For yacht buyers and brokers navigating months of trade uncertainty, the move offers a glimmer of clarity - but not everyone is celebrating.
While Europe and other trade partners exhaled, China was notably excluded from the pause - and faces a massive tariff escalation to 125% in the coming weeks. The yacht market, already reshaping itself around global politics, now finds itself at a new inflection point.
"This isn’t a rollback across the board,” explains one veteran marine trade consultant. “It’s a recalibration. Only countries previously hit with more than 10% benefit."
Winners: EU & Taiwan
The European Union and Taiwan - both of which had faced tariffs exceeding 10% under Trump’s protectionist agenda - are the primary beneficiaries of this new pause. Their elevated rates are being reset to the universal 10% level for the 90-day window.
Popular Yacht Brands Now Benefiting:
- Azimut, Benetti, Ferretti, Sanlorenzo, Mangusta, Pershing (Italy / EU)
- Lürssen, Abeking & Rasmussen, Bavaria Yachts (Germany)
- Feadship, Heesen, Oceanco, Moonen, Damen Yachting, Van der Valk, Wajer (Netherlands)
- Horizon Yachts, Ocean Alexander, Monte Fino, Johnson Yachts, Fleming, Outer Reef (Taiwan)
Buyers looking at non-duty-paid inventory from these regions now enjoy reduced import costs and more price-stable dealmaking.
Who Does Not Benefit: UK, Australia, Turkey, Canada
Countries like the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and Turkey were already subject to the standard 10% baseline tariff and therefore do not benefit from the 90-day tariff pause. Their tariff rate remains unchanged - and with EU and Taiwan tariffs now reset to match, these builders no longer enjoy a competitive pricing advantage.
Key Brands No Longer Benefiting:
China: From Expensive to Prohibitive
While Europe and Asia-Pacific enjoy a moment of relief, China is being pushed further out of reach. President Trump confirmed that China is excluded from the tariff pause, and tariffs on Chinese goods - including yachts - will soon be increased to 125% in response to retaliatory trade actions by Beijing.
Chinese-Built Yacht Brands Now Facing 125% Tariff:
- Pearl Yachts (UK-branded but Chinese-built)
- Cheoy Lee
- Marlow Yachts
- Nordhavn (many models built in China)
The result? New imports of Chinese-built yachts are now effectively blocked for U.S. buyers. Even brokerage yachts located in the U.S. that are not yet duty paid could be hit with six- or seven-figure import costs - instantly destroying their viability.
Short-Term Market Optimism — But a Narrow Window
The stock market surged following Trump’s announcement, with investors interpreting the pause as a pivot to more rational trade policy. For yacht buyers, it has created a 90-day window of reduced cost and increased clarity - particularly in the 50–100ft range where EU and Taiwan inventory had been sitting idle.
Expect a rush of:
- Brokered sales of non-duty-paid EU/Taiwan yachts
- Increased demand for already duty-paid UK and China-built vessels
- Dealers fast-tracking imports before the pause expires
Trump’s 90-day tariff pause provides a critical, but narrow, opportunity for buyers of European and Taiwanese yachts. But it also cements a new reality: the door is closing rapidly on Chinese-built imports.
For buyers, the message is simple: understand your yacht’s build origin and duty status before you buy - because in this trade climate, one wrong assumption could cost hundreds of thousands.
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