Art & Superyachts: Bridging Two Luxury Industries

Anyone who has visited Art Basel events or Venice’s dedicated exhibition space, Casa Sanlorenzo will recognise that many major yachting players are moving into the arts space. It makes sense: art polishes a brand’s image, and most large yacht owners are serious, top-tier collectors, with some superyachts carrying artworks worth more than the vessel itself. Merging art and yachting draws collectors toward the yachting lifestyle, and owners toward collecting.

Worldwide art sales totalled US$57 billion in 2024, according to the 2025 UBS Global Art Market Report, with China accounting for 18 to 20 percent, driven by demand in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing, alongside emerging hubs such as Shenzhen and Chengdu. With first-tier Chinese cities boasting an array of museums and galleries, and with second-tier cities catching up, these figures are only rising.

Many superyacht owners are passionate about art. Many recognise its potential as a stable asset, largely immune to economic volatility or currency swings, with an average appreciation of 7.2 per annum. For many HNWIs, art is, like luxury cars, jewellery, wine and antiques, the ultimate marker of taste and status.

The beauty of superyachts functioning as floating galleries is that they’re able to relocate swiftly to safer jurisdictions in a crisis. The larger the yacht, the larger and more elaborate the art, with everything from gold-plated pianos and crystal chandeliers to rare sculptures and notable paintings finding their way onto the largest vessels. However, maintaining such pieces at sea demands care, from specialised packing, security, and a trained crew, to the careful handling of insurance and customs when crossing borders.

Onboard, art faces vibration, humidity and salt air, so placement matters. Pieces need to be kept away from damp areas, direct sunlight and high traffic, ideally in climate-controlled spaces where their presentation – and security – can be expertly managed.

Legally, it’s also important to keep records of inventory, provenance and insurance coverage, to avoid anything restricted under CITES, and to ensure correct importation paperwork as false declarations to customs officials risk confiscation or jail. In addition, crew should sign NDAs, follow strict handling procedures, and be trained in the pieces’ care, and, when dealing with true treasure, specialists should be recruited.

Of course, not every artwork suits life on a yacht. While lacquered paintings and sculptures in bronze, steel, marble or resin travel well, many – including works on paper and watercolours – do not. Instead, owners might opt for pieces in resistant materials, modestly priced works over masterpieces, or high-quality reproductions of precious originals. After all, you can never be too careful.

Former superyacht captain and marine expert Godfrey Zwygart is a keen artist and collector and a superyacht surveyor certified by the UK’s Maritime Training Academy (MTA) for the management of art on superyachts

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