All I want for Christmas is a shiny new job!

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Christmas is almost upon us, and I think the industry is collectively breathing a sigh of relief after a busy yet challenging year. With two major elections and continued unrest globally, the luxury sector has faced its fair share of challenges but is showing a degree of resilience and optimism when looking to the future.

The recruitment space for the first half of 2024 was incredibly strong, however the second part of the year presented more challenging conditions. The team have remained engaged with our client base old and new, keeping placement levels at an impressive level all the way through December, where we’ve seen a resurgence in new business enquiries.

SYR has also undergone a minor facelift, with our branding receiving a tweak to reflect our ever-diversifying customer base. Our capabilities now sit broadly across the maritime sector with our expertise spanning design, engineering, manufacturing, sales and much more.

We come to the close of the year with an extra face to when we started. Luke comes to the end of his second month having made strong headway across both temporary and permanent employment, servicing a number of our key clients and identifying some great new ones to welcome to the SYR family.

Looking to 2025, we’re planning hard for a busy year with internal strategy plans in the final stages of sign-off.

For now, we wish you a fantastic break, a great new year and look forward to seeing you once more in 2025.

Ed and the SYR Team

TEAM UPDATES

ED | CEO | ed@sy-r.com

Design and Engineering has seen steady growth over 2025, and this month has been no different. We’ve welcomed an exclusive new client in the form of world-renowned studio Vripack and have closed an end-to-end executive search project in under two months, showing the power of our network in this space.

Senior Exterior Designer – Netherlands 
Join world leading design studio Vripack as their Senior Exterior Designer. A fantastic role, you’ll lead on exterior design, overseeing a small but talented junior team and crafting a range of projects up to 100m in length. Located in northern Holland, this is a long term opportunity with huge potential for the right person.

Email me to apply.

SIMON | Senior Recruitment Consultant – Brokerage, Management & New Build | simon@sy-r.com

The final quarter of the year is always busy as new roles come to market. However, not all opportunities are advertised so please do reach out if you are considering a career change in 2025.

I’m particularly keen to talk to any Sales Brokers or Retail Charter Brokers looking to move; there are opportunities both in the UK and the south of France.

Additionally, any experienced operational staff across technical and fleet management positions are also encouraged to contact me.

Yacht Central Agency Manager  
The Yacht Central Agency Manager oversees the operational, commercial and administrative functions of yachts under central agency management.

This position plays a key role in maintaining client relationships, optimising yacht performance, and ensuring the seamless execution of charter and sales operations.

Email me to apply.

LUKE |  Recruitment Consultant | luke@sy-r.com

Eight weeks in now at SYR and given the time of year and where the market is, individually and collectively we’re all still making strides here.

It’s all go here until we sign off on Christmas Eve, with plenty of interviews and placements being confirmed. There’s lots in the pipeline coming up for a positive finish to 2024 and plenty of planning too, for a prosperous 2025.

Contracting has been my strong suit so far in my short time here at SYR. The nature of skilled trades at the moment is working in our favour. No rest yet but to all those in my network, have a very Merry Christmas and Happy new year to all clients, candidates and prospects ready for a New Year, new job & new challenges!

Mechanical Design Engineer
Are you a passionate Mechanical Design Engineer keen to be involved in some of the most ambitious projects, with a focus on decarbonisation?

SYR are working with a brand leading the charge in maritime decarbonisation who are looking to bolster their mechanical engineering team!

Great role, very attractive salary package & working with some very niche/exciting projects to put you to the top of your engineering game.

Email me to apply.

See you next month!

2024 Coming To An End At Pace!

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We are into the final two months of the calendar year here at SYR and the industry seems to be back at its usual pace. The team are enjoying an active client base with a hunger to appoint new faces before the Christmas break. From skilled trades to executive search, we’re seeing an industry operating at a healthy level and continuing to deal with a busy and challenging order book and refit schedule.

Creative design and yacht management are currently our busiest sectors, showing strong potential both in the UK and Europe to appoint senior level individuals who will assist in handling the ongoing order books. If you operate in either sector, your candidacy would be of strong interest!

