⚓ Yacht refit: legally compliant and efficient modernisation
A yacht refit may appear technical – but it carries legal and financial risks. We guide your yacht refit with structured contracts, warranty control and VAT planning for cross-border projects.
A yacht refit is more than just a technical overhaul – it is a complex, international challenge with legal, tax and organisational aspects. Whether modernisation, extension or restoration: we provide you with comprehensive support to implement your project in a legally compliant and efficient manner. A refit is often more complex than a new build – technically, logistically and legally. Anyone wishing to modernise, refit or extend an existing yacht quickly finds themselves confronted with a tangle of international regulations, unclear contractual bases and considerable economic risks.
This is often underestimated: A refit is not just a technical or design project – it is a legally demanding process that requires precise tax and contractual preparation. Whether in a European shipyard, in the Mediterranean or overseas – each location has its own legal conditions: from VAT and labour law to flag regulations.
🔍 Typical pitfalls in yacht refits:
- Missing or incomplete contracts: Refit work is often carried out without comprehensive contractual cover. Warranty, liability, scope of services – all of this often remains unclear or only becomes acute when problems arise.
- Non-transparent cost and payment regulations: Who pays when, for what, and under what conditions? Without clear payment terms, budgets and schedules quickly get out of hand.
- Unclear responsibilities: Who bears the risk in the event of delivery delays, damage or defects? Who is liable for mistakes made by subcontractors or suppliers?
- Tax risks: Particularly in the case of refits outside the EU (e.g. Turkey, USA), there is a risk of considerable tax consequences when re-importing into the EU – from VAT to classification as “new construction”.
- Technical changes with legal consequences: Changes to the structure, drive or equipment can have consequences in terms of registration and flag law – up to and including the need for a new build certification process.
✅ Our solution: legal control instead of nasty surprises
A refit project needs clear legal guidance. We review your contracts, draw up supplementary agreements, legally secure your payments and take care of tax planning. We coordinate with technicians, project managers and shipyards – both nationally and internationally.
We help you avoid pitfalls, protect your investment and lead your refit project professionally to success.
🛠️ Our yacht refit services
- Contract drafting: Preparation and review of individual refit contracts, customised to your specific requirements.
- Flag law advice: Analysis and optimisation of the choice of flag with regard to legal and tax aspects.
- Tax structuring: Development of customised tax strategies for your refit project.
- Project management: Coordination of all parties involved, monitoring the schedule and budget.
- Quality control: Ensuring compliance with standards and specifications throughout the entire refit process.
🌍 International expertise
Thanks to our network of partner law firms and experts in major yachting hotspots such as Croatia, Malta, Italy, Spain, France, Cyprus and Greece, we guarantee first-class local support.
📞 Get in touch with us
We will be happy to provide you with personalised advice.
Phone: +49 – 69 / 663 779 0
E-mail: mail@der-yacht-anwalt.de
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» Refit von modernen und historischen Yachten