Ramses Yachts, the exclusive representative and partner of the world’s luxurious yacht brands in Georgia, has updated its fleet with Italian yacht builder Cranchi, bringing 150 years of boatbuilding experience from the shores of Lake Como to Black Sea coast.
“We started 2023 with great news — Ramses Yachts became the official dealer of Cranchi Yachts, which stimulated great interest among customers and so increased sales of our company,” Giorgi Chikvaidze, the Founder and Director of Ramses Yachts, said.
“Unlike any other companies’ models, Cranchi’s line is characterized by true Italian style, super modern technology and the highest quality. Most importantly, yachts are produced up to nine and 25 meters, the most important dimensions in yacht production, and for a market like Georgia, yachts of this size are very important,” Director of the company, Irakli Papiashvili continued.
In addition, Ramses Yachts is opening a new office in Batumi, “without a rival in our region”, Chikvaidze said.
“It will be a typical European office, with scale models of all yachts on sale. All this will be located in a meeting room with the latest equipment, which is the European standard for the yachting business,” he added.
Papiashvili also shared with Golden Brand plans to launch the first yacht management academy in Georgia.
“The academy will be opened in September and will offer a full course of yacht management toward certification, opening the door to employment not only in Georgia, but in Europe,” Papiashvili said.
Talking about the increased sales figures, Chikvaidze mentioned that all new clients are Georgian.
“This fact is also very important for us, as it shows that yachting culture in Georgia is developing day by day,” he said.
Chikvaidze said that the development of the yacht industry in Georgia was directly proportional to Ramses Yachts, “as we are the first to introduce a modern, European yacht destination in Georgia.”
For its contribution to the development of Georgia’s yacht industry, Ramses Yachts, which has been operating on the market since 2017, has received its second Golden Brand award.
Q. Is the Georgia office involved in the sale of used yachts and how in-demand is this?
Papiashvili: Of course we sell second-hand yachts; moreover, the company, which we already officially represent in Georgia, and which has been creating history in the yacht industry for 150 years, offers us a different format for the sale of second-hand yachts. A great privilege lies in the fact that the company has two refit centers in Italy, where used yachts undergo a detailed inspection, if necessary are repaired, and so the used yacht is given to the new owner in the best condition.
Cranchi Yachts has a test center, where customers are allowed to inspect the selected model in detail, which includes a full inspection of the yacht’s hull and subsequent test operation.
Q. The demand for yacht charters is increasing and several owners have started offering this service, including you, as far as I know. Tell us what type of yachts you rent out?
Chikvaidze: In addition to yacht sales, our company also offers yacht management services to owners, which includes chartering.
Last year proved to be quite fruitful there. We added several high-class yachts to serve those interested in chartering, and this niche is growing steadily.
Q. Is buying a yacht a good investment? How can a yacht become a source of income in Georgia?
Papiashvili: Statistically, a yacht is considered one of the most in-demand investment products in the world. This is due to the fact that the value of yachts does not depreciate dramatically, in some cases on the contrary — the value appreciates in spite of age. The yacht owner is given the opportunity to enjoy his/her yacht, as well as engage in rentals, the income from which fully covers the costs of operating the yacht, and is even more profitable if fully loaded.
By the way, our yachting season starts from April and lasts until December.
Q. If a yacht breaks down in Georgia, how are repairs handled?
Chikvaidze: Service is a very important part of yacht management. We have made progress here, if we consider that Volvo Penta, whose engines are mainly used in the yachts we import, is officially represented in Georgia.
Our company also cooperates with leading Turkish companies and uses their services, but this is sometimes not sufficient. We hope this area will be developed in the future.
Q. Your company has positively evaluated the launch of the Ambassadori Batumi Island project, which involves construction of a palm-shaped artificial island in Batumi. How can this project benefit the yachting industry and more specifically your company?
Papiashvili: Ambassadori Batumi Island is an important project for the Black Sea region, and not only for our company or for Ambassador, but Georgia as a whole. We believe this project will advance our country by about 100 years, more yachting companies will appear, and will guarantee that Georgia will become one of the centers of the global yachting scene, which is directly proportional to the creation of jobs.
And, of course, the project would also benefit us as a company in the industry.
Q. What is the connection between the development of the yachting industry and the development of the economy?
Chikvaidze: This connection is continuous and very strong. The development of the yacht industry in the country is proportionally related to individuals with high purchasing power, the creation of new and interesting jobs, and large investments.
Yachts are connected to other areas such as real estate, hotels, luxury stores and many others aimed at wealthier consumers.
And Ramses Yachts, along with our partner companies, will continue to make efforts to develop the yacht industry in Georgia and offer the best to our clients.
