Palma International Boat Show 2025: Boats, Bright Minds, Bold Innovations

By Rebecca Whitlocke

The Balearic Marine Cluster organised this year’s Balearic Superyacht Forum, and the Balearic Yacht Brokers Association (BYBA) and the Regional Ministry of Business, Employment, and Energy, through the Regional Development Agency of the Balearic Islands (ADR Balears), organised the Palma International Boat Show (PIBS). These events were spread out over different dates and locations: The Palma Auditorium hosted the Balearic Superyacht Forum from April 29 to 30. For PIBS, the dates were April 30 to May 3 at Moll Vell and Club de Mar.

The Balearic Government reports that PIBS had an economic impact of more than €20 million in 2024 alone. Over 30,000 people passed through the gates this year. The buzz was real, ranging from well-known brokerage firms to crew startups.

The Balearic Superyacht Forum

Key topics in the Balearics and wider Mediterranean came into sharper focus with the second edition of the Balearic Superyacht Forum. Expanding superyacht infrastructure, cybersecurity in the superyacht industry, and enhancing marina water and waste management were among the subjects of panels, discussions, and ten themed Hackathons.

For anyone keen to stay on top of industry-based shifts, this was the forum for strategic dialogues about superyacht trends, challenges and opportunities.  Through the participation of 150 companies and more than 250 industry professionals, connections between shipyards, technical managers, marinas, and refit suppliers were formed.

Organisers have now confirmed that the event will be renamed as the Mediterranean Superyacht Forum from 2026.  Guillermo García, president of Balearic Marine Cluster, the event’s organiser, says: “With this name change, we are responding to an already evident reality. The forum no longer speaks only of the Balearics, but of the global challenges of the industry. The Mediterranean is a strategic hub for the superyacht sector and deserves a forum that matches its relevance. This evolution reflects our commitment to innovation, sustainability, and international collaboration.”

Palma International Boat Show 2025

This year, PIBS presented two different exhibition areas – Moll Vell and the addition of a new area of 5,000 square metres located in the Club de Mar.  Buyers and yachting enthusiasts got their fix with boats on show including the fast wallytender43, the 35.5m sailing yacht Kiboko 4 (Nauta/Southern Wind), and the debut of the ST-BARTH 85 FLY with Moravia Yachting.

Fraser drew attention with two classic yachts with interesting heritage:

• Cassiopeia, built in 1939, started life as a marble carrier before becoming a pleasure craft in the 1960s by the Fiat family.
• Lady Hertha, launched in 1935 as Destiny by Yarrow & Co. on the Clyde in Scotland, served as a WWII fire brigade boat before being transformed into a stylish vessel while keeping her G.L. Watson-designed

Meanwhile, on the dock, Deborah Fry, Director of Yacht Trace shared her thoughts after her first visit: “Yacht Trace may be new, but we bring solid industry experience, especially when it comes to tender towing clauses for superyachts. We already work with many insurers, so reconnecting in person at Palma was a priority. I visited yachts that had just received our Tender Monitoring System and spoke with others considering installation. From the Superyacht Lounge to the Estela talks and evening events, it was a brilliant opportunity to meet fellow tech innovators, manufacturers, captains, and yacht management companies. I came away with valuable leads, stronger relationships, and fresh insights – and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. A great first experience, and I can’t wait to go back.”

Some of the top 24-metre plus superyachts available on the global brokerage and charter market were on display at the Superyacht Village. From brokerage, charter, crew services, marinas, technology, marine electronics, watermakers, biminis, and safety gear, the more than 295 dockside exhibitors covered every facet of yachting goods and services. Exhibitors included AENIB, Evolution Yacht Agents and Phoenix One, while the Refit & Repair Zone had stands from Astilleros de Mallorca, Insteimed, Superyacht Rubbish, and Superyacht Uniforms.

Panoblu also stood out. Their onboard camera system with 360° live thermal night vision and video awareness drew big attention from captains of some of the world’s top sailing yachts. PIBS proved to be an ideal event for high-quality conversations and insight into how crews perceive safety on board. Sascha Kunze, Commercial Director of Panoblu, engaged with over 100 key industry figures, demonstrating a working model of the Panoblu camera, inviting guests to handle it and explore its potential not just for surveillance, but as a real-time navigational and safety tool. “What stood out,” Kunze reflects, “was how many people saw this not as a concept, but as the future. We’ll definitely be back.”

With a spotlight on crew, startups, and sustainability, The Superyacht Square and Innovation Corner hosted brands pushing forward fresh ideas including Yachting Ventures, Swiss Ocean Tech Ltd, ACREW, Otter and Quay Figures.  Events and seminars here had a more relaxed tone—ideal for quick chats and deeper talks. Carla Brothers, Owner at Purser Support, noted, “The atmosphere at Palma International Boat Show is professional, but still really relaxed, which makes it a great space for networking, catching up with industry contacts, and making new ones too. I managed to spread the word about Purser Support, which was a great step forward. From a brand perspective, it’s ideal for visibility as there’s so much foot traffic from the right kind of audience.”

One of the best parts of this year’s PIBS was the number of industry talks that tackled real-world issues – leadership, job growth, social impact and media influence in yachting.   Hosted at the Port Centre by Estela Yachting and the Port Authority of the Balearics, the ‘Thallasophilia!’ seminar series featured expert speakers each day.  At The Superyacht Square, Lucie Gardiner of Yachting International Radio led a live panel on May 3 with changemakers from across the sector:

• Claire Hagen, This is Odyssey
• Sam Stewart, Relief Crew Foundation
• Philip Greenberg, Green. Joy Studio
• Gabbi Richardson, Yachting Ventures
• Lauren Wardley, Ethical Yacht Wear
• Onno Ebbens, ACREW

Topics ranged from how to build fairer crew contracts, to launching businesses while onboard, to why the next wave of yacht owners cares about impact, not just size.

Palma is more than a place to show off boats. It’s where new products and bold innovations take hold.  Whether you’re there to see a 35-metre yacht up close, test the latest yacht toys, pitch a product, or join a panel, PIBS and the Balearic Superyacht Forum are key destinations at the start of the Mediterranean season.  For those who missed the 2025 events: you’ll want to plan ahead for next year. The docks, the discussions, and the deals – they’re only getting bigger.

The dates for PIBS 2026 are 29 April to 2 May, 2026.  More information:  https://palmainternationalboatshow.com.  The 2026 Mediterranean Superyacht Forum dates are yet to be announced.

Photo credits:  Antibes Yachting | Palma International Boat Show