Hong Kong’s yachting communities and industries, as well as those from further afield with an interest in superyachts were drawn to talks, debates and networking in these fields in the city, in this first week of June.
Words: Andrew Dembina

Engaging panel discussions ran over two days at the inaugural Asia-Pacific Superyacht Summit (photo: Superyacht Times)

What a week this is for boating in Hong Kong.

It kicked off on Monday evening with a full house for a Hong Kong Boating Industry Association (HKBIA) update meeting of its members and a guest speaker – Paul Zimmerman of Designing Hong Kong (a non-profit organisation that promotes sustainability and quality of life in the territory) – at a full events space the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club (RHKYC). 

Then, from yesterday, the two-day Asia-Pacific Superyacht Summit (APSS) took place, with some 150 guest speakers and industry attendees filling a function room at a five-star hotel on Hong Kong Island.

HKBIA agenda

Lawrence Chow (above right), the chair of HKBIA – which promotes the leisure marine industry and has three to four such meetings a year – confirmed that there is a Hong Kong Boat Show scheduled for late November-early December 2024, which will be preceded by a boating industry conference.

He briefly mentioned the perennial need for more berths and moorings in Hong Kong before he handed over to Zimmerman (above right) who spoke of the need to expand not only moorings but also storage facilities for smaller boats and marine toys. He noted that surf or paddle boards were too large for many people to store in homes. This is at odds with the territory possessing the longest coastline in any coastal city, he pointed out, before mentioning plans for marinas and moorings and where they are at — also advising that To Kwa Wan in Kowloon would be a great landing and mooring area but no such plans exist as yet.

Next up Alan Reid (above right) of Icomia (International Council of Marine Industry Associations) and Marine Manager at RHKYC spoke on the further sweeteners and action needed in decarbonisation in Hong Kong’s pleasure boat industry. Simple changes such as keeping hulls and propellers clean, along with more efficient hull designs, optimised weight, LPG engines and availability of and incentives for ‘clean non-fossil power’ (battery & hydrogen) were mentioned.

In Singapore, all harbour craft is to be decarbonised by 2050, he added – no such plans are yet tabled in Hong Kong. 

Ewa Stachurska (above right), Vice President of Marketing, Strategic Partnerships and Business Development at Simpson Marine – the regional yacht distributor, services and charter company headquartered in Hong Kong – presented figures on how much leisure-yachting ownership and associated industries help economies they are in. When striving for community financial goals, she mentioned that in Italy, where the industry is widely developed, the figure is approximately US$1:9, for money spent on marine activities – meaning a factor of nine goes back into the wider economy. 

She decried the mooring shortage regionally, explaining that with the rise in sales of boats across the seven countries in Asia where her company is operating, owners are faced with too few available berths.

Chow wrapped up by adding that in July a survey on boating improvements will go out to HKIBA members, to be completed by September, after which findings will be disclosed at the pre-Hong Kong Boat Show 2024 conference before being presented Icomia and to the Hong Kong Government.

APSS Agenda

(Photo: Superyacht Times)

It was a fine endorsement of Hong Long’s place in the world’s yachting – and specifically, superyachting sphere – that, spearheaded by the Dutch publication, Superyacht Times, the APSS (Asia-Pacific Superyacht Summit) took place over two days.

As Yacht Style, a media partner of the event, and we publish this online article, we can reflect and show images from Day 1.

The Asia-Pacific Superyacht Association was a supporting partner of this event, largely held at the Renaissance Harbour View Hotel by day (pictured above), where a roster of panel discussions spanned the topics of managing/operating yachts in APAC; building a charter fleet; developing the charter market; Dubai as a hub for superyachts; and selling superyachts in Asia – among others.

A Q&A on building a charter fleet in Asia, with Superyacht Times Editor in Chief Francesca Webster and Thailand-based Omi Tanchanok Vajarodaya (right), co- founder / CEO, Blue Voyage Group (photo: Superyacht Times)

Many idea seeds will have been planted this week, along with valuable contacts and acquaintances made.