Azimut, Benetti Group racks up almost $2bn in orders

According to the group, its order book is up three-fold on the previous superyacht-making season, with orders in the last 90 days alone adding up to €508 million.

So what are people buying? Azimut|Benetti Group says demand is concentrated in boats stretching more than 24 metres – 80 feet in the old measure – with these superyachts accounting for €900 million of the sales.

“Despite one or two physiological production slowdowns due to shift organisation issues resulting from anti-COVID policies and the more recent procurement problems in the supply chain, the group has happily seized the moment of commercial exuberance that has characterised the last six months, with its two Azimut Yachts and Benetti brands delivering a total of 245 boats,” it said in a statement announcing the headline numbers.

“This figure is dominated by the most appealing models on the market, thanks to their distinctive characteristics in terms of design, innovative technology and sustainability,” it said.

Stand-out orders include Azimut’s new flagship, the 38.2-metre Grande Trideck, which has already racked up 10 sales even before it was revealed at the 2021 Cannes Yachting Festival, and the Benetti Oasis 40M that has snared 14 buyers.

Hinting that there is something of a seismic shift in high-end boat owners’ attitudes to outboard-engined boats, the Azimut Verve 47, powered by quad Mercury Racing 450R engines, has already made 55 sales, more than half of them in the first six months of this year alone.

The market that has grown the largest for both brands has been the Asia Pacific region, with sales growing to 15 per cent of the new boats’ customer base.