Source: Authors based on various sources.
The production of recreational crafts is highly diverse, ranging from series to one-off boats built to order. Advanced engineering, innovative design methodologies, and high-quality craftsmanship are critical aspects of leadership in yacht production.
Yacht manufacturers are primarily European firms, particularly in the superyachts sector. France is a leader in global boat production (catamarans, monohulls, multihulls, and motor yachts), and overseas sales, with its largest boatbuilders, Groupe Bénéteau (established in the 1880s) and the publicly listed Fountaine-Pajot, building thousands of boats annually. Sales go to overseas markets, primarily the US and Caribbean. The Italian Fincantieri, which leverages its status as one of the largest shipbuilding groups with advanced manufacturing capabilities and strategic partnerships, is the market leader, holding approximately a 10% market share. The top six groups (Feadship, Ferretti Group, Fincantieri, Group Beneteau, Lürssen, Princess Yachts) share one-third of the market. Other large groups are located in the Netherlands (Feadship, Damen) and Germany (Lurssen, which focuses on megayachts and superyachts, with projects averaging 106.8 m in length in 2024), the UK (Princess, Sunseeker), and Poland (i.e., the luxury catamaran manufacturer Sunreef).
The production of recreational crafts is highly diverse, ranging from series to one-off boats built to order. Yacht manufacturers are primarily European firms, particularly in the superyachts sector. The U.S. contributes strongly in niche areas, with manufacturers being particularly strong in sportfishing yachts, custom and mid-size motor yachts. However, it is less competitive in large-scale sailing yacht production compared to France or Italy. Italy’s preeminence in the global yacht manufacturing industry is substantiated by its consistent control of over 40% of all yachts under construction, a dominance attributed to the consistent production output of its major shipyards. The substantial volume of large motor yacht orders is a critical factor in Italy’s sustained prominence, reinforcing its position as the world’s foremost producer of motor yachts and a pivotal contributor to advancements in maritime technology and luxury vessel manufacturing. Beyond Italy, large groups of manufacturers are located in the Netherlands, Germany, the UK and Poland. The major non-European yacht manufacturer worldwide is operating in Taiwan.
The U.S. market contributes strongly in niche areas, with manufacturers being strong in sportfishing yachts (Viking, Hatteras), custom and mid-size motor yachts (Westport, Delta, Christensen, Burger), but is less competitive in large-scale sailing yacht production compared to France or Italy. Taiwan’s Ocean Alexander is the major non-European manufacturer of yachts worldwide.
Throughout the 21st century, the Italian manufacturer Azimut-Benetti has consistently topped the rankings for building superyachts (yachts exceeding 24 meters in length), based on the cumulative length of hulls produced. Another Italian manufacturer, Sanlorenzo, ranks second. In 2024, these two companies had 167 projects with an average length of 36 m. and 132 projects with an average length of 34.1 m. in progress, respectively, with no other manufacturer developing more than 40 projects within the year. Adding the other major Italian yards (i.e., Ferretti Group, The Italian Sea Group, Overmarine, Custom Line), Italy is the undisputed world leader in the production of yachts and superyachts.
The top-15 yacht builders in 2024 had orders for over 640 new builds, reaching a total length of 25.000 meters.