Amsterdam Port Partners with HISWA Holland Yachting Group
Port of Amsterdam officially joined the HISWA Holland Yachting Group as a partner on, presenting itself as a new partner to the members during the annual HISWA summer event.
The event was held on the wharf of yacht manufacturer Royal van Lent (Feadship) on the Kaag waterway. Port of Amsterdam and the yacht manufacturer had crossed paths before, as Royal van Lent recently expanded its operations by building a brand-new wharf in the port area.
The arrival of Royal van Lent has prompted Port of Amsterdam to explore its own opportunities in the luxury yacht (also known as ‘super yachts’) industry and to work on attracting businesses operating in this industry, including yacht manufacturers, re-fitters and suppliers, to the city. Port of Amsterdam also seeks to position itself as a port of call at the same time.
Port of Amsterdam believes entry into the super-yacht business provides the perfect opportunity for diversification, one of its strategic objectives. The unique value presented by the rich history of shipbuilding in both Amsterdam and the Netherlands overall provide an excellent foundation in this regard. Yacht manufacturing is a high-quality export product in which Dutch industry has traditionally been a powerhouse, boasting a level of skill and expertise next to none.
The growing demand in the market for increasingly larger-sized yachts (a process known as ‘upscaling’) means yacht manufacturers require a growing amount of space on the land and water to build and refit these super yachts. The available wharfs have become too small following the increase in the scale of production, and several wharfs are currently looking for new sites for expansion.
Another priority for these wharfs is easy access to the open sea and sufficient space on the land and the adjacent (deep) water. Proximity to an attractive city with an international airport is also very important to their stakeholders (including owners, captains and crew members). These and other factors give the Amsterdam port area a competitive edge in attracting these businesses to the region.
With both Caribbean and Mediterranean shipping areas becoming overcrowded, yacht owners are looking to venture into new coastal territories. Amsterdam could serve as a port of call en route to other regions, including Scandinavia.
Representing some of the world’s leading companies operating in the super-yacht manufacturing industry, HISWA Holland Yachting Group seeks to strengthen the competitive position of the Dutch yacht-building industry.
