Every year here at the MYBA Charter Yacht Show in Genoa, Italy, a new company or two arrives on the charter scene. Most often, such companies are either completely new to the yachting industry or are newly formed charter divisions of shipyards or boatbuilding firms. Their intentions are good, but they don't always have what I would consider solid backgrounds in actually booking charters and all the legalities that the job entails.


Thus, it was my pleasure to learn the story of Neo Yachting, which is making its industry debut here this week after being formed in December 2009. Company President Nicolas Valin, who for all intents and purposes is the charter director, is joined by two co-workers from the Azimut Charter Club, which he said is a now-defunct arm of Fraser Yachts Worldwide that was started after Fraser became part of the Azimut-Benetti Group.

"The Azimut Charter Club was imposed on Fraser Yachts by the new ownership and never really found its purpose," Valin told me. "With Neo Yachting, we are able to have a clear purpose."


That purpose is being a Western Mediterranean-based agency (with offices in Nice, France) that specializes in crewed yachts from 50 to 120 feet long, as opposed to the far larger yachts that are typically promoted for charter by companies in this region. One such "entry-level"  yacht, the 85-foot Benetti motoryacht Malandrino, is on display here at the Genoa show. I thought she looked fantastic, as did a couple of well-experienced American brokers I saw during my tour.


Other yachts in the 11-strong Neo charter fleet include the 100-foot Azimut motoryacht Leonardo, the 76-foot CNB sailing yacht Le Cochon Noir, and the 55-foot Ferretti motoryacht Jakurthan. All are based in the Western Mediterranean and available for charter this summer, with weekly base rates starting at €17,000.


"We are thrilled to be able to offer a yacht of this quality," Valin said of Malandrino. I would add that if all the yachts in the Neo fleet look as good, then the company has a bright future in the charter business.


More from the docks here in Genoa tomorrow, which is the final day of this year's show.

Written by: Kim Kavin
Kim Kavin is an award-winning writer, editor and photographer who specializes in marine travel. She is the author of 10 books including Dream Cruises: The Insider’s Guide to Private Yacht Vacations, and is editor of the online yacht vacation magazine www.CharterWave.com.