register who discussed the safe mooring for vessels over 3000GT. During the seminar the audience were walked through some of the safe-to-use designs for mooring arrangements as well as the need for proper maintenance, inspection and documentation. This was followed by Adam Jackson of the UK Ship Register who provided Tier III updates on the rule changes for sub 500GT large yachts as well as the REG’s position on the US Coast guards letter of non-enforcement. The morning was rounded off by a spokesperson from the CISR who revealed some of the IMO changes to Intact stability rules and how it will affect large yacht designs and certifications.

The afternoon seminars began with an update on the EU ship recycling/Hong Kong convention. Although the Hong Kong convention was put in place in 2009 after widespread recognition of the high levels of fatalities, injuries and work-related diseases in ship breaking yards, it has not yet been enforced. Ship recycling is seen as the safest and most environmentally friendly method of disposing of a ship at the end of its life cycle, however, the process will require extensive documentation and full details on the materials all the way up the supply chain as well as documentation highlighting the inventory of hazardous materials.

A seminar on superyacht glazing followed, with Alistair Clayton of Seaglaze underlining bonded glass lifespan and the certification issues caused by age. Demand for bonded glass has increased significantly in recent years with many naval architects using it to push the boundaries of conventional boat design.

Before the lunch break James Roy, Managing Director of Lateral Naval Architects gave a rousing speech on ‘the move towards zero’ where he revealed that, “An 85m superyacht with a typical Mediterranean/Caribbean cruising pattern produces 4250 tonnes of CO2 every year, and so, it would take 994 people to produce the same amount based on regular habits.” Roy believes that the ‘3 R’s’ – regulation, revenue, and responsibility are key to paving the way towards zero environmental impact.

The urgency for action against the climate crisis was echoed by Rachel Goult of Yacht Carbon Offset Ltd who was keen to separate fact from fiction amid the many myths and perceptions surrounding carbon offsetting. During the presentation Goult provided insight on how carbon credits are getting spent as well as the specific locations that are benefitting from offsetting schemes. Among the global list was Mikoko Pamoja in Kenya which is one of the world’s first ‘blue carbon’ credit projects, comprising the protection of 117 ha (hectares) of mangrove forest and the reforestation of an entire beach and shoreline.

Angus Gray-Stephens of Cape Horn Engineering also gave a seminar on the role of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) in large yacht design. Cape Horn Engineering have been utilising this technology for vessels in the America’s Cup and Volvo Ocean Race design campaigns for over 15 years, however, CFD has not yet become widespread in the superyacht industry despite its obvious advantages of increased mobility, speed and fuel efficiency. Gray-Stephens suggests that this is due to the, ‘If it isn’t broke don’t fix it’ attitude in the industry. “The industry is quite conservative in its nature and that can sometimes hinder the progress of new technology.” Gray-Stephens explained.

To finish off the event, the keynote speaker of the day, Rodi Basso, CEO and Co-founder of the E1 series, unveiled some of the plans for the world's first electric powerboat racing championship. In a bid to replace philosophical debate about the environment with real life action, the E1 series have unveiled the ‘racebird’ electric powerboat which is 7.5m in length and can reach speeds of up to 50 knots. The 200kg battery built by Kreisel will be capable of producing up to 37 kw/h. The company plans to begin the testing of the prototype in the beginning of March next year with the first championship race expected to take place in the Spring of 2023. Plans are also in place to create a week-long sustainability festival in conjunction with the championship with Basso stating that this will be “The beginning of democratising electric water mobility for everyone.”

The event was one of the first since the beginning of the pandemic to include physical interaction and networking albeit with social distancing and precautionary measures in place. The Superyacht UK Technical Seminar also serves as further proof of the value and importance that these events have for the wider industry. With Monaco Yacht Show taking off next week as well as the recent news regarding the relaxation of COVID measures by the Dutch government , many will be hoping that this years show season will prove to be a success. For those still unsure of their ability to physically attend the most anticipated events of the year, you’ll be able to experience it through our newly introduced TSF live programme which will include candid boots-on-the-ground journalism coupled with an artistic cinematic flair.

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Most stakeholders in the industry have now adapted to virtual events, but will this years show season bring about a return to the norm?.

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SuperyachtUK Technical Seminar

9th, april 2024.

 SYUK Technical Seminar is a well-established event that welcomes international industry professionals to come together to discuss sector specific topics. This year the seminar is set to discuss REG code updates, Superyacht Safe Mooring, helicopter superyacht facilities, and the ever evolving conversation around industry sustainability efforts.

