Primus Marine won the ‘Expanding Dealer in Asia’ category at Yacht Style Awards 2026
Primus Marine was co-founded in August 2024 by CEO Howard Prime and Tanon Varaya, an investor, entrepreneur, philanthropist and experienced sailor. Now with three offices in Thailand and one in Singapore, Primus Marine currently represents renowned power and sailing yacht brands including Aquila, Beneteau, Excess Catamarans, Maritimo and SAY Carbon Yachts.
Prime and General Manager Sten van Aardt, who have spent collective decades in Southeast Asia’s yachting and marine industry, answer questions about the fast-growing company that won the ‘Expanding Dealer in Asia’ category at the 2026 Yacht Style Awards in Singapore.
Howard Prime, co-founder and CEO, Primus Marine
As well as representing Beneteau (sail and power in Thailand; power in Singapore), Excess (in Thailand) and Aquila (power and sail in Thailand and Singapore; sail in Malaysia), Primus Marine has added Maritimo and SAY Carbon Yachts to its portfolio in 2026. How would you describe the most sought-after types of yacht in Thailand, since setting up the company two years ago?
Sten van Aardt: The catamaran market has been particularly strong, encompassing both power catamarans and performance cruising sailing catamarans. Clients increasingly favour additional living space, stability and versatility that a catamaran provides, also recognising the potential improvements in fuel consumption compared with similar-sized monohulls.
The suitability of catamarans for Thailand’s cruising grounds is also an important factor. Their shallow draught, generous outdoor areas and comfortable accommodation make them well-suited to island cruising and extended time aboard.
Sten van Aardt, General Manager, Primus Marine
We have also seen increased interest in the luxury segment of the market. Clients are not only looking for more space but also higher levels of finish, technology, comfort and personalisation. They are increasingly clear about how they intend to use their yacht and what they expect of the yacht and surrounding support.
Howard, have Thailand and Southeast Asia’s owner preferences changed since your previous role heading Simpson Marine in Thailand?
Howard Prime: During the last seven years, there have been extreme market behavioural differences. The solid buyers’ market became a sellers’ market through the pandemic period. Then, over the last couple of years of various global conflicts, it settled back towards a buyers’ market.
While some channels have reported a market which has tanked, has very high inventory with respectively low market-interest levels, Primus Marine has remained on a steady keel, developing and growing our business in tumultuous times.
Steady orders for new boats and a healthy level of brokerage yachts – listed and sold – prove that the market is still there across Asia. However, in times such as these, it is ever more important to hone our customer service skills to an exceptional level.
Primus Marine’s Thailand International Boat Show 2026 display comprised Aquila’s 42 Coupe, 32 Sport and 44 Yacht, Beneteau’s Antares 11 Fly and Oceanis 40.1, plus an Excess 11
Brokerage yachts must be valued correctly and prepared for sale in retail condition. Simply agreeing with a client’s preferred listing price and posting a vessel online can be fruitless if all angles of its potential sales equation have not been analysed correctly and the seller briefed on current market conditions, with the correct route to market.
In a developing tech world, the yachting market has been too slow in general replying to customer online enquiries, and Primus Marine ensures that all enquiries for both sales and aftersales are replied to in market-leading record time.
Looking back to the planning and launch of Primus Marine, how challenging was it to find your first suitable showroom location, key staff, providers of mechanical, electronic, refurbishment and crew services, and partner marinas for client berths? And how have your key staffing and services that your company offers changed since launching?
Howard Prime: Our first office was established in Pattaya. One of the initial challenges was finding a location that provided suitable exposure to prospective clients while also being somewhere that employees would find convenient and attractive to work from.
Primus Marine’s first office in Ocean Marina Jomtien in Pattaya
The original team consisted of only three people, including Alfie Rowson, who is now our Head of Brokerage in Phuket, together with a small number of service personnel.
Primus Marine was established during a period when Simpson Marine was reducing a significant part of its operations in Thailand. This meant that several highly experienced marine-industry professionals were facing uncertain futures. Primus Marine was fortunate to recruit some of these people and provided continued employment opportunities to individuals who possessed valuable knowledge of the local market and industry.
