Imperial Motor Yachts

Imperial reports buoyant business at show

Imperial Motor Yachts, specialists in sourcing some of the finest motoryachts in the world, including Avantgarde Yachts, Johnson and van der Valk, have had an extremely lucrative week.

Michael Miller – the company’s Managing Director – said at the close of business at the show today: “We are delighted particularly with the fact we’ve had a cold client who has come on the stand and inquired about our range of Dutch bespoke motoryachts. He has signed a letter of intent, pre Christmas, to finalise his specification on his 19m van der Valk.”

According to Miller, the starting price for the particular boat he’s ordered is just under two million Euros but by the time it’s fully specified, it’ll be more in the two and a quarter million Euro range, ex VAT.

Miller continued: “We are delighted to have made a new, walk-in contact like that but being here has also proven very useful in that we have seen a lot of existing clients and contacts.”

Miller chatting about the credit crunch says it hasn’t really affected them, adding: “We have the opinion right now that there is a credit-crunch, as widely reported, but that only applies if you need the credit. At the level of the boat we’re building – bespoke motor yachts – there is still this serious intent to get on with life and move forward and we’re very pleased with the response.”

The brokerage side of the business has also been fruitful with one client signing up for a three-month charter on one of their 45m yachts.

“We’re very pleased because after the three month charter, if his family likes the boat, he hopes to go ahead and purchase it. The boat normally charters between 12-18,000 Euros a day but we’ve agreed a very special rate, still in seven figures, for the three-month charter. So, overall we’re very pleased, and there is no doubt we will be back.”