This year’s seminar will be held on 9th April in London. Döhle Yachts Chief Operating Officer, Ben Geary , who serves as the Chairperson for Superyacht UK , will be introducing the day. He will be joined by Döhle Yachts Fleet Technical Manager, Piers Flood , will be speaking at the event.

If you’d like to learn more about the event or how to buy tickets visit the Superyacht UK Technical Seminar info page: Superyacht UK Technical Seminar Info

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• Superyacht UK Technical Seminar a resounding success

22 April 2024

The annual Superyacht UK Technical Seminar, supported by partners Laurent Giles Naval Architects and DEFENDA an industry leader for superyacht fenders and accessories, took place at St Katharine Docks on Tuesday 9 April and speakers and attendees alike have heralded it a great success.

“I would like start by thanking everyone who joined us, our speakers and delegates, all of whom made the event a great success.” commented Ben Geary, Chairman, Superyacht UK (SYUK). “We had an incredible line up of speakers who covered a whole host of topics which ignited interesting debate and discussion for everyone in the room.”

Following the SYUK chairman’s address the day got underway with a look at the latest amendments to the revised Red Ensign Group Large Yacht code published earlier in the year and coming into force in July. Julian Smith from the Cayman Island Shipping Register led the session providing a good overview of the changes in the new code as well as ongoing work looking at sub 500GT yachts.

Adam Jackson from ABL yachts then gave delegates a fantastic insight of new insurance clauses aimed at Li batteries in tenders and toys, explaining both why they are needed and how they were created, as well clarifying several important points on what batteries are covered by the clauses and the intent of the clause giving builders and operators the information they need to ensure they don’t fall foul of the clause.

“The SYUK Technical Seminar has served as an ideal platform to highlight the new clauses,” Adam stated. “It's crucial to communicate that insurance companies are united in addressing this issue and to assure the superyacht sector of our proactive steps around this emerging, significant risk.”

Over the years the SYUK Technical seminar has looked at alternative fuels and many of these, such as hydrogen, are low flash point fuels which come with additional handling and storage risks which need alternative crew training. Dr Nadeem Anwar from Warsash Maritime Training and Solent University gave an excellent talk explaining how the existing International Code of Safety for Ships Using Gases or Other Low-flashpoint Fuel (IGF) framework has been adopted to give crew the training and qualifications they need.

Jonathan Turner from Maritime Aviation updated the group on the different types of heliports are available on-board large yachts, outlining the dangers and draw backs of not having a fully certified heliport, including additional hazards and risks, insurance risks, reduced options for use and the importance of getting the design right at the outset.  He then moved on to discuss new technology available for heliports, the importance of proper crew training and safety management and changes in aviation firefighting agents.

Before breaking for lunch Francesca Conn from Hill Dickinson chaired a panel discussion alongside Daniel Shacklock from Millstream Underwriters and Piers Flood from Dohle Yachts looking at build and refit contracts and the inclusion of waivers of liability and waivers of subrogation. The panel expertly explained what these are, what the possible repercussions of unwittingly signing them can be and the delays to refit work that they can cause if a vessels insurance needs to question them. The panel concluded that early involvement of the vessel’s insurance company with the refit contracts is imperative to avoid any last-minute delays and that:

• There is a need to raise awareness and understanding the meaning and effect of waivers of liability and waivers of subrogation .
• A breach of the Owner’s H&M Policy condition risks invalidating the Owner’s insurance cover.
• Full waivers of liability are not fair and are unlikely to be agreed to by Owner’s UWR. Partial waivers e.g. ICOMIA agreed yard SRL limit are working in practice, but diligence and re-drafting required to get it right: a fair contract with “no surprises”.

After lunch the seminar had a strong focus on environmental issues and solutions with Ken and Megan Hickling providing delegates with current and upcoming legislation looking at companies’ carbon foot printing and reporting, how and why it applies to all companies and why everyone needs to start acting now.

Jaime Burrows from the Water Revolution Foundation then went on to give a presentation demonstrating some of the proactive work the industry is currently working, including tools such as YETI that have already developed and at further development work through ISO on reliable operational bench marking, allowing more accurate Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) of a vessel and helping see where the most significant improvements can be made to a yachts design.