Our initial services focused on new-yacht sales, brokerage and after-sales support. Since then, the company has grown from three employees to more than 20.
Primus Marine later added offices in Phuket Boat Lagoon (pictured) and Singapore
Our first major sales office was subsequently established at Phuket Boat Lagoon. We wanted to provide clients with a comfortable, professional environment while remaining centrally positioned within Phuket’s yachting industry and close to the yachts, marinas, contractors and technical services that support our clients.
As the company grew, we continued to expand our technical, administrative, sales and operational capabilities. The objective has always been to support clients, extending well beyond the initial purchase of a yacht.
Earlier this year, Primus Marine was appointed to exclusively represent Maritimo motoryachts. How have you noted Asia’s interest in this established Australian monohull brand?
Sten van Aardt: Maritimo is a distinctive brand that does not aim to produce yachts in extremely high volumes. It therefore tends to attract knowledgeable owners who already understand what they want from a yacht and place significant value on engineering, practicality and genuine cruising capability.
Primus Marine’s portfolio includes Maritimo, whose models include the M50 flybridge
These are yachts for owners who look beyond appearance alone. They consider factors such as long range performance, onboard comfort, build integrity, engine-room access, storage and how the yacht will perform during extended cruising.
Maritimo is particularly well known for its enclosed flybridge motoryachts, which combine a climate-controlled upper helm and living area with internal staircase access. The brand places a strong emphasis on long-range cruising efficiency, offshore performance and practical liveability.
Maritimo debuted the S50 at the 2026 Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show
This proposition is highly relevant to Asia, where owners may use their yachts for longer passages between countries and cruising destinations rather than limiting their use to short trips from one marina.
Maritimo occupies an important position within our portfolio. It will not necessarily be the yacht for every buyer, but it can be an extremely compelling choice for experienced clients who know exactly what they want.
Tell us your opinion on the appeal of SAY Carbon Yachts motoryachts for owners in Thailand and regionally, as this is to be the latest brand to be distributed by Primus Marine across Asia.
Sten van Aardt: Primus Marine began representing SAY Carbon Yachts throughout Asia in July 2026, and a stock SAY 42 Sport will soon be arriving in Singapore.
SAY Carbon Yachts is the latest addition to Primus Marine’s new yachts portfolio, with models starting from the 32
The simplest way to describe a SAY yacht is as a supercar for the water. The models combine distinctive styling, extensive use of carbon-fibre, low weight and very impressive performance.
They are designed for owners who want something exciting, technologically advanced and noticeably different from more conventional production yachts. Reduced weight is not only about speed – it also contributes to efficiency, handling and a more responsive driving experience.
We expect SAY to appeal to a focused but important part of the Asian market: owners who value performance, design, exclusivity and advanced construction. It is not intended to be a conventional yacht, and this is precisely where much of its appeal lies.
SAY Carbon Yachts’ range includes the 42 (pictured), 42 Sport and 52
In addition, we are further strengthening our new relationship with SAY Carbon Yachts through a dealership venture in France, supported by an office in Saint-Tropez.
This represents an important step in expanding our relationship with the brand beyond Asia and establishing a presence in one of Europe’s most prominent yachting markets. A SAY 52 is also expected to arrive in Saint-Tropez in the coming months, allowing prospective clients to experience the brand first-hand.
Howard, with seven years in yacht distribution and services in Thailand now, how much do you feel the leisure marine sector has evolved, and how close to the scale of Hong Kong and Singapore markets has it become?
Howard Prime: The market in Thailand is both similar and different to that of Hong Kong and Singapore. With the latter being mature markets that have a high number of yachts and limited marina spaces, this increases ownership costs to a high level.
Howard Prime (second left) at the 5th Hospitality Thailand Conference in Bangkok
Thailand remains not just a beautiful cruising location but one that also has attractive ownership costs. With many new yacht owners in Thailand realising that they can move their yachts between the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, depending on the seasonal weather, it is becoming more well known that in Thailand you can enjoy boating year-round.
