The inaugural SO! Dalian show took place from the 3rd to the 6th July, and aimed to promote and support the development of a ‘boating way of life’ in Northern China, as well as promote Dalian as a major tourist destination. SuperYacht Times’ Merijn de Waard caught up with Michael Breman of Lürssen Yachts.
The shipyard have been present at many recent shows throughout Asia, and states that SO! Dalian is no different, with the shipyard present in a bid to push the Lürssen brand in this market for the future. “We’re part of a continuing exercise to try to establish the brand in this market. We’ve done events in Shanghai in the past, the Sanya. We moved here because it’s also a show of support to the organisation of show founder, Delphine Lignieres, who we have know for many years and we like the way she goes about things.”
Questioning the number of Lürssen vessels currently cruising in Asia, Breman comments, “of all our boats, we have one that most of the time is in the Asian world, I think mostly between Philippines and Indonesia. Otherwise, all the boats tend to be either in the Pacific, east or west of the Americas, or in the Mediterranean.”
Regardless that the majority of boats remain in other, more developed markets, Breman did inform us that inquiries from Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines are received regularly - though only in the first stages of primary discussion.
Of what the industry should expect from Lürssen in 2014, Breman stated, “only good stuff. We’re going to deliver several yachts this year, all in the autumn. We’re going to deliver a 66 metre, a 100 and something metre and a 92 metre.”
About SO!Dalian
The first international Yachting and Lifestyle Rendezvous in the north of China, SO! DALIAN, took place in Dalian from the 3rd - 6th July at the East Port Marina, one of north China’s best yachting facilities.
Located East of Beijing on Bohai Bay, Dalian is already the destination of choice for China’s northern elite, and the event hopes to bring another level of sophistication to the area.