Monaco Yacht Show
Europe's biggest in-water superyacht display. Since 1991 the Monaco Yacht Show has filled Port Hercules with superyachts each September. Its history, size and what visitors see there.
Yachts in Port Hercules, Monaco: Charles from Port Chester, New York, CC BY 2.0
How it began
The Monaco Yacht Show was founded in 1991 by the French entrepreneur Maurice Cohen, at first as an event for yacht brokers. In 1994 the rights were sold to the events company IIR, which decided to focus the Monaco show on superyachts.
The British events group Informa acquired IIR in 2005 and has run the show since. It has been held every year apart from 2020, when it was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Yachts in the water
Unlike many boat shows that put boats on land, Monaco displays them afloat in Port Hercules, the principality's main harbour. Organisers describe it as Europe's biggest in-water display of large yachts, with about 125 yachts on show.
The yachts range from around 20 metres to well over 90 metres. Builders often use the show to present new launches, and brokers bring yachts that are for sale or available for charter.
Many of the yachts on display are moored stern-to, with their backs to the quay, which lets visitors see the swim platforms and aft decks from the dock. The largest vessels are usually moored on the outer harbour walls, where the water is deepest, and tenders and water toys are often shown alongside them.
More than boats
Over 580 exhibitors take part, including shipyards, yacht designers, brokerage firms, marine equipment makers and luxury brands. Across the four days there are also many private events, press conferences and product presentations.
Visitors usually tour yachts by appointment through brokers, and taking shoes off before boarding is a common rule to protect the decks. Tickets are sold in advance, and much of the show is aimed at trade visitors and serious buyers.
Why Monaco
Monaco sits on the French Riviera, a centre of yachting for more than a century, and its harbour is deep and sheltered enough for large vessels. The show takes place in late September, after the summer charter season in the Mediterranean.
For people who love design and engineering, the show is a chance to see the craftsmanship of yards such as Feadship, Lürssen and others side by side in one harbour.
The show also reflects how the industry has changed. Recent editions have given more space to new technology such as hybrid propulsion, better battery systems and ways to cut fuel use, alongside the traditional focus on size, design and interiors.
- Yachts in Port Hercules, Monaco: Charles from Port Chester, New York, CC BY 2.0
- Yachts off Monaco: Brunobuisson, CC BY-SA 4.0
Text written by Greatest Prestige.
