International News: Downturn on the Spanish market

Boat registrations in Spain drop further in 2009

By IBI Magazine/Manuel Sevilla Moróder. According to the 2009 year-end boat registration report published by Spanish marine trade association ANEN, the downturn on the Spanish market that started in the spring of 2008 further deteriorated in 2009.

The total number of boats registered under the Spanish flag last year fell by 35 per cent to just 6,700 units compared to the previous year. Total registrations had already shrunk by more than 18 per cent in 2008.

If measured by the number of registrations, the market has at present 53 per cent of its 2007 size. One would have to go back to 2002 to find comparable levels of demand. These figures did not come as a surprise, but fall within ANEN’s forecast (see IBI’s April 27 news story entitled Spanish boat registration plummets).

Sailboats have been the hardest hit with a drop of over 47 per cent, compared to a 38 per cent decrease in motorboats. Personal watercraft, RIBs and inflatables have suffered less. Motorboats continue to dominate the Spanish boating market but their share has dropped three points to 58 per cent of all boat registrations compared with 2008.

The smaller lengths have been less affected. According to ANEN, nearly 87 per cent of all units registered in 2009 are below 8m (26ft) in length, three points more than in 2008. Motorboats with engines below 65hp gained four points to reach a market share of over 48 per cent.

Demand weakness has halted the trend of market share gain of imported boats to the detriment of Spanish builds. In 2009 around 70 per cent of registrations were for imported craft, virtually the same as in 2008.