The 3rd edition of the Superyacht Summit Türkiye, held on 11–12 November 2025 at Tersane Istanbul and 2Plan Terminal, reaffirmed Türkiye’s status as one of the world’s leading forces in yacht construction, refit and maritime innovation. With 450+ participants, 31 international speakers and leading names from across the industry, the summit delivered two days of high-level debate, strategic insight, and exclusive networking.
The event began with an emotional tribute to the late Halit Yukay, a pioneer whose legacy continues to inspire Türkiye’s maritime community. Immediately afterward, Invest in Türkiye opened the official program with an overview of national initiatives designed to boost international collaboration and accelerate the sustainable development of the country’s yachting sector.
Industry Visionaries Take the Stage
The first major panel, “Türkiye 2025: Challenges & Opportunities for the World’s #2 Builder,” set the tone for the summit. Leaders including Alex G. Clarke (Denison Yachting), Martin Redmayne (The Superyacht Group), Ramazan Mengi (Mengi Yay Yachts), Sinan Özer (Aegean Yacht) and Tim Kershaw (Dunya Yachts) examined Türkiye’s rapid rise from regional manufacturer to global superyacht powerhouse, known for craftsmanship, custom builds and refit expertise.
A standout moment came with the appearance of world-renowned designer Dickie Bannenberg, who captivated the audience with a behind-the-scenes look at the creative signature behind some of the industry’s most iconic yachts. He also shared exclusive insights into the Spitfire project, revealing a custom colour palette inspired by the original aircraft heritage.
The New Era of Yacht Ownership & Charter Experiences
Emerging lifestyle dynamics were explored in the panel “Charter as Lifestyle: Why Destinations Sell the Yacht” with Bozena Kascelan (IYC), Michelangiolo Venturi (Ocean Yachting) and Serhan Cengiz (TYBA), reinforcing Türkiye’s unique positioning as both a shipbuilding and premium tourism destination.
Another highlight was the captivating keynote from Captain Oliver Michels, who shared remarkable stories from the M/Y Maverick Arctic Expedition, detailing the risks and beauty of navigating remote polar regions.
The session “Inside the American Buyer’s Mind: Tariffs, Trends & Big Opportunities” — featuring Alex G. Clarke, Lisa Verbit (Bank of America) and Moira Boyle (Altrata) — examined one of the industry’s most important buyer segments, providing valuable insight into U.S. purchasing behaviour and financing trends.
Marketing strategist Claire Hagen (This Is Odyssey) contributed a dedicated deep dive into the evolving landscape of yacht marketing, while Lorenzo Cimolai (Cimolai Technology) offered a technical perspective on solutions for marinas and shipyards.
The panel “Shifting Wealth: What’s Next for Yachting in Russia and Beyond” — with Jelena Vezia (Ocean Independence), Julia Skop (Smart Yachts) and Maeen Shaban (Altrata) — offered a global geopolitical and economic analysis of wealth migration and its impact on yachting.
A second high-impact session, “Refit Without Regret: Why Türkiye Is Becoming the World’s Makeover Capital,” led by Erdem Ağan (Aganlar Shipyard), Kerem Başer (KRM Refit & Rebuild) and Xavier Perrone (Hill Robinson) highlighted Türkiye’s dominance in refit projects.
The panel “Legal and Administrative Excellence in Yacht Building and Refit” — featuring Levent Baktır (Xone Superyacht), Efe Ülken (Ülken Law) and Erdem Atabey (Lockton Omni) — reinforced Türkiye’s alignment with global compliance standards.
To close Day 1, Ian Petts presented insights into UHNW wealth structuring, revealing that up to 90% of wealth is typically lost by the third generation and outlining the legal frameworks UHNW families use to protect assets such as yachts and private jets.
Masterclasses, Showcases & Exclusive Networking
Throughout the summit, captains, owners and shipyard executives participated in high-level masterclasses led by Volvo Penta and OmniAccess.
Guests also experienced exclusive tender displays featuring Hunters, Mercedes, Saxdor and VisionF, and scale models from Mengi Yay and Turquoise, demonstrating Türkiye’s engineering excellence.
The first day concluded with a glamorous networking cocktail at DG Art Gallery, blending contemporary art with the world of yachting.
Day Two: Social Media, Next-Gen Buyers & Cross-Luxury Investments
Day two opened with Alex Jimenez — The Yacht Guy, who shared how social media continues to transform visibility, buyer aspiration and yacht sales.
Following this, “The Wealth Profile & Yacht Ownership” featuring Maeen Shaban and Moira Boyle (Altrata) explored the impact of younger UHNW generations on yacht purchasing trends.
Yacht owner Kaan İşçil took the stage for a candid talk on the realities of owning a 40-meter yacht.
Dilan Saraç (The Superyacht Life Foundation) introduced the fast-growing World Boating Day initiative, celebrating the industry and inspiring future generations.
The session “How to Own a Private Jet and What Drives the Same People to Buy Yachts?” — with Arnaud de Gordon (UBS Switzerland) and Yıldırım Demir (Jetcraft) — provided cross-industry financial perspectives for UHNWIs.
A highly anticipated shipyard visit with Ses Yachts offered participants exclusive access to ongoing builds and hands-on demonstration of artisanal manufacturing processes.
The event wrapped with a closing cocktail at 2Plan Terminal, marking the end of two days of industry insight, collaboration and celebration.
A Summit That Sets the Direction for the Future
From strategic panels and expert presentations to exclusive showcases and immersive networking, the Superyacht Summit Türkiye 2025 demonstrated why Türkiye is not only the #2 builder in the world but one of the fastest-rising powerhouses in yacht design, construction, refit and lifestyle maritime tourism.