“It was fantastic to have such a great turnout at the seminar and to hear from industry experts sharing their knowledge. The day had a wonderful balance of thought-provoking challenges for our industry to digest and factual updates, whilst offering a perfect setting to catch up with industry colleagues and meet some new ones”, commented Ed Tuite, Technical Manager, British Marine.

Throughout the day delegates had plenty of opportunities to network with colleagues and industry peers before the day closed with a drinks reception which was kindly sponsored by Laurent Giles Naval Architects.

What the delegates said of the day:

“The Technical Seminar was a very valuable event.  The agenda was extremely relevant to the pressures and issues facing the superyacht sector and was a great showcase of the talent and expertise that the UK superyacht community has to offer.  Drift Energy’s presentation on their vision/solution to so many of the issues that are facing the renewable power sector was inspiring and I am looking forward to seeing the fleet of net positive yachts on the oceans.” Amy Cardale, Hill Dickinson LLP

“It is great to see the industry waking up to ecological, sustainable processes”

Douglas Hynd, Redman Whiteley Dixon Ltd (RWD)

“The keynote speaker was very good and the thread throughout the day on sustainability and the topics surrounding it was thought provoking.  It provides a ‘stop and think’ moment to listen to new ideas.  I would definitely encourage anyone involved in the industry to come along.”

Adrien Tinkler, Mayfair Marine Ltd.

“It is my pleasure first and foremost to congratulate the team on a successful event. In my role of the SYBAss Technical & Environmental Director I had opportunity to listen to some interesting presentations, to find a highly competent mix of attendees and to interact with leaders and stakeholders of the Superyacht industry. I look forward to the next edition and you can count on my support and participation.  

Lorenzo Pollicardo, Superyacht Builders Association (SYBAss)

“Great to see the UK based industry event so well attended and the enthusiasm for future growth and technologies. Thoroughly enjoyable”

Paul Dean, Golden Arrow Marine

“Our usual experience with networking events is very clinical and lifeless, however, the Superyacht UK seminar was different. Intermate and friendly, we already felt like part of the gang from the moment we entered the room. Having already made some valuable connections and opened the door on some good business opportunities, it was incredibly valuable for us to be there and will absolutely be attending the next one.”

Ashley Labrosse, Communications Specialist Ltd.

“Many thanks to the SYUK team, for delivering another informative, interesting and thought-provoking Technical Seminar!”

Simon Billington, DEFENDA

“Great to see gathered all in one space various representatives of the UK Superyacht industry – re-enforcing the value and employment our industry brings to the UK, as well as a good opportunity to get updated on technical developments in the industry and network.”

Piers Flood, Döhle Yachts

“An excellent seminar! A great line up of speakers who delivered engaging, insightful information with many take aways. Thank you for a productive, well organised, and enjoyable day.”

Glen Wallis, GJW Direct

“It was my first time at a SYUK technical seminar, I was invited in my President elect role. The day proved fascinating. Many of the topics discussed, such as, staff recruitment and training, Carbon footprint calculating and Lithium battery safety are issues that the wider British Marine membership is talking about, with other topics such as Helipads on yachts and contractual waivers of subrogation much more specific to superyachts. SYUK is obviously an active and engaged association. Thank you for the invite.”

Robert Parton, Aqueduct Marina and British Marine, President Elect.

All proceeds from the SYUK Technical seminar are directly reinvested into bringing in fresh talent to the industry by helping to fund the Superyacht UK Young Designer Competition 2024 .

To find out more about Superyacht UK visit https://www.superyachtuk.com/

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Superyacht UK Technical Seminar 2024

London, UK April 9, 2024

On April 9, 2024, The International SeaKeepers Society’s UK Program Assistant Vicky Neild attended the Superyacht UK Technical Seminar hosted by Superyacht UK in partnership with Defenda, with networking events sponsored by Laurent Giles. For it’s 13th year, this event gave industry professionals the opportunity to hear about recent changes to UK superyacht regulations and insurance policies, before bringing into focus the need to decarbonise the industry. The event highlight was the keynote presentation by Ben Medland, from SeaKeepers partner DRIFT Energy, who brought everyone’s attention to the need for more sustainable energy production solutions, and the scope for green hydrogen to fuel the superyacht industry in the future. It was a pleasure to attend the event and hear from our partners about their endeavours, while increasing awareness of SeaKeepers mission in the UK.

Outing Goal

The International SeaKeepers Society attended the Superyacht UK Technical Seminar to gather relevant information and updates about the UK superyacht industry, while sharing our mission of oceanographic research, conservation and education with members of the yachting community.

