Shipyards weren’t the only companies involved in the megayacht market being bought and sold last week: Ocean Independence, the nearly three-year-old firm which provides yacht management, charter, and sales services, acquired Cavendish White, which has been performing similar duties for nearly 20 years.
Ocean Independence, formed in 2005 through the merger of brokerage firms Ocean Cruise and Sea Independence, intends to keep its existing offices around the world, which include headquarters in Zurich and bases in Antibes, Palma de Mallorca, Monaco, and more. It also plans to keep the Cavendish White offices established in Athens and Dubai. However, the individual Ocean Independence and Cavendish White offices in the UK (West Sussex and Surrey, respectively) will merge into one; same for the American offices in Fort Lauderdale.
Cavendish White’s managing director, Michael White, will remain “a very active part in the company,” according to a press release. The same press release states that the new company has the second-largest fleet of crewed charter yachts in the world, which CharterWave reveals is in the neighborhood of 80 vessels. (CharterWave is also trying to verify the “second-largest” claim.) Ocean Independence intends to continue offering yacht-management and sales-brokerage services, too.
It’s interesting to note that while this deal was being finalized, Cavendish White announced an agreement with Delta AirElite Business Jets (a subsidiary of Delta Air Lines), in which the air carrier’s clients could book yacht charters. At the time, White stated, “At Cavendish White we are often asked to provide other transport solutions, and our alliance with Delta AirElite will be very popular with our clients and brokers. What better and easier way to travel to your yacht!” When I contacted Ocean Independence’s marketing department earlier this week, I was informed the agreement would remain in place.
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