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Superyachts, Italy now represents more than half of the global market

Italy accounts for 52% of all superyachts ordered or under construction worldwide as the market contracts in numbers but grows in size

The Monaco Yacht Show 2026 highlights the strength of Italian yacht building, particularly in the strategically important 40-to-60-metre segment

The most interesting fact about the global superyacht market in 2026 is not simply that Italy remains the world’s leading builder. The more significant figure is that its share has now reached around 52% of all projects over 24 metres on order or under construction worldwide.

According to BOAT International’s Global Order Book 2026, there are 1,093 superyachts in the international order book, and 568 of them are being built in Italy. Together, Italian projects represent 22,299 metres of yacht construction, with an average length of 39.3 metres.

Those figures become even more relevant when viewed against the way the global market itself is changing.

Fewer yachts, but increasingly larger ones

The total number of superyachts on order or under construction has fallen from 1,138 in the previous survey to 1,093 units, a decline of close to 4%.

Yet the reduction in numbers tells only part of the story. The average length of yachts currently in build has risen to 40.8 metres, while average gross tonnage has reached 551 GT, both standing at particularly high levels compared with previous years.

The market therefore appears to be entering a period of normalisation following the strong expansion of the post-pandemic years. Fewer yachts are being built, but the average project is larger, more complex and more demanding in terms of engineering and production.

For shipyards, that translates into higher-value contracts, longer construction cycles and a greater need for industrial and organisational capacity.

Italy’s 52% share is not only about volume

What makes the Italian result particularly significant is the breadth of its production.

Made in Italy does not dominate a single category but covers a wide part of the large-yacht market.

Azimut-Benetti and Sanlorenzo occupy the leading positions among global builders by total length under construction. They are joined by companies including The Italian Sea Group, Overmarine, Palumbo Superyachts, Baglietto, Next Yacht Group, Cantiere delle Marche and Tankoa.

It is an industrial ecosystem made up of major groups, specialist yards, semi-custom yacht builders and companies focused on highly personalised projects.

This gives the Italian industry a presence across the superyacht spectrum, from yachts just above the 24-metre threshold to vessels exceeding 50, 60 and 70 metres.

The 40-to-60-metre range is becoming increasingly important

The first fleet list announced for the 2026 Monaco Yacht Show, taking place at Port Hercule from 23 to 26 September, provides a particularly revealing snapshot.

The fleet is expected to reach around 120 yachts by opening day, while 43 of the yachts already announced are 2026 deliveries.

Italian shipbuilding is especially visible in the 40-to-60-metre segment.

Among the new yachts are the Benetti B.Now 50M, the new Riva 54 Metri, Overmarine’s Mangusta 165 REV, the Baglietto Fast50, the Baglietto T60, The Italian Sea Group’s 606 and Tankoa’s Singolare.

This concentration illustrates where an important part of international demand is currently focused: yachts large enough to offer substantial volume, comfort and customisation, while remaining within a range that can be more manageable than the largest gigayachts.

The Monaco Yacht Show becomes a snapshot of global production

The 35th Monaco Yacht Show will feature yachts ranging from the 23.98-metre Arcadia A80 to Lürssen’s 102-metre Nixie.

Having 43 yachts delivered in the same year is particularly relevant at a time when build slots at many leading shipyards are already committed through 2028 or 2029.

For owners, brokers and prospective clients, Monaco therefore becomes more than a showcase for new models. It is a place where a substantial part of the latest global production can be seen and experienced within a single harbour.

And that fleet makes the weight of Italian yacht building immediately visible.

Italian leadership extends far beyond the shipyards

A superyacht is not created by the shipyard alone.

Italy’s yachting industry includes naval architects, designers, component manufacturers, furniture specialists, electronics companies, engineering suppliers, specialist contractors, refit yards and a wide range of services dedicated to large yachts.

Over time, this ecosystem has developed the ability to support increasingly complex projects and to work simultaneously across production, semi-custom and fully custom yachts.

That may help explain why, even as the overall number of global projects declines, Italy continues to retain such a substantial share of the market.

Leadership in a changing market

A 52% share does not mean the sector is isolated from wider economic changes. On the contrary, yachting is entering a more selective phase after the exceptional expansion of recent years.

The Global Order Book figures reveal an important shift, however: while the number of projects is declining, average yacht size and gross tonnage are increasing.

For the Italian industry, this may represent an even more significant challenge than simply increasing production volumes. Larger yachts require financial strength, advanced engineering, industrial organisation, long-term project management and a supply chain capable of supporting multi-year construction programmes.

Italy’s position in 2026 is therefore about more than a ranking. It shows how much of the world’s superyacht industry continues to be designed and built along the Italian coastline as the market moves into a new stage of its development.

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Monaco Yacht Show

17 Agosto 2026
© Redazione MED Yachting
Superyachts, Italy now represents more than half of the global market
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Le informazioni contenute in questo articolo sono tratte e rielaborate da fonti ufficiali e/o comunicati stampa, nel rispetto del codice etico redazionale.