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News: Maritime UK Chair addresses Superyacht UK seminar

• Press Releases
• Published: 12 Jan 2017

David Dingle, Maritime UK Chair, provided the 'State of the Industry' address to the Superyacht UK Technical Seminar at the London Boat Show yesterday (12 January). 

Delegates included representatives from shipyards, designers, naval architects, lawyers, insurance and management companies with expertise in the superyacht sector.

Recognising the UK's world-leading superyacht capability, David Dingle said:

"The UK possesses world class build and refit facilities; some of the world’s most renowned superyacht designers are British; much of the marine equipment and interior design that goes into superyachts built around the world is British supplied.

"We have some of the biggest names in superyacht brokerage; we lead the world in training superyacht captains & crew and London is the centre for large yacht legal and insurance activity.

"It was no surprise therefore to see latest figures released at the Monaco Yacht Show last September reporting an 11.5% increase in superyacht-related revenues. Congratulations on this success."

David Dingle CBE speech to Superyacht UK technical seminar, London Boat Show, 12 January 2017

May I begin by thanking British Marine and Superyacht UK for inviting me to visit the London Boat Show to speak to you today as Chairman of Maritime UK. My brief was to talk about the state of the industry and in doing so I want talk about the opportunity for the wider marine and maritime industries in the Government’s Maritime Growth Study and how we must positively address the challenges of Brexit.

Let me give you some background on Maritime UK as an organisation. From the beginning, Maritime UK comprised the shipping, ports and maritime trade associations, and not long ago it extended its reach to include the marine manufacturing, repair and leisure craft industries, including superyachts, which represent another very significant voice.  British Marine became a member in March last year and has played a very active role on behalf of your sector. Other large organisations have recently joined and we are now beginning to draw in the plethora of established and emerging regional bodies.  Maritime UK was built by its members and operates for its members, and depending on the nature of any particular issue it will assess which members are most impacted and most able to represent industry.  In return Maritime UK is there to use its collective strength in support of any one part of the marine and maritime cluster.

It may also help me put this into context if I say a few words about my day job – cruising.  In a moment I will talk about driving economic growth and success in the British maritime sector, and there is no better example of this than the cruise industry which goes from strength to strength.  This is a market which has enjoyed constant growth for some 25 years now, has a new cruise ship order book approaching $50 billion in value and unfailingly delivers strong returns and societal benefits every year.  Approaching 2 million cruises are sold each year in this country, with over 50% of those guests sailing from UK ports.  At the same time, British ports are becoming increasing popular with cruise passengers from overseas, bringing ever more in-bound tourism and supporting thousands of local jobs.  The cruise industry is a perfect example of maritime success, and shows just how much can be done with vision and enthusiasm.

I know too that the leisure marine and superyacht industry is another UK maritime success story. We have a strong boatbuilding heritage and we are rightly proud of our successful British boat brands which have built a world-wide reputation for great design, exceptional quality and constant innovation. It was pleasing to see that British Marine released their latest industry figures at the Boat Show that demonstrate the industry is returning to its pre-recessions levels, posting revenues in excess of £3bn.

And, the UK superyacht capability is a very important part of that success story. Over 250 British Marine member companies engage in the design, build, refit, supply chain and service provision of yachts over 24 metres. The UK possesses world class build and refit facilities; some of the world’s most renowned superyacht designers are British; much of the marine equipment and interior design that goes into superyachts built around the world is British supplied. We have some of the biggest names in superyacht brokerage; we lead the world in training superyacht captains & crew and London is the center for large yacht legal and insurance activity. It was no surprise therefore to see latest figures released at the Monaco Yacht Show last September reporting an 11.5% increase in superyacht related revenues. Congratulations on this success.

These are exciting times for the UK’s maritime sector, due in no small part to the Department of Transport that had the great wisdom and foresight to initiate the Maritime Growth Study back in 2014, recognizing that in the immediately preceding years there had been plenty of talk and not enough action.  British maritime was there to be gripped and shaken.

John Hayes MP was the DfT Minister who initiated the Growth Study and he is now back at the Department in this important ministerial position, and the role of Maritime Minister has rarely been more important.  Not only do we have the Growth Study recommendations to fulfill, but also we have Brexit to grasp, ensuring that we do not inadvertently throw away the baby with the bathwater, and exploit every opportunity for expansion and growth in the post-Brexit world.  Fortunately we have a  Minister who champions our maritime cause.

