Crew crisis as super-yacht industry booms

By Katie Hunt
Business reporter, BBC News, Portsmouth

Super-yachts are the ultimate status symbol

Wanted: crew for luxury super-yacht.

Travel to some of the world’s most glamorous destinations with free board and lodging and an attractive tax-free salary of between 2,000 euros (£1,600) and 10,000 euros a month, depending on experience.

Despite the obvious perks, there is a global shortage of the deckhands, engineers, silver-service stewards and gourmet chefs needed to run the world’s 4,000-strong fleet of super-yachts.

These hyper-luxurious motor yachts can cost as much as $50m (£25m) and stretch from 24m to 100m in length.

Demand for the ultimate status symbol is at an all-time high – the industry has grown at 500% a year over the past decade – but the vessels’ captains and owners are struggling to find the crew they need.