November brings our final international event of the year, METSTRADE. I’ll be attending the world’s largest marine equipment show along with attending a number of satellite events and visiting a number of our Dutch clients. I’m still available during the course of the event for meetings to discuss your career plans or indeed hiring requirements, so do drop us a line if you’d like to book a meeting.

As always, we’re here to offer advice and practical recruitment support so if you would like to know more about our services, discuss your career or how we can help grow your business, please do get in touch.

ED EWER 
CEO
ed@superyachtrecruiter.com  | +44 (0) 7920 060 965

TEAM UPDATES

ED | CEO | ed@superyachtrecruiter.com

I’m finding the design and engineering market at a senior level to be hugely buoyant right now. With opportunities existing across Europe for those with 10+ years of industry experience, it’s clear that there is a huge need for long term industry exposure and expertise to handle projects at a high level.

A lot of optimism exists around the world of yacht design in the new build sector, with order books and teams busy through to 2026. In other areas, the marina sector is seeing a healthy level of development, especially in the eastern Mediterranean.

Senior Exterior Designer/Senior Interior Designer – Netherlands 
SYR are working in partnership with a well-known and long-established superyacht designer looking to expand and evolve their senior teams in both interior and exterior design. Working out of a stunning office space and in a truly collaborative manner, the studio seeks to appoint individuals with 10+ years in the creative design and development of large custom yachts.

Email me to apply.

SIMON | Senior Recruitment Consultant – Brokerage, Management & New Build | simon@superyachtrecruiter.com

The final quarter of the year is always busy as new roles come to market. However, not all opportunities are advertised so please do reach out if you are considering a career change in 2025.

I’m particularly keen to talk to any Sales Brokers or Retail Charter Brokers looking to move; there are opportunities both in the UK and the south of France. Additionally, any experienced operational staff across technical and fleet management positions are also encouraged to contact me.

Consultant Surveyor – Yachts – Solent, UK 
SYR are pleased to release a new Consultant Surveyor position to the market. Working on behalf of a boutique office specialising in technical representation on behalf of owners entering the new build market, this position would suit any candidate with deep onboard operational experience, refit PM, shipyard or marine surveying backgrounds.

Email me to apply.

LUKE |  Recruitment Consultant | luke@superyachtrecruiter.com

One month at SYR? Completed it!

It has been a real whirlwind four weeks since joining the business and I’ve been enjoying every moment. Securing some great jobs, onboarding a new client or two, connecting with some great new individuals and making my first placement in my first 13 days – I couldn’t have asked for a more positive first month!

I am finding the market is tough given the time of year and more and more people going self-employed, demanding extortionate rates amongst skilled trades. However, we persevere and hope to secure a  healthy November for SYR!

Shipwright
Are you a highly competent Shipwright with experience in composites and extensive boatbuilding skills? Working for an established boatbuilder in Southampton, you will be working with some prolific projects at a great hourly rate.

Email me to apply.

See you next month!

November brings our final international event of the year, METSTRADE. I’ll be attending the world’s largest marine equipment show along with attending a number of satellite events and visiting a number of our Dutch clients. I’m still available during the course of the event for meetings to discuss your career plans or indeed hiring requirements, so do get in touch if you’d like to book a meeting.

ED EWER 
CEO
ed@superyachtrecruiter.com  | +44 (0) 7920 060 965

 

SYR just got a little bit bigger!

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Q4 is here and with it, our busiest quarter of the year. Fresh from the 2024 Monaco Yacht Show we’re hard at work following up a host of exciting leads from across our existing customer base and as a result of new contacts made during the show. With a choice of vacancies in the brokerage space and with a number of industry innovators in the green space, it’s nice to be working with some brand new customers.

It was interesting to engage with the employment market during MYS, viewing hiring trends from across the Eurozone as well as stateside, sharing more key data and insights to help make key decisions. Check out our show report.

We see an industry with a retained appetite to hire and an increasingly mobile candidate market. More than ever, the importance of both parties understanding market conditions is paramount, as this could make or break a placement.

With our new quarter we also welcome a new face to the SYR fold. Everyone, meet Luke Dunton. Luke joins us as Technical Recruiter and will support us across design and skilled trades here in the UK, along with supporting some of our international customer base.