And rarely has there been a more communicative and collaborative relationship between Industry and Government, spawned by the launch of the Maritime Growth Study and brought to life by the commitment of Ministers, officials and leaders across the ports, shipping, marine manufacturing and services elements of the maritime industry.  The joint government/industry dialogue is a true partnership with shared goals and objectives and a strong desire to succeed. British Marine is now firmly positioned as an integral part of this wider industry dialogue which is enhancing the work that it routinely does with Government to represent your sector specific interests.

The Maritime Growth Study is built on five specific pillars – joined up industry, joined up government, an enabling and customer-focused ship registry, a commitment to maritime skills and career development and the active promotion of maritime both at home and, crucially, overseas.  But importantly these pillars underpin a whole which is far greater than the sum of the parts – that is the support and development of the whole of Britain’s maritime cluster through mutual help and a strong single voice.  The Growth Study, too, is a living document to which we have already added new emphases and subject matter, not least Brexit, and which is subject to regular review.

The Growth Study recognized the need for an industry promotional body which would also act as the Government’s primary interlocutor.  Maritime UK was poised to take on this role, having been established eight years ago as the “one voice” of the maritime sector, and it is very great honour for me to be its current Chair, at a time when it has been developed and recognised by Government as that promotional body that was envisaged in the Growth Study.

Maritime UK is now highly inclusive, properly funded and led by an active Board supported by a fully-manned secretariat.  In parallel, Government has made unprecedented moves to act as one through a new Ministerial Working Group, a Maritime Strategy Committee and a highly focused delivery team in the Department for Transport which works closely with the Treasury and the newly formed or reconfigured BEIS, DIT and DEXEU.  Industry and Government officials are in day-to-day contact and are co-creating a planned renaissance of Britain’s maritime cluster.

An early win has been to kick off the reform of the UK shipping registry, which began as a parallel project to the Growth Study and now sits firmly within it as Industry continues to act as adviser and interlocutor.  To drive this change, the MCA has already established the position of Ship Registry Director and most recently has announced the appointment of a non-executive chairman.  Both positions are designed to inject commercialism and change.  A dynamic and internationally renowned ship registry is a fantastic shop window for British maritime and encourages shipowners to look to this country for an end-to-end shipping services offer. I know that the Part 1 Register is important to your sector and we will all benefit from a more flexible and commercial approach from the MCA in this area.

Skills and career development are critical across the maritime sector, particularly in order to increase the number of trained seafarers available to come ashore to add maritime experience to industries ranging from ports to manufacturing to legal, insurance and classification services.  Project Ulysses has already identified the skill gaps we need to fill to prepare seafarers for coming ashore into those critical roles.  At the same time, our highly productive government/industry dialogue is allowing us to examine more openly and collaboratively how we can invest more in attracting and training more recruits to the maritime sector. The Maritime UK Skills Groups is looking at the skills needs across the marine manufacturing sector and supporting the considerable amount of work that is done by individual associations, particularly on apprenticeships.

Lastly the Growth Study focuses on promotion, most particularly the need to drive the export of UK-manufactured marine goods and the attraction of inward investment into shipping and infrastructure.  Attracting ships into UK ownership brings huge volumes of direct and indirect employment whilst infrastructure investment will increase the efficiency of our logistics chain at a time when Britain will need to export for more than ever before.  And in turn, we recognize that more exports and more trade are good for ports, which is good for jobs and local communities all around the coast of Britain.

So ladies and gentlemen, everything is beginning to go swingingly, and then along comes Brexit.  If ever we needed any more drive and purpose, this is it.  Suddenly the Growth Study recommendations have acquired far more importance and urgency.  Many things which we had taken for granted need fighting for and at the same time opportunities are growing before our very eyes.  And the good news is that through the close relationship between Government and Industry we are already well organized to tackle the issues.

The Growth Study, which of course preceded the Brexit vote, was intended to act as a catalyst for the renaissance of the British maritime sector, reaffirming its pre-eminence across the globe – an ambition which chimes with Brexit, you may say.  So we need get off to the right start by making sure that in the course of Brexit negotiations, we do not inadvertently give away some of the pillars of our current and future success. And we need to form our post-Brexit plans, ready for the time when we can more easily determine our own future.  And we must straightaway make a start on the things we should have been doing anyway, Brexit or not.

