MYS 2013: Charlie Birkett Talks Charter Markets

“This is the biggest show I’ve ever seen in my career in the last ten years,” says Charlie. “I think we’ve got a hundred and something yachts here at the show, over 140 at anchor I believe. Someone told me there was over €1.4bn worth of yachts for sale this week, so my guess is if you can’t find a yacht here then you probably won’t find it anywhere.”

With two Feadships (both Seaflower and White Cloud) on display at the show, the wealth of yachts and impending visitors will undoubtedly be a welcome sight for any broker. However with comments from yesterday’s summit noting a stability in the charter market, we asked Charlie if any new destinations are due to come into sight over the next few years.

“I think as an industry we’re seeing a lot more action in the South Pacific, or the Pacific in general. I think a lot of people want to go off the beaten track. Antarctica [and] Alaska are places we get a lot of enquiries for at the moment … I think we’re seeing a lot of people who really want to take away from the Mediterranean.”

With more and more requests from charter guests asking for expeditions off the beaten track, potential charterers and owners will find exactly what they need from the jaw dropping display of yachts for sale at the 2013 Monaco Yacht Show.

Watch the above video for more information on Charlie’s views on the charter market and what we can look forward to next year.