History

Burgess was founded in London in 1975 by Nigel Burgess — a distinguished British sailor and single-handed ocean racer who had competed in the OSTAR transatlantic race. Burgess brought to yacht brokerage the same obsessive attention to detail and commitment to client service that had defined his sailing career. Starting from a single London office, he built the company on principles of integrity, discretion and absolute client focus that the superyacht industry had not seen before. He helped create the modern superyacht market as much as he served it.

Tragedy & Legacy

In November 1992, Nigel Burgess died while competing in the Vendée Globe — the gruelling solo non-stop round-the-world race. He was 50 years old. The company he had built continued and grew. Under the leadership of Jonathan Beckett, who has led Burgess for over three decades, the firm has expanded to 16 offices globally and grown into the world's largest full-service superyacht company. In 2001, Burgess became the first yacht brokerage ever to receive the Queen's Award for Enterprise — a recognition of international trade excellence.

Services

Burgess operates across every dimension of the superyacht world. The brokerage division handles the sale and purchase of yachts over 30 metres — the largest and most complex transactions in private maritime history, including the sale of PLATINUM, a 160-metre motor yacht that was at the time the world's largest private vessel. The charter division manages one of the world's largest portfolios of available yachts for charter, from sailing yachts to motor yachts to expedition vessels. The management division handles the operational running of yachts for their owners.

New Construction

For clients commissioning a new superyacht — a process that typically takes three to five years and involves hundreds of specialist decisions across naval architecture, engineering, interior design and equipment — Burgess provides project management from initial concept through to delivery. The company has been involved in the construction of some of the most technically advanced and aesthetically ambitious superyachts ever built. New construction projects range from 30-metre explorer yachts to 100-metre-plus flagships.

Charter Pricing

A superyacht charter through Burgess begins at approximately €50,000 per week for a 30-metre motor yacht, scaling rapidly with size, specification and season. A 50-metre charter typically costs €150,000–300,000 per week. Major trophies of the Mediterranean season — Monaco Grand Prix week, Cannes Film Festival — command significant premiums. All charter fees are exclusive of APA (Advance Provisioning Allowance, typically 30–35% of the base fee) covering fuel, food, dockage and crew gratuities.