Luke has spent a number of years working internally for the team at Oyster Yachts before coming to join us, so brings a great understanding of technical recruitment and an already impressive network.

As we look forwards, we’re hard at work preparing for METS in just over a month, along with working on a busy selection of roles across the business that total in excess of 50! No time to relax here!

As always, we’re here to offer advice and practical recruitment support so if you would like to know more about our services, discuss your career or how we can help grow your business, please do get in touch.

ED EWER 
CEO
ed@superyachtrecruiter.com  | +44 (0) 7920 060 965

TEAM UPDATES

ED | CEO | ed@superyachtrecruiter.com

The world of design and engineering has remained buoyant even with a slowing new build world, with a host of vacancies coming online in the past few weeks across both shipyards and studios at a range of levels. A real appetite for creative designers remains, but with clients being picky!

Elsewhere, we’ve welcomed a pair of exciting roles to an industry innovator, satisfying our appetite to support the rule-breakers out there and ultimately playing a small part in decarbonising the maritime world.

Head of Business Development 
A lead role working for a top tech brand in the maritime sector. London based but with travel, the role is aimed squarely at developing a B2B strategy and pipeline for an incredible new product. Applicants need to be ensconced in the small craft sector with a passion for growth and an appetite to disrupt. An immediate start available.

Email me to apply.

SIMON | Senior Recruitment Consultant – Brokerage, Management & New Build | simon@superyachtrecruiter.com

After another successful MYS 2024 I’ve come back with a range of new roles, particularly around the commercial side of the industry.

Charter roles, both Retail Brokers and CMs, are available in the UK, US and the Med and several international brokerage houses are keen to talk to independent Sales Brokers who are perhaps looking for enhanced back office and marketing support. As always, reach out to me directly for a chat about opportunities.

Retail Charter Manager
Are you an established Retail Broker looking to advance your career? Want to work for a great yachting brand with a growing fleet? Then this role could be for you!

The position of Retail Charter Manager is a central role to the company’s charter department, working directly with the company’s Director, senior charter and marketing team and wider personnel to develop the company’s marketing, systems, sales and services with the objective ofachieving increased retail charter deals and the improvement of charter activities.

This role is an excellent opportunity to work and learn from experienced yachting professionals, working on elements of both retail and central agency charters, marketing and financial activities within the luxury yacht industry.

To apply click here 

Meet Luke!

LUKE |  Recruitment Consultant | luke@superyachtrecruiter.com

‘I am joining SYR as working with Ed and his team externally as a partner at various events has shown me that his strategy, approach and tenacity in this industry is something to admire. The opportunity to join him on his journey and build on this brand is energising!

I will be coming to SYR to head up skilled trades and specialised design 360 recruitment for some great clients I have followed since joining the marine sector.

Additionally, I will be supporting in business development for SYR, all the while still being an advocate for apprenticeships on a broader promotional platform!’

See you next month!

 

Now the dust has settled, it’s time for us to reflect on the biggest show of the SYR calendar.  

Monaco Yacht Show 2024 was our third as a business and continues to surprise us with a totally different experience each year! This year….RAIN?!?!

However, despite its best attempts, it didn’t put a downer on the biggest show in the world of yachting. SYR dispatched Si and Ed to the principality for four days of networking amongst our candidate and client bases, bringing together a host of our existing customers and giving us the opportunity to build new relationships as well.

Busy calendars meant that the team racked up an average of 50,000 steps each day, from yacht tours on some of the stars of the show to seeing the show from the water aboard some of the stunning tenders drafted in by the management companies. Our focus tended to sit amongst the worlds of refit and brokerage this year, with not only positive meetings, but candidate interviews and even offers taking place during the show.

New business opportunities however seemed a little slower than 2022 and 2023. Genuine leads remained healthy, though the resounding position of the market seemed to be one more of wanting to stabilise than to chase heavy growth. The knock-on effects of so many macro-economic changes no doubt being felt and a slight hesitancy to make decisions in the face of the looming US election.

That said, some great appetite remains within the larger employers in the market, especially in management and brokerage, seeing opportunities in Europe and the US thriving, but with a challenge to identify available talent in a still saturated commercial marketplace.

Our refit market customers demonstrated how a slow down in new build is driving refit projects, with new roles across two major groups aligning nicely with announcements from within the market of new projects and takeovers to strengthen market position.

