Superyacht Builders Association, or SYBAss as it is mostly commonly known, is a collective force that unites and represents the builders of large yachts. Its mission is simple: ensure that the unique needs of the world’s leading superyacht builders are addressed on the international stage.
It was in the mid-2000s that the seeds for such an association were first sown. The industry was rapidly growing, yet was still relatively immature and lacked the basic organisation of larger sectors. Because of this, superyacht builders were finding themselves increasingly squeezed between the international regulations of the commercial maritime industry and those that applied to the smaller leisure sector. Without an industry body, the superyacht sector was simply being overlooked. It was against this backdrop that SYBAss was officially founded in 2007 so that the superyacht industry could finally have a collective voice.
“Before SYBAss, there was very little knowledge of the superyacht sector within the regulatory world. It was always seen as part of the leisure boating market,” explains secretary general, Theo Hooning.