Accelerate the Evolution programme revealed for The Superyacht Forum
Tickets are selling quickly for the 2026 edition of the superyacht sector’s unrivalled annual gathering of minds on 16-17 November at RAI Amsterdam. Its not-to-be-missed full programme will drive change, cultivate collaboration and build momentum through a top-class industry curated programme of keynotes, discussions, breakouts, brainstorms and networking sessions.
Monday, 12 October 2026
The Superyacht Forum 2026 today announced its full programme of content and activity with a strong breadth of topics addressing the interests of the industry’s leading decision-makers, innovators and leaders. Its carefully designed strategy brings different perspectives, disciplines and generations together around the issues that matter today. Then concludes sessions with the intent of achieving clear sector-led objectives that are actionable in the days and months following the event.
Selin will examine how innovation moves from research and testing to safe, reliable and scalable implementation, and how these lessons could accelerate progress in yachting. There will be a practical case study in batteries and advanced energy systems, while the wider discussion will address hybridisation, energy efficiency, predictive control, data-led decision-making and integrated system design. Selin will also consider the importance of lifecycle performance, supporting infrastructure and collaboration across the value chain.
Human factors will also form the central theme this year’s expanded programme of four structured brainstorming sessions covering crew welfare, crew and business culture, converting safety conversations into industry action and creating talent pipelines that empower succession planning. Each brainstorm will utilise a focused Problem to Solution to Action methodology with the ultimate objective of agreeing priority actions. These outcomes will then have great value beyond The Superyacht Forum itself and be used to help shape future initiatives, including those driven by the Superyacht Alliance’s Raising the Bar Think Tank.
The Superyacht Forum has placed its opening keynote firmly in this area by inviting Dutch Minister of State and former NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer to address delegates. They will learn about the importance of leadership and the relevance of governments, organisations and global markets on the health of the superyacht industry from this well-respected politician, diplomat and leader.
Later that same day Chair of CHIRP Superyacht Advisory Board Paul Shepherd will lead a panel of naval architects, build oversight representatives and registry executives to explore why recurring operational safety issues identified by crew often fail to reach the shipyards and designers in a position to address them. The discussion will examine common design shortcomings, current reporting barriers and the evidence required for a crew concern to result in a design change.
Several important breakouts are planned for this theme, ranging from collaborative sharing of knowledge on material intelligence for interior design and noise mitigation, through to the viability of nuclear energy as a power source on yachts.
While new areas of consideration are vital to push boundaries, so are improvements to long-standing conventions and The Superyacht Forum will not ignore consistent issues of concern for the industry. In a breakout, panellists and delegates will explore whether the time has come for a unified yacht code under the International Maritime Organization (IMO) as a response to the complex array of Flag State Codes in force today.
This element of the programme will also be far reaching, from detailed examinations of yacht management today and alternative dispute resolution, to sessions on the positive outcomes of CHIRP reporting and the need for a stronger, more co-ordinated superyacht voice at the IMO.
The author of the SYBAss Annual Economic Report, Erik Floor, will deliver a data informed keynote highlighting critical facts from the latest edition of his SYBAss (Superyacht Builders Association) report. Previously produced exclusively for SYBAss members, this well-respected report provides a detailed assessment of the global economy, the evolution and geographic distribution of global wealth, and development of the ultra-high-net-worth population. This conversation will continue with input from Jan-Bart Verkuyl, CEO of Feadship Royal Van Lent and President of SYBAss and Charlie Birkett, Co-Founder and CEO of Y.CO and President of LYBRA (the Leading Yacht Brokers Association).
For 2026 the opportunities to get together are further enhanced with six significant opportunities offering more than 10 hours of informal time to meet and relax in spacious, well catered areas. On Monday evening you’ll experience a relaxed and informal Superyacht Social networking gathering after the first full day. On Tuesday evening we’ll offer the same onsite experience but elevated into more of a club environment, with enhanced entertainment and food and more time to network, while still finishing early enough for those with evening plans in the city – all within the price of The Superyacht Forum’s single tier ticket.
