Despite the potential for a nuanced impact on parts of the yacht chartering industry, the CEO of a luxury private yacht charter company headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, widely regarded as the yachting capital of the world, has reported little financial impact from the 20 percent reciprocal tariff on exports from Europe to the U.S., imposed by President Donald Trump in April 2025.
This move was expected to significantly increase the cost of yachts for buyers in the U.S.
“Chartering has been kind of an issue-free service since COVID,” Brian Blouin, CEO of PorterYachts, told FOX Business. “It was really, really good during the recession that never really hit but sort of hit. Business was still moving. We have not really seen anything change when it comes to the tariffs overall on the charter side.”
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Trade policies from “Liberation Day” were instituted to balance the scales for the U.S. after decades of “ripping us off,” according to a statement by President Trump on March 31, 2025.
“The lack of reciprocity contributes to our large and persistent annual trade deficit that’s gutted our industries and hollowed out key workforces,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated during a briefing in early April. “But those days of America, beginning tomorrow, being ripped off, are over. American workers and businesses will be put first under President Trump, just as he promised on the campaign trail.”
As Europe works through a deal with the U.S. ahead of the August 1 deadline, which would impose 30% tariffs on a myriad of goods, Blouin says the yachting industry is operating in a buyer’s market.
“When it comes to sales overall, it’s definitely more of a buyer’s market, but that has also been the trend since post-COVID,” he told FOX Business. “I’d say 2022-2023, things in the sales market started to come a little bit lower into a buyer’s market overall.”
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Recently, a partnership between a four-star hotel in Palm Beach and PorterYachts set sail, offering a luxe experience for corporate clients and hotel guests.
Blouin teamed up with the Ben Hotel, Autograph Collection, to offer visitors and C-level executives a fleet of luxury vessels for daytime meetings, overnight excursions and week-long jaunts, with a minimum of four-hour charters starting at $4,500.
“The Ben came up with the idea to do something a little bit different outside of just the natural concierge support,” Blouin told FOX Business.
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The Ben, the sole waterfront hotel in West Palm Beach, imagined a curated event space that harmonizes the deep blue with corporate gatherings, providing a venue beyond traditional conference rooms.
On any of the three vessels provided to The Ben by PorterYachts, guests are met with a professional captain, a seasoned stewardess and a bartender or server.
“It’s a good alignment of white glove service, luxury, and a different experience,” Blouin said.
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The 64-foot Galeon yacht features a “beach mode,” with expanded side balconies that transform into bars, a helm windshield that provides guests a direct walk-through experience, and a spacious flybridge. The sides of the boat fold down, repositioning the barstools to invite guests to sit outside and hover above the water.
“It really sets Galeon apart from standard-built boats at the moment,” Blouin told FOX Business.
The 75-foot Prestige yacht integrates luxury by drawing from natural light and space with floor-to-ceiling windows, a master suite, guest cabins and a fully equipped galley.
“It’s a little slice of the Bahamas without having to be there,” Blouin said. “It’s really just a great build overall.”
“The flybridge is long enough to host guests at the top,” he added. “You can walk to the front all the way to the back without any obstruction.”
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Finally, the fleet wraps with a 56-foot Sunseeker yacht, which offers guests a laid-back cruising experience with a salon dwelling, two cabins and plush sun pads.
“Those are the three best yachts I have to offer at the moment,” Blouin said.
However, the CEO is always looking to trade out vessels and purchase new offerings for clients.
“When these worldwide events do occur, like a tariff, do things pause momentarily? Sure. But everything does,” Blouin said.
“Everything pauses. People try and see what’s going on, and they continue on and work around it. I haven’t seen any downfall from anything that has been happening at the moment.”
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