This, coupled with visits to some beautiful islands on both the east and west coast of Malaysia and a short distance to Singapore, makes much of Thailand a perfect revolving base for a yacht in Southeast Asia.
Are you still involved with the Thai Yachting Business Association?
Howard Prime: Primus Marine is a member of the TYBA and wholeheartedly supports efforts by this organisation to further develop yachting in Thailand. We are keen to support all areas of the yachting market in such ventures and regularly attend meetings.
Brokerage is a large part of sales in Thailand and Asia generally. What are Primus Marine’s most regular and unusual client requests?
Sten van Aardt: Brokerage clients generally fall into two broad categories. Some clients have a very specific requirement and need us to find a yacht that closely matches their intended use, preferred layout, budget and operating requirements. Other clients simply know that they want to own a yacht and are more flexible regarding the exact model or configuration.
Aquila 44 Yacht
Our recent experience has confirmed that clients in Thailand are increasingly knowledgeable. They normally understand what they want from a yacht and, importantly, what they intend to do with it. This allows us to provide more targeted advice rather than simply presenting a broad selection of available boats.
A notable recent example was the sale of a brokerage Aquila 44 Yacht that was purchased specifically for use as a crewed charter yacht in the Andaman Sea. The client’s intended commercial use was therefore an important part of identifying the right yacht and structuring the transaction.
The role of a broker is not merely to locate a yacht. It is to understand the client’s objective, identify any practical limitations and help ensure that the selected yacht is genuinely suitable for its intended purpose.
Please tell us about your future hopes for Primus Marine, beyond maintaining the best service and business acumen.
Sten van Aardt: Primus Marine intends to continue growing both its service and brokerage departments while remaining true to our goal of becoming a genuine one-stop shop for yacht owners.
Primus Marine hosted public and private premieres of the Aquila 42 Coupe in Phuket in early 2026, a year after the model debuted in Miami
Although no firm timelines have been confirmed, we are planning to introduce a comprehensive yacht-care service, followed by an in-house charter-management operation. These services would allow us to support clients throughout more of the ownership cycle, from purchasing and commissioning through to maintenance, management, charter and eventual resale.
However, growth for its own sake is not our main objective. Our immediate focus is on strengthening our existing presence in Phuket, Pattaya and Singapore and ensuring that the quality of our service develops alongside the size of the company.
We want Primus Marine to be recognised not only for the yachts and brands we represent but for providing a gold-standard level of service. Maintaining that standard while the company grows will remain one of our most important priorities.
Can you talk about expansion to Singapore?
Sten van Aardt: In April 2026, we opened our Singapore office at Raffles Marina. We have been extremely encouraged by the response, with a yacht sale closed through the office just two months after opening.
Primus Marine exhibited Aquila’s 54 Yacht, 42 Yacht and 42 Coupe at the 2026 Singapore Yachting Festival in ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove
Our initial focus in Singapore is on yacht sales and serving clients in one of Asia’s most important financial and commercial hubs. At the same time, the office represents Primus Marine’s long-term commitment to the market and is a significant investment in our regional future.
We also made our first appearance at the Singapore Yachting Festival in April 2026, where Primus Marine presented a strong display of three Aquila yachts. The show provided an excellent platform to introduce our growing regional presence and connect with clients from Singapore and across Southeast Asia. We very much look forward to returning next year with an even broader display and more of our represented brands showcased.
Can you highlight any other upcoming deliveries?
Sten van Aardt: We are very excited that Aquila 45 Sail and 50 Sail models are expected to arrive before the end of 2026.
Aquila’s 50 Sail is due in Southeast Asia in late 2026
These will be the first models from Aquila’s new sailing-catamaran range to join us in the region, and we look forward to introducing both existing and prospective clients to this exciting new chapter for the Aquila brand.
Are there any further points you’d like to share?
Sten van Aardt: The yacht market is currently experiencing one of its quieter periods since the peak activity during the pandemic. Despite these wider market conditions, Primus Marine continues to experience a very busy period. We believe this is a testament to the industry’s need for a dynamic company capable of supporting clients throughout the full ownership journey, rather than focusing solely on the initial sale of a yacht.
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