Maritime UK has published its Brexit manifesto, harmonizing with and bringing together the manifestos of its individual members – once again a single industry voice to Government.

The first immediate action is to give added urgency to the delivery of the Maritime Growth Study.  People are its first foundation – making sure that we have the right caliber of people, in the right quantities and with the right skills, to ensure that we have a world-beating maritime capability. 

At the same time we have to create that more attractive, globally attractive UK shipping register.  And we have to drive the maritime export agenda on two levels – firstly, we need to maximize the export and inward investment opportunity that UK maritime as a whole offers, from building ships, yachts and boats for customers across the globe to attracting far more ship ownership and management to Britain, and secondly, with 90% of the country’s trade being carried by sea, port and shipping investment is a strategic imperative in delivering post-Brexit prosperity.  In particular it is critical that we see the modernization of the infrastructure which connects our ports with Britain’s manufacturing and distribution hubs – an investment imperative easily on a par with airport expansion and high-speed rail. 

The second action is put maritime at the forefront of the Brexit negotiation strategy.  Most crucial is the unimpeded movement of goods through our ports.  In ports like Dover we see the most remarkable throughput of lorries moving between the UK, Ireland and the Continent, an incredible growth story since the lifting of customs controls 25 years ago.  There are no controls which impede this essential engine of trade. 

Assuming that we do not intend to cease trading with the whole of Europe, we must protect that uninterrupted flow of goods – we cannot entertain thousands of lorries parked up in our ports while they are checked, and witness Operation Stack times ten every day of the year.  So even if the UK leaves the Customs Union, we need to replicate the current position through political agreements and/or the creation of new processes and systems.

There is a similar imperative in the necessary movement of people.  We mustn’t allow any anti-immigration fervor in some parts of society from impeding in-bound and out-bound tourism which year after year bring ever more economic benefit to our country.  Nor should we impede the essential flow of highly skilled workers from abroad entering the UK to work in support of the growth of our maritime cluster – after all maritime is the most global of all industries, and any Little Englander mentality will be hugely to its detriment.

Finally, while the Government talks about a renaissance in our shipbuilding industries, let us remember that through the past decline in this sector, the UK continued to build world leading vessels, through its superyacht, leisure and small commercial boatyards.  We may never again build the biggest ships, but we can build the most technologically advanced.  This re-born and re-invigorated industry can play a major role at the heart of the Government’s new industrial strategy and can become a thriving export stream.  We urge Government to buy British and give our marine manufacturers every support towards and beyond Brexit.

Our post-Brexit goals are all about turning what initially appeared to be fearsome challenges into golden opportunities, clear of unnecessary restrictions and bureaucracy.  They are about revived exports, exponential growth in trade and a fast-growing ship register, supported by an enlarged and highly-training British workforce marching out across the globe to make our maritime cluster unassailable and the envy of the world.

The answer to the state of the industry question is that we are in very good shape across the breadth of the UK marine and maritime cluster and the superyacht is a flagship sector that can only benefit from the opportunities that we are all working on going forward.

In summary, our maritime sector is now in a good place to get to a much better place. We have as our foundation the Maritime Growth Study strongly focused on our Flag, our skills base and the promotion of our maritime goods and services. We have a joined up industry voice and a listening and collaborating government.   And we are now looking at how we adapt to a new political order, how we manage the massive change which it will entail and how we capitalize on the new opportunities which it will create.  These are energetic and exciting times for our industry, ladies and gentlemen, and I hope that we all thrive in them.

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Superyacht UK Technical Seminar dissects sector’s headline issues

Tuesday, April 25th, 2023

Written by: Marine Industry News

The annual Superyacht UK Technical Seminar has recorded positive feedback and a strong turnout, after the event concluded at London’s St Katharine Docks.

Over 85 delegates from across the superyacht sector, insurance and legal fields and members of the press attended the event on 18 April to hear from leading industry professionals discussing the headline issues affecting the sector. The agenda covered topics ranging from regulatory changes and sustainability challenges to the impact of lithium-ion (Li) batteries and alternative fuels.

Following an address by SYUK chairman Stephen Hills, the day got underway with a look at the latest amendments to the revised Red Ensign Group, large yacht code. Phil Noad from the Cayman Island Shipping Register led the session and advised that following several industry working group discussions over the last year the revised code is set to be published in 2024, which will include an updated annex looking at Li battery risks.

