Research Puts Global Superyacht Economic Output at €54bn

New research commissioned by the Superyacht Builders Association and the Superyacht Life Foundation estimates that superyachts over 30 metres generated €54 billion in global economic output in 2022. The figure combines approximately €22 billion of direct expenditure with a further €32 billion of indirect activity created through supply chains and associated services.

The date matters because the report is being circulated in 2026 but its economic model uses the 2022 fiscal year as the underlying reference period. It should therefore be read as a quantified assessment of the industry’s economic footprint in that year rather than as a claim that current 2026 turnover is €54 billion.

The study looks beyond yacht construction alone

The research covers new build, refit, fleet operations, charter, brokerage, tourism and destination spending rather than treating shipyard revenue as the whole industry. That wider scope reflects the fact that an active superyacht continues to generate expenditure long after delivery through crew, maintenance, fuel, insurance, management, marinas, technical support and local services.

ICOMIA’s summary says the analysis combines primary industry surveys, secondary market intelligence, company financial data, AIS movement information and expert interviews. Macroeconomic input-output modelling was carried out using FIGARO tables from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, with corporate financial data cross-checked and validated by Deloitte.

Every €1m of direct turnover is estimated to support another €1.4m

One of the report’s headline findings is an estimated total output multiplier of 2.4. In practical terms, the study calculates that every €1 million of direct superyacht turnover is associated with a further €1.4 million of economic output elsewhere in the economy, giving €2.4 million of total output.

That effect reflects purchases from specialist suppliers as well as spending that reaches sectors not normally labelled as part of the superyacht industry. Engineering, interiors, professional services, logistics, hospitality and destination businesses can all receive income linked to yacht construction or operation even when yachting is only one part of their wider commercial activity.

Refit and the active fleet create recurring activity

New construction can produce very large individual contracts, but the study also places weight on recurring expenditure from yachts already in service. Refit cycles, maintenance programmes and normal operations create work repeatedly across a yacht’s lifetime, spreading activity among yards, subcontractors, marinas and service providers in multiple countries.

That lifecycle perspective is particularly relevant to established superyacht hubs where the local economy is supported by visiting yachts as well as by resident builders. A region without a major construction yard can still capture substantial economic value through repair, seasonal berthing, provisioning, crew services and owner or guest spending.

The methodology also has important limits

The authors acknowledge that the private nature of the superyacht sector means some inputs are based on representative modelling rather than exhaustive global reporting. Ownership structures, private operating budgets and fragmented supplier data make it difficult to obtain a complete audited dataset for every yacht and every business involved.

Even with that limitation, the study provides a structured attempt to quantify activity that is often discussed only through yacht values or order-book numbers. The €54 billion figure is most useful when its scope and 2022 reference year are kept visible, allowing future studies to compare changes on a consistent basis rather than turning one modelled estimate into a current headline without context.