SYR again were trusted by some of the biggest names in yachting to continue our working partnerships and are looking forward to a busy end of 2024 and a strong start to 2025. We’re excited to be bringing some great new roles down the pipeline and already have some highly interesting major recruitment projects to jump into.

   

Who’s ready for a yacht show?

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It’s September already and this means only one thing, European yacht shows! By the time you read this we’ll be concluding the Cannes Yachting Festival and be a week out from the Monaco Yacht Show. With some incredible new yachts on show across these events, we’re excited to see some of the latest vessels to launch, including Kismet and Renaissance (a yacht that SYR worked with to recruit into the build team).

With Simon and I hitting the principality, we’ll be attending a host of exclusive events at the show and on-hand to meet with you to discuss your hiring or career focussed requirements.

We also welcome our first sponsor to the SYR Newsletter. MIMO Connect and their ETO-focussed recruitment brand Robertsons ETOs are coming on board as our sponsors for a number of coming editions of the newsletter. We’re also working with them on an exciting MYS collaboration, which you’ll see in person as you walk around the yacht show in a couple of weeks time.

For those of you that don’t already know our new sponsor, we sat down with Jason, owner of the business with his wife Nicci, to find out more about the brand and why they’re considered leaders at what they do! You can read the full interview here.

Looking to the recruitment world, August was typically fairly quiet until late in the month. Since this point however, it’s safe to say that things have gone crazy, with a wide range of opportunities coming along specifically within the shipyard and yacht management spaces.

The final quarter of the year is usually our busiest both in terms of placements and in terms of new roles coming online, so head to the website and check out the latest and greatest we have available.

As always, we’re here to offer advice and practical recruitment support so if you would like to know more about our services, discuss your career or how we can help grow your business, please do get in touch.

ED EWER 
CEO
ed@superyachtrecruiter.com  | +44 (0) 7920 060 965

TEAM UPDATES

ED | CEO | ed@superyachtrecruiter.com

It’s been an enjoyable but hectic few weeks on my desk, with a couple of major new clients taking up much of my time across the shipyard sector, from skilled tradespeople through to senior project management.

The market is buoyant across Europe, which is great to see and it’s showing no sign of slowing down! I’m looking forward to really getting back into the thick of discussions with my design and engineering client base during September and October, likely showcasing some great new roles.

Sales Manager – Superyacht Refit
We’re looking for a serial networker with a strong history in working with shipyards, management companies and owners to join a leading shipyard group in a sales management role.

The post offers a lot of flexibility and huge earning opportunities for the right person. If you’re Europe based and keen on a new challenge, get in touch!

To apply click here

SIMON | Senior Recruitment Consultant – Brokerage, Management & New Build | simon@superyachtrecruiter.com

August is a traditionally slow month for new opportunities, but now we’re into September and show season, it’s full steam ahead for new roles. I’m working on some charter opportunities in the EU and US so do reach out if you are considering a change. I’ve also got a very nice role in Palma for a Yacht Ops Manager so drop me a line if you’d like further information. I’m looking forward to seeing everyone at MYS!

Yacht Operations Manager – Palma de Mallorca 
Are you a Captain looking to come ashore? Or perhaps you’ve already made the transition and are looking for the next career move? If so, this could be a great role to consider.

The client is a boutique management company with a growing fleet along with several construction projects under management and, due to ongoing growth, they’d like to appoint a Yacht Operations Manager to oversee the fleet.

With 14 vessels currently under management in the sub 30m range and running mini ISM, you’ll have excellent compliance knowledge along with a good technical understanding, experience in crewing services and a broad understanding of general operational and logistics support across the fleet. Working alongside the MD, you’ll help guide and grow the managed service offering, delivering a 1st class experience to owners, Captains and other stakeholders.

This role would suit a Captain with a 500gt ticket or an ambitious Junior YM looking to grow into a full YM position. Onboard experience is required however.

To apply click here 

 

See you next month!

We’re really pleased to welcome our new sponsors MIMO Connect and so to introduce them, our CEO Ed sat down with the brains behind MIMO Connect, Jason Robertson, to find out more about the authority in all things superyacht communications.

