The Department of Economic Development and stand partners have reported great interest in the Isle of Man at the 27th annual Monaco Yacht Show.

Monaco Yacht Show (27- 30 September) is one of the most prestigious events in the yacht industry’s calendar, bringing together over 30,000 manufacturers, owners, buyers and enthusiasts.

Dick Welsh, Director of the Isle of Man Ship Registry, commented:

‘Monaco is the primary event for the Island’s yacht industry, giving us the chance to show the world’s biggest players the quality and value of our highly successful Ship and Yacht Registers and gain some valuable insight and quality customer leads. The partnership working with the private sector was really effective this year with 12 stand partners flying the flag for the Isle of Man, showcasing the professional services and vast experience we have here.

‘In a rapidly changing global maritime environment it’s important that we continue to evolve and improve our services for our clients. This year Manx Telecom provided the Isle of Man stand with wireless internet capability in a show where no Wi-Fi can normally be found. This made the Isle of Man stand very popular and presented the Island as a well-connected and progressive place to do business.’

Andy Roy, Chairman of the Isle of Man Superyacht Forum, said:

‘We were pleased to see the Committee together with a number of our member firms represented at this year’s show and joining the Ship Registry on the Isle of Man stand to promote the range of services available on the Island, to the yachting sector.

‘Six months ago the Forum launched its Affiliate Membership, which offers businesses based outside the Isle of Man with interests in the Island’s maritime sector, to become part of the Isle of Man SuperYacht Forum. Since then, the Committee have been working hard to promote both the Forum and its members to a wider audience and the Monaco Yacht Show provides a great platform to do this. We are delighted to say that the Affiliate Membership was received well in Monaco, with a number of firms showing considerable interest and others already signing up to become new Members.

‘The Isle of Man is more than just a flag jurisdiction, it is home to a large number of firms that continue to provide a high level of service to one of the most demanding industries in the world and who look to offer clients the widest possible range of solutions. We are excited to see what the future holds for the Forum and the Isle of Man’s maritime sector as a whole.’

The Ship Registry launched the new Pleasure Yacht Plus package at Monaco this year, a new product for owners and managers who wish to keep their yacht for private use but maintain voluntary compliance with the rules and regulations for large charter yachts.

Dick Welsh added:

‘The new product received great interest and we have already registered one pleasure yacht and are working on negotiations for two significant projects arising from the show. We also participated in the ‘soft’ launch of the Red Ensign Yacht Codes, a clear statement of the strength of the Red Ensign Group and our combined dominance of the large yacht market. All in all it was a very positive and strong demonstration of the fantastic work of the Ship Registry, the private industry and our Island.’

For more information on the Isle of Man’s Ship and Yacht Registers, please visit www.iomshipregistry.com/