Giles Barkley, Faculty of Creative Industries, Architecture and Engineering course leader at Solent University, then provided an overview of new qualifications available for the UK’s Superyacht design industry and of the Solent University’s master’s degree.

Ivo Veldhuis, technical manager of Mayfair Marine, then led a session looking at alternative fuel-hybrid electric battery propulsion systems for high-speed catamarans. The session showed that with the right data, there are feasible net zero solutions that can be implemented.

Moving into the afternoon, Vittorio Boccoloni, senior lecturer of yacht engineering at Solent University, provided an insightful talk looking at alternative fuels, including hydrogen, synthetic fuels and other alternative fuels and their place in reducing emissions in the superyacht industry by comparing how they would affect the design of a 68m superyacht.

Martin Jackson, sales manager at PME Power Systems Group, then provided an overview on MAN engine developments and outlined what is available now and will be available in the future with regards to the development of engines that reduce the emissions on the path to net zero.

Jackson was followed by Fabio Fantozzi, the regulatory approach lead at the Marine Coastguard Agency (MCA) who provided an update on the regulatory challenges surrounding alternative fuels and energy sources, and alternative certification pathways.

Ollie Taylor , associate director at Anthesis Group, responsible for spearheading the growth of its MarineShift360 Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) sustainability tool, provided information on how Life Cycle Analysis gives businesses the tools and information they need to make the most effective sustainable choices.

It was then over to Jeff Houlgrave, senior associate at Marina Projects. In an enlightening session, delegates heard about the challenges that marina and infrastructure developments are facing because of the ever-evolving design of yachts, leading to changes in facility requirements and locations for the marinas whilst pushing the available marinas and infrastructure technology to the limits.

The day concluded with the seminar’s keynote panel discussion chaired by Francesca Conn, counsel at Hill Dickinson. The session looked at how the hidden risks associated with the increased use of lithium-ion batteries are now causing the superyacht industry to look at the design and operation of vessels.

The expert panel were in agreement that although there are of course, risks associated with Li batteries, those being used in the systems of the ship have minimised risk through various design considerations, flag and class certification and that actually the statistics probably do not back the perceived risk.

The majority of the risk comes from additional toys and gadgets bought on board during the vessel’s operational life, which must be minimised through sensible management systems and training. The industry has also recognised and adapted quickly, meaning that the risks are already being managed and minimised, particularly in yachts over 500GT.

The panel also outlined that with emerging technology being developed in both gas/fire detection and firefighting specifically aimed at Li, as well as REG code updates coming soon, coupled with better awareness campaigns, the risks will diminish even further.

Throughout the day, delegates were also able to explore British Marine’s London Luxury Afloat boat show in the neighbouring marina.

“It’s been a great turnout,” said attendee Jeff Houlgrave of Marina Projects. I think more questions than answers have been provided today, and the need to look at alternative fuels, recognise the challenge and know that they are going to be super difficult to deliver in the time scale. One presentation, in particular, that had a real impact on me showed the graphic representation of how a 68-metre yacht would have the design issues for alternative fuels.”

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Superyacht UK Technical Seminar

This year’s Superyacht UK Technical Seminar and networking reception took place during Southampton International Boat Show. The attendees included a range of industry experts who were all present to discuss some of the biggest trends and talking points regarding the state of the market. As well as regulatory updates there were also some interesting speakers present to discuss some of the broader topics such as future innovation. environmental impact and the urgency for action against the climate crisis.

Dr.-Ing. Rodrigo Azcueta, Managing Director and Angus Gray-Stephens, CFD engineer of Cape Horn Engineering, gave a seminar on the role of CFD and tank testing is playing in superyacht design, and demonstrated how this is helping to improve seakeeping abilities and efficiencies.

Cape Horn Engineering have been utilising this technology for vessels in the America’s Cup and Volvo Ocean Race design campaigns for over 15 years.  CFD is now becoming more widespread within the superyacht industry with its obvious benefits and advantages of optimising performance and fuel efficiency.

For further details on the Cape Horn Engineering seminar presentation, please email: [email protected]

The technical team from Cape Horn Engineering also toured Southampton International Boat Show to meet their clients. With such a diverse global customer base, they were delighted to step onboard the Fleming 58, a luxury motor boat and prestigious design project for Australian custom yacht designer Norman R. Wright & Sons, that they were involved with.

Photos: Rodrigo Azcueta, Managing Director with CFD Engineers, Hugh Ward and Angus Gray-Stephens.