Jason, welcome to the SYR hotseat.

Thank you very much Ed!

MIMO Connect has become a well known name in the superyacht sector in a short period of time. For those who don’t already know you, can you sum up in a nutshell the product/service offering from MIMO?

MIMO stands for Multiple In Multiple Out, which in the world of connectivity, means we deliver ultimate diversity and performance. The business’ heritage and focus is firmly based on supporting the maritime industry where we have built an enviable reputation as the ‘go to’ partners for superyacht data connectivity.

You’ve moved away from the more plug-and-play setups that your competition offer to the market, instead creating your own domes and internals. Do you feel that this is what puts you above the rest in terms of connectivity and reliability?

Absolutely, MIMO Connect developed the first and original cellular 4G/5G Dome, developed during Covid. The groundbreaking MIMO technology is EMC tested and approved, providing a new novel idea of incorporating all cellular antennas neatly within one enclosure, avoiding expensive labour-intensive coax cable runs.

The immediate benefit with having a MIMO Dome is that the full cellular signal reaches the cellular modem located inside the dome providing the fastest and most reliable connection possible.

Our partnership with the best maritime modem and antenna provider allows us to not only offer reliable balanced connections but also a full three year warranty. In addition, we are also very proud of the top quality maritime approved IOT multi network SIM cards we offer.

MIMO have become a bit of an authority on the Starlink products, recently testing the Starlink Mini. Do you see this as the future for onboard connectivity across the world’s oceans, or are there still areas where a backup will be needed? Do you think Starlink will ever really be competed against on the global market?

MIMO Connect joined the Starlink Beta Better Than Nothing program early on in July 2020 and received its first Starlink Terminal “Dishy” in Dec 2020. We’ve been directly involved from the beginning, providing SpaceX with explanations and advice on how Starlink could be used within the maritime sector and see this as being one of the biggest technology improvements since VSAT was introduced in 1986.

Starlink is most definitely here to stay and from its infancy has managed to maintain an impressive onboarding cadence, rapidly becoming a serious player in data connectivity. In no small part, Starlink’s success can be attributed to the fact that generally it works very well, offers very low latency (approx. 20ms – 60ms) with incredible fibre like speeds of over 300Mbps down and 20Mbps up.

Starlink has competition with cellular 4G/5G connectivity on land and near shore/marinas and there are other Low Earth Orbit constellations already available and there are more coming, so they won’t necessarily always have it their way.

Some schools of thought predict that Starlink will be the end of Cellular, but that could be hasty as Cellular does offer comparable download speeds but much higher upload speeds compared with Starlink, and right now Cellular 4G/5G pricing is, on the whole, more affordable.

Where is MIMO headed next when it comes to target markets and the tech that you use? How do you intend to maintain your foothold as a market leader?

MIMO Connect strives to lead the industry through innovation and adopting new connection technologies as they evolve. MIMO Connect are already geared up to support clients who require robust and reliable connectivity at any location so expanding into other verticals outside of the maritime industry is a natural progression.

MIMO Connect have seen much interest and some early success supplying our products and services to security, emergency services and transport companies.

Lastly, with the autumn shows already well underway, do you have anything exciting planned to showcase the MIMO Connect brand to the wider industry?

Always, MIMO Connect is constantly developing and prototyping new products and the business is very excited with the opportunities coming out of the rapid technological changes. We look forward to launching and showcasing these solutions at upcoming events.

MIMO Connect have a great Crew SIM collaboration with ACREW which goes live at the Monaco Yacht Show and ‘watch this space,’ and follow our socials for something truly game changing that is in trials right now and which will be launched at METS (Marine Exhibition Trade Show) in November 2024.

Thanks Jason, that all sounds very exciting and we’re looking forward to seeing our jointly branded SYR, MIMO Connect and Robertson ETOs taxi doing the rounds during the Monaco Yacht Show!

Welcome to the latest SYR View From The Desk

If you would like to receive this update as a monthly email register here.

And just like that, it’s August – a time of year when either the industry is super busy or everyone is on holiday. August is a great opportunity for hiring managers and jobseekers to take stock of their current position and make key decisions as to their next steps before year end.

