Thanks to a great effort of Superyacht Australia over the past 12 months, the foreign flagged superyacht charter is now open in Australia. The peak body representing the superyacht industry in Australia has secured a leap forward for the industry, allowing easier access to foreign flagged vessels wishing to charter in Australia.
A Superyacht anchored in the amazing Australian waters – Image credit to Superyacht Australia
Superyacht Australia CEO M Edwards comments: “We developed a working group of industry stakeholders to work alongside government to address this key issue. Those in the working group have met with Australian government officials on several occasions to ensure the current temporary licencing system will work for foreign flagged superyachts wishing to charter here and more importantly will ensure a warm Australian welcome to these visiting superyachts.”
The process is a two-pronged approach. Superyachts can charter in Australia under the temporary licence system, issued under the Coastal Trading Act 2012 by the Department of infrastructure. Moreover, Superyachts using the current temporary licence system under the Coastal Trading Act 2012 can undergo refits as well as repairs, and are not required to fully import the vessel. The new simpler regime is expected to be in place by the end of the Australian parliamentary winter sitting.
The Australian government is determined to allow easy access and simplify regulations for foreign flagged vessels wishing to charter in Australia. The Hon Warren Truss MP, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development announced last month that the current act will be modified to make it even easier for foreign flagged superyachts to charter in Australia and it is hoped this will occur by the end of the Parliamentary winter sitting.
Australia is now open for business with the current coastal trading act, allowing superyachts to charter in Australia under the temporary permit system. Superyacht Australia CEO M Edwards said: ”To ensure you get it right and don’t make any errors we strongly recommend using an Australian agent.”
