Service Yacht: Purchase, Construction and Operation

The acquisition, construction, refit and operation of a large yacht is not an isolated transaction. A yacht is an asset, a personal project, a mobile business and an international legal matter at the same time.

It is therefore not sufficient to review only a purchase agreement, a shipyard contract or an individual tax issue. What matters is that legal, tax, ownership structure, flag, registration, charter capability, crew and ongoing operations are considered together from the very outset.

Our services are aimed at yacht owners and prospective owners, entrepreneurs, family offices and investors who intend to acquire, build, own, operate, charter, refit or sell a large yacht. On behalf of the owner, we coordinate the cooperation with shipyards, brokers, yacht managers, designers, technical advisers and other parties involved in the project.

Why our full-lifecycle service makes sense for yacht projects

Yacht projects are often presented in emotional terms: viewings, design, equipment, brand promises, the shipyard experience, charter potential and lifestyle take centre stage. The actual risks, however, often only become apparent later – during operation, registration, tax classification, charter arrangements, warranty matters, crew issues or when dealing with shipyards, brokers, managers and authorities.

This is precisely where our support begins.

We do not consider yacht projects merely from an isolated legal perspective, but across the yacht’s entire lifecycle: from the initial structuring considerations through purchase, construction or refit to operation, charter, crew, insurance, casualty, sale or succession.

Overview of our services

Yacht Purchase & Yacht Sale

We assist buyers and sellers in international yacht transactions, in particular with contract review and drafting, due diligence, escrow, payment processing, warranties, handover, flag, registration and tax classification.

Yacht Construction & Refit

We advise on new-build and refit projects: shipyard agreements, specifications, payment schedules, construction progress, variations, defect management, acceptance, liability and international project structures.

Flag Selection & Registration

We assist with the selection and structuring of the flag state, registration, ownership model, type of use and operational structure – aligned with private use, charter, financing and international requirements.

Tax Structuring & VAT

We develop legally and fiscally robust structures for yacht ownership, charter, EU-related matters and international use. This is not about isolated “tax tricks”, but about sustainable structures that reflect the yacht’s actual use and the owner’s individual profile.

Charter & Ongoing Operations

We advise on charter models, contractual structures, VAT matters, operational implementation, management agreements, agencies, coordination with authorities and ongoing compliance matters.

Crew Employment Law

We assist with crew agreements, social security, employment structures, liability, instructions and international regulations applicable to privately and commercially operated yachts.

Casualty, Warranty & Claims Management

In the event of damage, defects, casualties, insurance matters or disputes with shipyards, sellers, brokers or service providers, we provide legal support in assessing the matter and enforcing claims.

Financing, Insurance & Escrow

We advise on financing, insurance and security structures and, where required, provide escrow services for payments, deposits and transaction documents.

International Coordination

Yacht projects regularly involve several jurisdictions. Purchase, construction, flag, ownership structure, tax matters, charter and operation can rarely be confined to a single country.

We therefore work with established partner law firms, tax experts, surveyors, yacht managers and industry specialists in key yachting jurisdictions – including Croatia, Malta, Italy, Spain, France, Cyprus, Greece and the United States.

This allows legal, tax and operational matters to be coordinated across jurisdictions without losing sight of the yacht project as a whole.

Yacht Transaction Escrow Service

In international yacht transactions, the secure administration of deposits, purchase price instalments and transaction documents is a key issue.

Under a separate escrow agreement, we can act as an independent trustee or escrow agent. Funds and documents are administered in accordance with the agreed terms and released only once the relevant conditions have been fulfilled.

Our escrow services are provided in accordance with our professional obligations as lawyers and the specifically agreed procedures. Fees, bank charges and expenses are agreed transparently in advance.

Our services are particularly aimed at:

• Yacht owners and prospective owners
• Entrepreneurs and family offices
• Investors and buyers of large yachts
• Clients commissioning new-build and refit projects
• Shipyards, manufacturers and operators
• Yacht managers, brokers and advisers requiring overall legal coordination

Your Next Step

Are you planning the purchase, construction, refit or operation of a yacht, or an international yacht ownership structure?

Please provide us initially with a brief and abstract outline of your matter – without confidential documents, personal client data or sensitive case-specific details. We will then clarify whether, and within what framework, legal, tax or commercial support would be appropriate.

Request a confidential initial assessment

Contact:

Telephone: +49 – 69 / 663 779 0
E-mail: mail@der-yacht-anwalt.de

SUPERYACHTFORUM.EU

Yacht Transaction Escrow Service

We safeguard your yacht transaction.

Hardly any yacht transaction can be completed without the secure administration and transfer of agreed deposits and payments, together with verification that all required documents are correct.

We are available to act as independent and trusted trustees or escrow agents within the scope of our professional obligations as lawyers and in accordance with the procedures and conditions specifically agreed in the escrow agreement.

In coordination with the parties, the funds to be transferred are deposited in one of our lawyers’ client/escrow accounts or in a separate escrow account established specifically for the transaction and, where appropriate, temporarily placed on deposit.

We also hold and review documents and release them only against fulfilment of the respective agreed conditions.

If required, we can involve guarantee insurers.

Our services for YACHT OWNERS

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