The world as we know it is rapidly digitizing – from getting your groceries delivered at the click of a button to booking flights with a swipe. Yet in the yachting industry, certain operational aspects seem to lag in this digital revolution. Why are some procedures still encumbered by traditional, cumbersome processes?

The Yachting Industry: Struggling with Digitization

While the yachting industry has made technological leaps and bounds in navigation and design, operational procedures remain outdated and convoluted. Picture this: repetitive, back-and-forth communications to ensure berthing when the rest of the industry can accomplish tasks at the click of a button. Digital solutions certainly hold the promise of process optimization, but industry-specific factors hamper further advancement.

Logistics is one of the pain points in this scenario. The lack of a standardized blueprint in the industry has stymied the pace of digital transformation.

In berthing reservations, for instance, the nature of the business has been a barrier to technological advancements. While apps for making yacht dock reservations are booming in the leisure yachting world, the super yacht sector lags due to functionality deficits.

Typically, a super yacht needs to reserve a berthing space at the last minute, but the lack of real-time availability has slowed down the process.

Edward Fiess, co-founder and CEO of Navily, explains:

"Real-time bookings and availability are still about a decade away. This concept already exists, but it will start with smaller vessels before it hits super yachts. We need a total overhaul of the tools used at the docks requiring a lengthy technological adaptation period."

Niklas Baumgartner, CEO of Seasy, concurs, stating that real-time availability will uplift the market to a new level.

Digitalization: Building Transparency and Efficiency

Digitalization is not just about convenience – it also brings the benefit of transparency, an aspect that might meet resistance due to entrenched biases in certain industry practices.

Advise Tositti, chief strategy officer at Acquera Pro, explains that the relationship between the agent and the user remains vital. Acquera Pro recently launched its digital platform, integrating everything into an easy-to-use crew platform. Although they are providing their digital tools as an additional benefit, they believe that field staff are still indispensable in the industry.

Supplying is another operational headache for crews. Several companies now offer online food ordering platforms, but there is often multiple communications before finalizing orders to ensure specific products. A newly launched app, Paradise Foods, has begun delivering for yachts in the French Caribbean.

"Our app works a bit like Amazon Fresh: we can deliver within a few hours of placing an order, and if a product isn't in our catalog, we can usually have it within a day," said Zoe Adamovicz, co-founder of Paradise Foods.

While myriad apps are available to help crews manage yachts better, it seems there's still some way to go when it comes to integrating with onshore services.

The complexities of technological advancement in the industry, the intricate dynamics among stakeholders, and the importance of face-to-face transactions collectively form a resistance against complete digitization. Although the potential of digital tools is recognized, there's more to be done to bridge the gap between tradition and innovation.