With the world adapting to a new 'normal' following the global pandemic, the yachting industry has proven how robust and resilient it is by showing outstanding sales figures across multiple continents.
Alongside double-figure growth for many shipyards, many yacht shows made their triumphant return and although some of the biggest superyachts in the world were caught up in the crisis between Russia and Ukraine, there have been some phenomenal masterpieces making a splash throughout the year.
Picking out some of the most memorable stories from the year, here is the YachtBuyer review of 2022.
January
Azimut launches crossover model, the Magellano 30 Metri
Moving away from two years of uncertainty, the yacht industry used the time wisely to adapt and utilize the enhanced desire for solitude and bring new options for owners wanting a new kind of yachting experience. In some cases, this became the need to create a crossover yacht such as the Magellano 30 Metri.
With design collaborations from Ken Freivokh on the exteriors and Vincenzo De Cotiis on the interiors, the move towards creating a trawler-inspired superyacht that delivers on both range and performance resulted in a nice looking order book of 12 units in construction so far.
February
Lürssen’s 160m superyacht BLUE hits the water
A moment of sheer excitement that was needed following the cancellation of the 2022 Boot Dusseldorf event, Lurssen launched the mesmerizing 160m (524ft) superyacht BLUE at the Bremen facility.
Listed as the fourth biggest superyacht in the world, BLUE has an internal volume of 15,320 GT and features a staggering 24 cabins with accommodation for up to 80 crew as well.
March
Doors open on revamped Miami International Boat Show
Showing that it wasn't only yachts themselves adapting to the new 'normal', Miami presented the all-new Miami Boat Show with not one but three shows emerging to create an event worthy of competing directly with the well-known Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show.
With Boot Dusseldorf being canceled in January, the American show was the first chance for many enthusiasts to see an impressive amount of yachts in one place, in person. Needless to say, the massive overhaul proved worthwhile and is set to return in the same format for the 2023 Miami International Boat Show.
April
Princess announce new F65 flybridge model
A month for the British, both Princess and Sunseeker made ripples in April 2022, starting with Princess announcing its biggest model for the F Class. The Princess F65 features familiar design trends previously seen on the Princess Y72 and F45 models.
Joining in with the action in April, there was high expectations as Sunseeker launched the 100 Yacht at Poole Harbour.
Stating it was the 'start of a new era in flybridge design and functionality', the Sunseeker 100 Yacht offers wraparound access on the flybridge and a seamless connection throughout the yacht, making her an ideal yacht for guests of all ages.
May
Riva launch reimagined 102 Corsaro Super
A celebratory year for Italian shipyard Riva as it marked 180 years, and it was quite rightly associated with iconic launches, including the Riva 102 Corsaro Super.
Taking over from the discontinued Corsaro 100 model, the new addition to the fleet was designed to meet the needs of the changing market, redesigning the stern to become a beachclub environment plus the option to add gunwales that swing out either side of the main deck.
According to YachtBuyer Intelligence there are currently five units in construction at the time of writing.
June
Monaco launches 'seducation' on the yachting industry
Continuing the three-year movement to reinvent the highly prestigious Monaco Yacht Show, organizers of the event unleashed details of the forthcoming event and labeled it as 'seducation'.
Unheard of and highly suggestive, the new terminology caused a lot of talk in the industry, however, the ethos behind it was clear and to the point. Reaching out to a new genre of owners by showing off the exquisite perks of living the superyacht lifestyle.
Despite the initial eyebrows lifted at the phrase, the 2022 Monaco Yacht Show was well received and reaffirmed the new badge system that was implemented in 2021.
July
Heesen RELIANCE launches in the Netherlands
A month of bountiful launches and deliveries. The entire industry seemed to pick up twenty notches as show season loomed ahead, with multiple big-name shipyards showcasing stunning superyacht builds as they made maiden voyages or ventured to the North Sea for sea trials.
One of the most anticipated launches in July 2022 was RELIANCE from Dutch shipbuilder Heesen.
Heading on to the charter market following delivery, RELIANCE was an interesting tale from the start as the owner didn't come onto the scene until 15 months into the build. Still with time to allow for customizations and personal input on the owners behalf, this successful project proved that, sometimes, speculative builds are worth the risk.
August
115m Lurssen AHPO headlines Monaco Yacht Show as largest yacht in 12 years
Here at YachtBuyer we love August. The entire industry goes into meltdown over upcoming expectations and announcements surrounding the nearing show season. Cannes, Monaco, Genoa, Southampton and Fort Lauderdale all strive to put on the best shows possible and all within a six week period.
In 2022, the biggest announcement of them all was that 115m (378ft) AHPO was to headline the Monaco Yacht Show. Aside from the obvious sheer jaw-dropping length of the Lurssen superyacht, the storyline here was that AHPO was the largest yacht to go on display at the Monaco event in over 15 years.
And since we love a round up, we took a close look at the largest superyachts to attend Monaco over the past 15 years.
September
Cannes reports successful 45th edition
September had so much going on it was difficult to pinpoint just one great news story. Lots of great shows, many global and European debuts and of course announcements surrounding upcoming new models from varying niches.
However, above them all, we've chosen a report from the sapphire anniversary edition of the Cannes Yachting Festival. Why? It's not the flashiest story or a show-stealer but there was an underlying message.
With recent years proving particularly hard for millions around the globe, many have found it difficult to reimmerse themselves into the world they enjoyed before the pandemic hit. Even with shipyards reporting substantial increases in sales, there were doubts about the future of yacht shows. But, Cannes demonstrated that yacht shows are wanted, people enjoy them and they are here to stay.
October
FLIBS 2022 countdown: must see debuts
The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show is without a doubt one of the biggest global yachting events of the year. Even if you have never attended the show in person, there is still knowledge that it is a show of shows.
Lots of exciting debuts were presented at FLIBS in 2022, an edition that saw staggering new models from many of the well-known industry leaders such as Sunseeker and Sanlorenzo.
Having a team on the ground during the event, we were pleased to see a 'normality' about the show that embraced the new normal rather than sweeping it under the carpet.
November
Feadship powers towards carbon neutrality after groundbreaking milestone
Potentially one of the most groundbreaking movements in the whole of 2022, Feadship's R&D team achieved something truly incredible as the Lloyds Registry provided an agreement in principle for a brand new 'agnostic' fuel system.
A notable occasion not just for Feadship but for the entire maritime industry, the concept proposes a new way of fuelling superyachts and setting them up for fuels of the future too.
Needless to say, the Feadship superyacht concept PURE also took a substantial step forward closer to reality.
December
US imposes sanctions on 89m NIRVANA
Not the cheeriest note to close 2022 on, albeit a relevant and important one. Sanctions have been dished out in spades following the start of the Ukraine and Russia situation, and in December 2022 the US list of sanctioned yachts tipped 91.
Deemed as 'blocked property' it is unclear what the future holds for many of the seized yachts though there may be a good chance some of them will end up in auction during 2023.
What a year it has been, if your new year's resolution is to become a yacht owner now is the perfect time to start gathering ideas on what you're looking for in your ideal yacht. Get some inspiration from our full listing of all yachts for sale.