Conference Manager Patricia Becker adds: “I’m really pleased to announce that we have further strengthened our focus on the people side of the superyacht industry for this year. Not only in the content programme, but also in deliberate outreach programmes designed to broaden input and debate. Our new Crew Voices programme is opening the door to a greater number of selected superyacht captains and senior crew among the delegates this year. While we’ll also be reaching out towards the industry’s emerging talent through a development programme that is connecting with leading relevant education organisations across Europe. New voices should be a part of the conversation we are having each year here in Amsterdam and throughout the year.
“With just over five weeks to go until we open the doors to The Superyacht Forum, we have more exciting announcements to come, including news of our closing keynote speaker. Please keep your eyes on https://www.thesuperyachtforum.com and our social media feeds for more information. And don’t miss buying your ticket – once all spaces are taken it will be a significant opportunity lost if you have not secured your seat at the table.”
We are pleased to partner with The Superyacht Group (founding partner), Akzo Nobel (exclusive partner), Alewijnse (Event Partner) Cayman Registry, CMC Marine, Volvo Penta, Atiq Mustafa and Wright Maritime Group (sponsors) and Boat International, Superyacht Times and The Superyacht Group (media partners).
Inspiration from Williams Grand Prix Technologies
The Superyacht Forum’s programme is tailored by the industry, with many of the sessions adopted by the Superyacht Alliance and chosen topics shaped and supported by its members. But it also reaches outside of sectoral wisdom and draws in relevant best practice from leading global specialists in other industries, such as Selin Tur, Managing Director and CTO of Williams Grand Prix Technologies. She will deliver a keenly anticipated keynote exploring how the superyacht industry can learn from automotive high-performance engineering.Selin will examine how innovation moves from research and testing to safe, reliable and scalable implementation, and how these lessons could accelerate progress in yachting. There will be a practical case study in batteries and advanced energy systems, while the wider discussion will address hybridisation, energy efficiency, predictive control, data-led decision-making and integrated system design. Selin will also consider the importance of lifecycle performance, supporting infrastructure and collaboration across the value chain.
Content framework to suit every interest
While vital to the superyacht sector, technology is of course not its only key driver. The Superyacht Forum will range widely across all areas where evolution needs to be driven now. The content and activity will be clustered under four main topics:People
Sessions under this theme will examine workforce issues, careers and development, next-generation engagement and industry positioning.Human factors will also form the central theme this year’s expanded programme of four structured brainstorming sessions covering crew welfare, crew and business culture, converting safety conversations into industry action and creating talent pipelines that empower succession planning. Each brainstorm will utilise a focused Problem to Solution to Action methodology with the ultimate objective of agreeing priority actions. These outcomes will then have great value beyond The Superyacht Forum itself and be used to help shape future initiatives, including those driven by the Superyacht Alliance’s Raising the Bar Think Tank.
Project
The Project theme covers innovation and outlook, sustainability in action, infrastructure readiness and R&D acceleration.The Superyacht Forum has placed its opening keynote firmly in this area by inviting Dutch Minister of State and former NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer to address delegates. They will learn about the importance of leadership and the relevance of governments, organisations and global markets on the health of the superyacht industry from this well-respected politician, diplomat and leader.
Later that same day Chair of CHIRP Superyacht Advisory Board Paul Shepherd will lead a panel of naval architects, build oversight representatives and registry executives to explore why recurring operational safety issues identified by crew often fail to reach the shipyards and designers in a position to address them. The discussion will examine common design shortcomings, current reporting barriers and the evidence required for a crew concern to result in a design change.
Progress
This element of the programme examines build and lifecycle delivery, capacity and growth pressure, safe and responsible design and operational complexity.Several important breakouts are planned for this theme, ranging from collaborative sharing of knowledge on material intelligence for interior design and noise mitigation, through to the viability of nuclear energy as a power source on yachts.
While new areas of consideration are vital to push boundaries, so are improvements to long-standing conventions and The Superyacht Forum will not ignore consistent issues of concern for the industry. In a breakout, panellists and delegates will explore whether the time has come for a unified yacht code under the International Maritime Organization (IMO) as a response to the complex array of Flag State Codes in force today.
