Buying, registering and insuring a yacht in your home state and home town is relatively simple, though you want to make sure that you have covered all the details. Shipping a yacht from USA to Europe is, of course, a bit more complex. Yacht owners must be sure to obtain the additional documentation and insurance that will be necessary. In addition, there are several key moments in the shipping process that can delay yacht delivery for a length of time that is unacceptable.
After making sure that the original registry documents are complete it may be wise to clear up any doubts about showing proof of ownership when the yacht arrives at its European destination. If you have questions about operating a yacht of a particular size or design in specific areas of Europe, confirm this information before investing additional time and money in shipping a yacht from USA to Europe.
Allow yourself plenty of time to put all the documentation and time schedules in place, leaving time to make adjustments and fine-tune the shipping plan. Shipping a yacht from USA to Europe may go more smoothly if you have worked with professionals in overseas shipping or offshore yacht management before. These companies have extensive experience in such areas as registration, taxes and insurance, legal advice on requirements in the United States and Europe etc.
Among the key details involved with shipping a yacht from USA to Europe are:
- Transportation of yacht from your site or seller site to shipping location
- Container/covered shipping, roll on/roll off shipping
- Customs documentation, both U.S. and Europe
- Off-loading plans – include delivery in Europe if necessary
Several companies will take your yacht from purchase to European delivery, including: docking or warehousing at both ends; land transportation if required; contracts with agents at various ports as well as with the ship owner. Most of the experienced service companies will even help you with additional insurance so that your yacht is covered from start to finish. These details can be extremely important to a European resident who will not travel to the U.S. when shipping a yacht from USA to Europe.
Of course, most of these crucial details come with associated costs. Most yacht buyers understand that they will have to pay for insurance and for the time the yacht is on the ocean. But short-distance transportation costs, port/dock charges and other handling expenses can add significantly to the overall cost of shipping a yacht from USA to Europe.
Be sure that the voyage insurance covers all contingencies up to the full value of the yacht. When arranging to ship a yacht from the USA to Europe insurance should provide for such details as short-term holding on both continents, liability of yacht owner to cover other persons and property, delays and damage that might occur due to a strike or violent activity anywhere along the way. In reference to this final item, the plan for shipping a yacht from USA to Europe should always include provisions for security. When shipping a yacht from USA to Europe, if you, as owner, don’t know who will be protecting your investment and how, ask!