This year’s event will be held at Barcelona’s OneOcean Port Vell
A new superyacht brokerage show to be held this year at Barcelona’s OneOcean Port Vell has been announced by LYBRA, the Large Yacht Brokers Association. The new event, which runs from May 2-5, is being supported by MYBA (the worldwide yachting association), whose infrastructure from the MYBA Charter Show held at the same location from April 23-26, 2018 will be made available.
Eric Blair, secretary general of LYBRA, told IBI: “We have been working on this idea for couple of years but it has just taken this time to organise the event. Each of LYBRA’s nine members will have seven berths.”
Patrick Coote, former managing director of Blohm & Voss, will work alongside Blair in organising the event.
LYBRA describes the show as having a “fresh, unique and appealing format. It will offer buyers and charterers, as well as their brokers and representatives, the opportunity to step on board some of the finest superyachts in the world, in an exclusive and private setting.
“Complementing the on-water display will be a hand-picked selection of some of the world’s premier luxury products and lifestyle brands.
“Traditionally, boat shows have a strong business-to-business element whereby industry professionals come together to trade specialist products and services. These are essential elements for builders and operators, but they’re not conducive to creating a truly ‘luxury experience’ for yacht buyers.
“The Superyacht Show will be a client-centric showcase that delivers the optimum buyer experience by attracting the highest-quality superyachts and yachting companies, the most prestigious sponsors, global luxury brands, and the most discerning visitors.”
Jonathan Beckett, LYBRA president, commented: “Our long-term plans are ambitious but also realistic. The idea of a client-focused show was put forward several years ago and we’ve been working on the details for quite some time. We have a great team in place and while our expectations for the first year are modest, I’m confident we’re laying a very solid foundation for the future.
“2018 will see the participation of all our member companies and in 2019 we aim to incorporate a number of top-quality shipyards and other exhibitors,” he adds. “Everyone is welcome to visit the show, since our ultimate aim is to benefit the clients, brokers and the industry as a whole.”
“The collective fleet of superyachts that LYBRA members represent for sale and charter is hugely significant. Our members are acutely aware of their responsibility to exhibit their client’s vessels at a time and place that is most likely to produce serious enquiries from qualified buyers. Over time, we therefore plan to develop the show into the definitive, pre-summer buying opportunity in the Mediterranean.”
LYBRA is a trade association for superyacht brokerage companies who have a fleet of Central Agency yachts with a length greater than 30m. Its current members are Burgess, Camper & Nicholsons International, Edmiston, Fraser, IYC, Merle Wood & Associates, Northrop & Johnson, Ocean Independence and Yachtzoo.
The new show comes at the end of a tight session of charter and brokerage shows. This starts with the MYBA Charter Show from April 23-26 in Barcelona, followed by the Palma International Boat Show/Palma Superyacht Show from April 27-May 1, the Mediterranean Yacht Show at Nafplion in Greece from April 28-May 1 and the new event in Barcelona from May 2-5.
Fiona Maureso, president of MYBA, told IBI: “There have been complaints about the shows so close together but we could not leave the Superyacht Show any later or else the charter season would have started.”
New superyacht brokerage show to be held in May _ IBI Plus International Boa