Cape Horn Engineering were commissioned to conduct a blind CFD validation study using towing tank data for the Fleming 58. The aim of the validation was to increase confidence in the current CFD simulations and to demonstrate that they are a good alternative or complement to tank testing for future projects.

Following the CFD analysis and studies Cape Horn Engineering were delighted to be commissioned for their CFD services to fine-tune the new Fleming 85 hull design.   A multitude of CFD reports and analysis were carried out to ensure the most efficient hull possible and good seakeeping characteristics were achieved in all sea states.

Norman R. Wright & Sons recently commented ” It has been fantastic working with your team and it has really changed how we do our R&D. During these times of Covid, I don’t think we would have been able to do traditional tank testing. The CFD studies by your team have been invaluable and have allowed us to continue with our work.”

Described as the ‘ultimate cruising yacht’, the Fleming 85 semi-displacement hull has been designed and engineered to be highly efficient. The optimum strength/weight ratio of the structure has been achieved, whilst retaining the brand’s traditional robust construction, but with less weight, verified by DNV (Det Norske Veritas) standards.

For more details, please see case studies:

Fleming 58 –  Blind Validation Case Study

Fleming 85 – Design Optimisation

Cape Horn Engineering Ltd.

Gatcombe House, Copnor Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire PO3 5EJ United Kingdom

[email protected] +44 (0)7821 717 383

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Staffs designer sails into first place at superyacht competition

20 September 2024

A Staffordshire University student has been named winner of the Superyacht UK Young Designer 2024 competition

Kasper Marriott (left) won the 2nd/3rd year category (credit British Marine)

I was just trying to take in as much as possible. Networking is important, and I learnt so much from the judges who gave me advice and expertise throughout the competition. Kasper Marriott, BA (Hons) Automotive & Transport Design

The competition, hosted at the Southampton International Boat Show, brought together 12 next generation yacht designers from across the country to compete for top honours in two categories: the Master’s and 2nd/3rd year divisions.

Each of the designers was tasked with designing a 50-metre motor yacht, suitable for family use, that included a scientific and sustainability angle. The finalists worked over two days to design their unique superyachts and present their creations to a panel of industry judges.

Second-year BA (Hons) Automotive & Transport Design student Kasper Marriott secured first place in the 2nd/3rd year category after his beautiful sketching, eye for detail and his overall presentation made a significant impact on the judges.

Despite its landlocked location, this is the fifth consecutive year that a Staffordshire University student has won the competition, with Kasper and course mates Marcus Anderton and Josh Tandy making up a quarter of this year’s finalists.

Kasper’s yacht was designed to increase people’s interest in science through interactive activities, so that guests could get involved with research and feel they have contributed to something bigger. The yacht itself featured underwater viewing stations, virtual reality areas, as well as all the luxuries you might expect on a regular superyacht.

The 19-year-old from Buckinghamshire said: “As I have only completed my first year at Staffs, I have not had full exposure to all areas of design yet, and so this was my first time directly interacting with the marine industry. Everything was new, and I was just trying to take in as much as possible. Networking is important, and I learnt so much from the judges who gave me advice and expertise throughout the competition.

“I am a bit speechless to be honest. Like I said before I have never designed superyachts, and did not expect to win! It has only peaked my interest further into the industry and helped open doors for potential roles in the future.”

As part of the prize Kasper has won a week-long placement with Olesinski, one of the world's leading designers of superyachts.

“Being surrounded by industry experts will allow me to learn new skills and methods that I can transfer and use later on in my own design practices. Having practical experience will be extremely valuable when applying for positions in the future.”

Dan Lewis, Course Director for Automotive & Transport Design, said: “Being selected as a Superyacht UK Young Designer finalist is a huge accomplishment and Kasper, Marcus and Josh should all be incredibly proud of their hard work.

“Securing the top prize for the fifth year in a row is a significant achievement for the University. It demonstrates the passion, quality of work and industry skills of our students on the Automotive & Transport Design course as well as the dedication of our teaching team.

“The competition also provides a fantastic platform for new talent to get into the industry and three of our graduates now work at sponsor companies."

Michael Beattie, SYUK Manager, added: “It's crucial that we continue to nurture and support the next generation of yacht designers. The creativity and innovation demonstrated at this competition shows that the future of our industry is bright. These young designers are not only challenging the conventional but pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in yacht design.”

Discover more about studying at Staffordshire University at an Open Day – book your place .

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