Process
The last of themes explores regulation and compliance, IMO and enforcement, data and trust and governance and integrity.This element of the programme will also be far reaching, from detailed examinations of yacht management today and alternative dispute resolution, to sessions on the positive outcomes of CHIRP reporting and the need for a stronger, more co-ordinated superyacht voice at the IMO.
The author of the SYBAss Annual Economic Report, Erik Floor, will deliver a data informed keynote highlighting critical facts from the latest edition of his SYBAss (Superyacht Builders Association) report. Previously produced exclusively for SYBAss members, this well-respected report provides a detailed assessment of the global economy, the evolution and geographic distribution of global wealth, and development of the ultra-high-net-worth population. This conversation will continue with input from Jan-Bart Verkuyl, CEO of Feadship Royal Van Lent and President of SYBAss and Charlie Birkett, Co-Founder and CEO of Y.CO and President of LYBRA (the Leading Yacht Brokers Association).
More than 10 hours of networking
Another vital aspect of the programme is The Superyacht Forum’s unrivalled ability to bring key personnel together to catch-up with industry friends, make new contacts, discuss ideas, share solutions and just step off the treadmill for a brief while to socialise among like-minded people.For 2026 the opportunities to get together are further enhanced with six significant opportunities offering more than 10 hours of informal time to meet and relax in spacious, well catered areas. On Monday evening you’ll experience a relaxed and informal Superyacht Social networking gathering after the first full day. On Tuesday evening we’ll offer the same onsite experience but elevated into more of a club environment, with enhanced entertainment and food and more time to network, while still finishing early enough for those with evening plans in the city – all within the price of The Superyacht Forum’s single tier ticket.
Laying the foundations for future action
Speaking as the The Superyacht Forum’s full programme detail was revealed, Director RAI Maritime Technology Events, Niels Klarenbeek states: “Planning for this year’s edition commenced even as we were running last year’s event. We knew it was not enough just to talk about current challenges or future opportunities and trends – we wanted to take our own next step and ensure this year’s programme produced well informed actionable outcomes. Our collaboration with the Superyacht Alliance is central to this. The Superyacht Forum brings the industry together; the Alliance will help carry the priority topics forward through industry workstreams and think tanks. As a result, delegates will know that their entry fee has not just enabled access to this extraordinary meeting of superyacht industry’s brightest minds here in Amsterdam – it also gives them a direct input into the strategic direction of the sector.”Conference Manager Patricia Becker adds: “I’m really pleased to announce that we have further strengthened our focus on the people side of the superyacht industry for this year. Not only in the content programme, but also in deliberate outreach programmes designed to broaden input and debate. Our new Crew Voices programme is opening the door to a greater number of selected superyacht captains and senior crew among the delegates this year. While we’ll also be reaching out towards the industry’s emerging talent through a development programme that is connecting with leading relevant education organisations across Europe. New voices should be a part of the conversation we are having each year here in Amsterdam and throughout the year.
“With just over five weeks to go until we open the doors to The Superyacht Forum, we have more exciting announcements to come, including news of our closing keynote speaker. Please keep your eyes on https://www.thesuperyachtforum.com and our social media feeds for more information. And don’t miss buying your ticket – once all spaces are taken it will be a significant opportunity lost if you have not secured your seat at the table.”
View the full programme
For full details of the keynotes, breakouts, brainstorms, networking opportunities and participating speakers and panellists please visit https://www.thesuperyachtforum.com/programmeTickets are selling fast, secure yours today
Our new for 2026 all-in delegate ticket is priced at €675 ex VAT. It provides full access to the complete programme and includes networking drinks at the end of both days. We are expecting a sold-out event so early purchase is recommended to avoid disappointment.Endorsements and partners
The Superyacht Forum 2026 is proudly endorsed by The Superyacht Alliance, together with its member associations: SYBAss, MYBA, IAMI, ICOMIA, PYA and IYBA.We are pleased to partner with The Superyacht Group (founding partner), Akzo Nobel (exclusive partner), Alewijnse (Event Partner) Cayman Registry, CMC Marine, Volvo Penta, Atiq Mustafa and Wright Maritime Group (sponsors) and Boat International, Superyacht Times and The Superyacht Group (media partners).