We always encourage discussion around recruitment in August as generally there is more time flexibility for everyone and we can really offer strong and informed advice to those who require it.

Building up to the show season, we’re preparing to launch some key industry partnerships and to really enjoy the various events that are being hosted across Europe.

As always, we’re here to offer advice and practical recruitment support so if you would like to know more about our services, discuss your career or how we can help grow your business, please do get in touch.

ED EWER 
CEO
ed@superyachtrecruiter.com  | +44 (0) 7920 060 965

TEAM UPDATES

ED | CEO | ed@superyachtrecruiter.com

Design and engineering remain steady, though moreso at the larger end of the market. Small craft builders, especially those serial building, seem to be struggling as a result of industry challenges and we’re seeing more of a desire to seek out new employment by those caught up in this instability.

Creative design is leading the charge however, with a host of interesting roles coming online and some of our larger clients planning a more concerted effort coming into autumn.

CAD Designer – London
We’re looking for a talented CAD Designer to join a leading superyacht design studio in London.

Famed for their incredible design style, this busy studio has built a strong team and produced award winning yacht designs for many years. With a busy ongoing schedule of projects, they now seek a CAD Designer to join them, tasked with the technical design of their incredible concepts.

Joining the London office in a hybrid capacity (minimum 3 days in the office) you’ll be working with an existing CAD team across a wide range of projects, showcasing a solid knowledge of Autocad and a close eye for detail and accuracy.

To apply click here

SIMON | Senior Recruitment Consultant – Brokerage, Management & New Build | simon@superyachtrecruiter.com

With the charter season in full swing and many people on holiday, it’s inevitable that the job market slows a little from late July across August. I’ve been focussed on meeting candidates during this period and came back from a development trip to Monaco with an array of new contacts and clients, and will be announcing some new, formal recruitment partnerships with some famous industry names.

Keep your eye on the SYR socials for further announcements shortly. We’re already preparing for the upcoming show season and will be updating everyone on our plans for MYS including some special surprises! See you at a yacht show.

Technical Administrator
Are you an engineering graduate or a Junior Marine Engineer looking to enter the superyacht industry? This could be the perfect role!

One of yachting’s most famous names is seeking a Technical Administrator to join its engineering teams in either the London or Monaco offices. Supporting the company’s Technical & Project Managers, you’ll provide a range of administrative services including document management, report prep and writing, and liaising with external suppliers, clients and stakeholders. You’ll be diligent and organised with strong IT skills and a working knowledge of CRM and QMS software.

The company offers mentorship and career development, with a basic salary bracket of £30-35,000 DOE plus a full company benefits package. This is an office based role and applicants are reminded that they must have the legal right to live/work in either the UK or France.

To apply click here 

See you next month!

Welcome to the latest SYR View From The Desk

If you would like to receive this update as a monthly email register here.

We’ve reached the midpoint of 2024 and yachting really has bounced back since the relative quiet of last year. We’re seeing a strong growth among our brokerage and yacht management customer base to further bolster a busy yacht design and build sector.

The recruitment team sit close to capacity but have welcomed a number of brand new clients to the SYR network in the past weeks, showing further exciting growth and brand awareness in the international yacht market.

Looking to the coming months, July and August are historically some of our busiest months and with a strong increase in new roles in the past week, it looks like this year will be no different. With client visits and international tours ahead, we’re excited to be out in the market once again.

As always, we’re here to offer advice and practical recruitment support so if you would like to know more about our services, discuss your career or how we can help grow your business, please do get in touch.

ED EWER 
CEO
ed@superyachtrecruiter.com  | +44 (0) 7920 060 965

TEAM UPDATES

ED | CEO | ed@superyachtrecruiter.com

Design, engineering and yachtbuilding are hot markets right now. Particularly in yachtbuilding, there’s a sustained need for talent across most trades, mainly within the higher value end of the market.

Both UK and Europe-wide, we’re working closely with a number of direct clients and recruitment partners to keep shipyards well staffed and able to achieve their own targets.

Aftersales Technician
An exciting opportunity for an AEC qualified Engineer either from a shoreside or seafaring background to join a well known maritime distributor to support their superyacht brand.

A role with extensive international travel to support their growing European customer base, this is an exciting role for someone with the flexibility and desire to travel at the drop of a hat.

