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An industry representative body, Superyacht Base Australia, was
formed in 1999 to develop, promote and facilitate the Australian region as a
desirable and easy destination for superyacht owners and skippers alike. A
private-sector initiative known as the Great Southern Route is expected to be
launched this year, offering a one-stop shop for skippers needing berthing,
service and provisions information for travel en route to and around Australia.
It includes transit information and information on cruising in other locations
such as the Galapagos Islands, the Cook Islands, Tahiti, Fiji, the Maldives and
Southeast Asia. A vessel-exchange option has also recently become available
through fractional exchange network Global Boating Limited, which provides
reciprocal access to yachts in cruising grounds around Australia, New Zealand,
Thailand and Fiji. Simultaneously, the increased interest in the Australasian
region and demand for more affordable ways to transport yachts from the Northern
to the Southern Hemisphere has resulted in the introduction of a regular Fort
Lauderdale–to-Brisbane transportation service by the float-on, float-off
shipping company Dockwise Yacht Transport in August 2003, and a new
Europe-to-Cairns service via Southeast Asia, due to commence in May of this
year. With more than 7,000 superyachts over 24 meters currently
cruising the Northern Hemisphere’s waterways, and another 700-plus under
construction or in the planning stage, the shortage and unreliability of
berthing and marina facilities in the traditional European and North American
cruising regions is not likely to improve any time soon. The Southern Hemisphere
is poised to become the largest destination growth market for superyacht owners
over the next 10 years.
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