Cannes Yachting Festival 2025 – the global yachting industry landscape 

This year in Cannes, over 650 exhibitors showcased 700 vessels from around the world. 

Participation in the festival always holds special significance for our firm. For years, we have been supporting the yachting industry by offering legal advice on construction, sales, chartering, leasing, insurance, dispute resolution, vessel registration, as well as compliance and ESG. The Cannes Yachting Festival is an excellent opportunity to connect with manufacturers, dealers, and shipowners, explore new trends, and exchange experiences with both domestic and international partners. Attending the event allows us to better support our clients in both local and international markets. 

Our key observations: 

1. Slower industry growth – sales remain strong, especially in the catamaran and 10-20 meter yacht segments. However, noticeable slowing is driven by rising production costs, limited material availability, and global economic uncertainty linked to factors such as the war in Ukraine, U.S. trade policy, and tensions in the Middle East. 
2. Ecology as a megatrend – manufacturers are embracing sustainability by offering photovoltaic panels, hybrid propulsion, and lighter designs. Still, fully electric propulsion remains niche, and port infrastructure is not yet sufficiently developed. 
3. Catamarans leading the way – catamarans continue to gain popularity, combining comfort, space, and safety. 
4. The premium market is becoming increasingly competitive – major brands like Azimut, Sunseeker, and Ferretti are offering larger and more personalized vessels. 
5. Challenges – rising production costs, shortage of skilled workers, environmental regulations, macroeconomic uncertainty, and growing fiscal burdens all impact market development. 

Opportunities and growth directions in the sector: 

• Hybrid and solar technologies that can significantly reduce operating costs.
• Emerging markets such as the Middle East and Asia are gaining momentum; North America, despite trade policy, is also holding strong.
• Premium chartering and after-sales services are rapidly growing market segments.
• Yachting mobility is becoming a viable alternative to traditional real estate investments. 

Finally, it is worth highlighting that Poland remains a key player in the yacht market. Galeon Yachts, Sunreef Yachts, Moon Yacht, Northman Shipyard, Parker Poland, Virtue Yachts, and Wiszniewski Yachts all exhibited in Cannes, underscoring Poland’s growing role in premium yacht manufacturing. 

All the more reason why our presence next year is almost certain 😊