To apply click here

SIMON | Senior Recruitment Consultant – Brokerage, Management & New Build | simon@superyachtrecruiter.com

With the Med season is full swing, the job market is focussed on charter and sales, with a range of interesting opportunities that suit all levels of experience. Clients are willing to put together extremely attractive packages for experienced Brokers, so any experienced candidate considering their next career step is advised to reach out ASAP.

We’ve also been winning new clients this quarter, which continues to open up the industry even further to prospective job seekers engaged with us, so please do reach out to me if you haven’t already done so – there will be a number of exclusive opportunities available post-MYS.

Senior Maritime Compliance Assistant – South Coast
Do you have experience with the application of the ISM code? Or maybe you’re ex-crew with a strong quality and compliance background? Then the role of Maritime Compliance Assistant could be for you!

The client is a respected name in yachting with a significant fleet under management. It’s a people-first business where care, attention and development is afforded to every single member of the team so this is a fantastic opportunity if you’re looking to grow your career in maritime compliance within a supportive, structured environment.

To apply click here 

See you next month!

For decades now, we’ve been building yachts, personal watercraft and commercial vessels from GRP (Glass Reinforced Plastic) – A hideous mixture of tiny glass fibres and chemical resins, combined to produce a lightweight and strong composite end product that floats and doesn’t allow water ingress.

The product that we’ve used to build our boats for all these years however, is not biodegradable, recyclable or reusable. Around the world there are damaged or unused boat hulls and parts littering boatyards, storage facilities and even the bottoms of our rivers, lakes and seas.

Yet within the world of boatbuilding there are very few who are trying to bring about any form of change when it comes to making small boatbuilding any more sustainable. The general consensus seems to be that nobody wants to be the first to change, or to invest in the technology required so that vessels can either be broken down or their major components reused in the future. Whilst the environmental impact versus major issues, such as carbon emissions, is small, finding a way to break down or recycle yachts will give our industry one hell of a profile boost.

The technology to build cleaner, more sustainable boats has been around for at least the past five years. Companies such as Baltic Yachts have been introducing cleaner and more recyclable fibre into their yacht builds for a period now. At the time, the shipyard received acclaim for its efforts, but we’ve heard little from them or indeed the wider market about the sustainability improvements that the use of hemps and flaxes has made to their overall environmental impact or indeed if there have been any negative outcomes from their use.

Likewise, Northern Light Composites (name check) have built a 100% recyclable Optimist. Made from fully recycled materials and, in itself, fully recyclable. Carbon emissions of the overall process are unknown, but the entire build leaves no trace and can be recycled once more come end of life.

The UK is a major boatbuilder in composites but seems to show no effort in developing cleaner composite solutions, instead relying on European innovators to come up with the technology that they will ever-so-slowly adapt to.

So how do we encourage the adoption of new, cleaner boatbuilding tech?

Regulation – The obvious suggestion would be the introduction of regulation on UK boatbuilding. Shipyards must use specific technologies or products during the manufacturing process, proving wastage and showing its reduction – A heavy-handed approach that likely is too much, too quickly and also not enforceable.

Green Credits – Introduce either tax credits or innovation grants to allow businesses and shipyards to work on innovations in composite manufacture, to trial new products and to work out how to break down existing hulls with technology that will leave minimal by-production.

Partnerships – Encouraging composite pioneers to engage closely with shipyards, to work with their R&D departments on a common goal to make boatbuilding more sustainable.

Taxation – Punish those who aren’t showing intiative or a drive towards cleaner production. Tax based on value of waste output per annum or on numbers of vessels sold, to encourage reduction of carbon and physical footprint.

The Consumer – The consumer needs to be more forceful when it comes to their expectations. If a buyer is happy with a high emission plastic yacht, the yachtbuilder will keep building it. If the buyer starts to hold the shipyard to account, they are forced to change their ways. A futile but idealistic expectation.

As the world moves into a new phase, with a huge pressure on reducing the footprint we create on our planet, we all need to be making the effort to clean up our act. As an industry, we need to work together, we need to innovate and we need to invest in our futures, driving the morally correct outcomes, not the outcomes that simply result in the best profits.