Athens, Greece – Yacht Sales and charter management specialist EKKA Yachts is hailing a new chapter in the region’s rich yachting story, with the launch of its eighth Sanlorenzo superyacht delivered in less than 12 months. The latest deal will see a brand new SL120A moving permanently to Greek waters.

It marks a shift in attitudes towards younger, more innovative yacht styling, according to EKKA Yachts founder and MD Dimitris Kyriazakos. As a yacht dealer for Sanlorenzo Yachts and seasoned broker, he has an excellent insight into marketplace trends.

“The charter market here (in Greece) has plenty of good boats – well refitted, well crewed and well managed, but charterers have a hard time finding the latest in technology, design and the freshness that comes from a boat that has been recently built,” he says.

“What Bernardo Zuccon has managed so well with Sanlorenzo’s Asymmetric concept is to retain a very sleek profile, which appeals to people looking for a boat with a low centre of gravity and good seaworthiness. At the same time, the design also manages to combine the volume of a much bulkier boat. This is the sweetspot: a fine, modern profile and abundant interior space.”

EKKA has delivered two new SL120A yachts in the past nine months, as well as brokered the sale of a 32-metre SL106A a 31-metre SL102 and a 32 m. SL106. It has also added some significant yachts to its charter fleet, including two SL106A, Mary and Golden Yacht, and the 47m Sanlorenzo explorer yacht ‘PARABELLUM’ as well as an exciting new BGX63 from disrupter Bluegame. But whether a sale translates into a charter listing, or vice versa, Kyriazakos says it makes little difference.

“At Ekka, we’ve positioned ourselves very successfully for a long time as a company that goes beyond a mere dealership, to acting as an extension of the shipyard in the Greek market. It gives us unique positioning in making our very full range of services available to superyacht owners cruising in Greece, who wish to operate their yachts either privately or for charter. We offer a 360-degree service from warranty support in the first years of the life of the boat to charter management service. This is why we now operate the youngest fleet of 30-40m charter yachts in Greek waters.”

Through the dedication of committed dealers like EKKA Yachts, alongside its own efforts, Sanlorenzo has ascended to become the world’s most distinguished builder of yachts in the 24-40m market, thereby cultivating an enviable reputation.

Kyriazakos reports continued growth in the 30m-plus segment of his market, and predicts that demand will remain strong. It’s the same story on the charter side.

“A charter client is a very different from an owner, though not necessarily in terms of disposable income. Charter is becoming more and more active, and clients are people who don’t care so much about adopting a yachting lifestyle – for them it’s all about the experience and the destination. It’s typically a younger demographic who choose to be less asset heavy and pay a premium in order to avoid the hassle of ownership.”