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Super yacht in dry dock at Lloyd Werft: Obscene consumption of resources
Photo:
Carl Groll / imago images / TheYachtPhoto.com
There is hardly anything more conspicuous than super yachts on the noble stretches of coast of this world. The number of orders, prices and the names of the owners, on the other hand, are all the more resolutely concealed. At the same time, a few pieces of data are made public over and over again. So far, for example, industry insiders have repeatedly reported that the corona pandemic has literally fueled global demand for these floating palaces. But only a few can really imagine what such a boom looks like in a segment that is reserved for the top ten thousand in the world.
Now the figures in the latest edition of the Global Order Book from »Boat International«, quoted by the »Guardian«, provide one of the few more concrete insights.
According to this, the number of ships under construction or on order worldwide reached a new record in 2021: In total there are more than 1200 super yachts - an increase of 25 percent compared to the previous year.
"The market has never been so in motion," quotes the Guardian Will Christie, who, according to his own account, has been bringing wealthy interested parties together with specialized shipyards for more than 20 years.
“In times of pandemic, many people appreciate the extra security on a yacht away from the crowds.
The Internet and the technologies for the secure exchange of data enable them to work from anywhere in the world. «
In the meantime, according to the report, a brisk market for capacities in the shipyards has developed. According to Christie, the industry's order books are typically full by 2025 - and the richer (and more impatient) would offer high rewards for taking over someone else's slot. How high the price is to be able to celebrate the launch a few years earlier - delivery times take a long time due to the long construction times - but there is no information about this.
The Guardian, however, also mentions the trend's critics.
Because super yachts eat up resources to an obscene extent, both during construction and in daily use.
Even at anchor and when the owner is not on board, the energy consumption is enormous.
“It's decadent.
The rich have no contract of the obligations that come with collective responsibility for the fate of the planet, ”said Peter Newell, professor of international relations at Sussex University.
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