Full Service Yacht Management

ISM (International Safety Management) is mandatory for all vessels over 500GT. Although full compliance is not required for yachts 499GT and below, they are required to comply with mini ISM regulations and it is recommended that those yachts also work towards full ISM compliance to ensure the yacht sails smoothly and does not pose any safety issues for its owner, crew and guests.

Here at Edge Yachts we offer full management of all ISM and ISPS requirements for superyachts of all sizes. We also offer a mini ISM that covers the most important safety measures for yachts below 500GT who want to ensure safety remains paramount, without undertaking a full ISM/ISPS audit.

• ISM and Mini ISM systems, auditing and manuals tailored to each yacht’s needs
• Provision of DPA and DOC for all major Flag States
• Ongoing support for all operational and planned maintenance systems onboard
• 24/7 shoreside emergency support

Our approach to each client’s ISM system is completely tailored to the vessel’s needs. Our safety management systems (SMS) take into account the superyachts refit and repair cycle to allow for planned maintenance. All Edge Yachts’ safety and security manuals are approved by all major Flag States*.

ISPS

As a global security measure, and a part of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), compliance to the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS) is also mandatory for all large charter yachts over 500GT.

Developed after the attacks on 9/11, the ISPS Code provides a standardised and consistent framework for evaluating risk through changes in vulnerability for ships and port facilities through unique assessments of individual vessels. Relevant vessels are required to create a tailored Ship Security Plan (SSP) based on assessments and audits of the onboard operations, as well as the physical attributes of the vessel.

Our team will assist you in every step of ISPS Code compliance, providing advice and guidance to ensure certification is maintained and remains valid, whilst providing a realistic and achievable approach to the day-to-day operation of your yacht.

Our experience with the ISPS Code will guarantee you smooth sailing from the initial development of your SSP through to inspections and audits, and our onshore team offers uncompromising support for your designated Security Officer and Designated Person Ashore (DPA) roles in emergency situations.

Designated Person Ashore & Documents of Compliance

The ISM Code requires that a land-based professional acts as a link between those on board and the owning company of the vessel. Our team of master mariners provides you with the reassurance that your Designated Person Ashore (or DPA) brings with them enormous experience at sea, including on superyachts, and can empathise with any situation your captain and crew are facing.

Custom mini ISM for yachts 499GT and below

Red Ensign commercial yachts under 500GT and over 24m are required to comply with the ISM Code to a mini ISM standard. This is less stringent than the full ISM standard but provides reassurance for guests and charter guests travelling on board that the yacht is as safe as possible. We custom plan each SMS for our mini ISM clients with as much commitment and attention to detail as our largest superyacht clients.

We will discuss your requirements and if needed make a site visit to establish a bespoke package to suit your needs. Many vessels decide that they want a service that exceeds the basic requirements of a Mini ISM but do not require a full ISM audit. This adds value to the yacht for the purpose of insurance or resale value, but is more flexible around daily activity. Edge Yachts can provide a tailored SMS solution for you, without submitting the SMS to Flag State for approval.

*We hold Documents of Compliance for all the major Flag States, including: Cayman Islands, Marshall Islands, Bermuda, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Malta and Jamaica [MCA/UK or US?]. Our team is also Lloyd’s Register certified.

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• Specialist sourcing of superyacht and estate inventory
• Arranging unique experiences and purchasing opportunities

In luxury yachting, we are accustomed to receiving nothing but the very best service and products in all areas. From designer bespoke crew uniforms to delivering the freshest Maine lobster somewhere in the Caribbean, our standards are exacting and our networks for sourcing items or experiences are second to none.

Part of the premier service offered to our full yacht management clients is a concierge service to ensure every last detail is arranged and triple checked for you.

Beyond assisting with your superyacht operations alone, Edge Yachts considers the comfort of our premier clients wherever they are in the world. ‘Impossible’ is not a word in our vocabulary, and we have achieved a wide range of demands that have been insurmountable to others. Our premier clients experience a service that doesn’t stop, from a team that is passionate about delivering only the very best.

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• Assistance with filing and updating electronic Notice of Arrival Departure (eNOAD)

Edge Yachts provides an eNOAD filing service for superyachts to ease the process and assist the Captain and first officer with their administrative duties on board.

As part of the official monitoring of marine traffic in the United States*, an eNOAD must be filed each time a vessel moves between US Coast Guard COTP (Captain of the Port) Zones. The eNOAD is submitted online in advance of the departure, with a timeframe dependent on the journey the vessel is about to make.

If the voyage time is less than 96 hours, the eNOAD must be filed prior to departure and at least 24 hours prior to arrival. If the voyage time is over 96 hours, the eNOAD must be filed at least 96 hours prior to arrival at the port of destination. Updates to eNOADs are possible but the last update for a 24-hour notice must be made at least 12 hours prior to arrival. If the vessel is departing for a foreign port, the eNOAD must be filed at least an hour prior to departure.

All foreign flagged vessels entering US waters or transiting between designated Port Zones can face heavy fines, boarding and even vessel detention if the eNOAD is not filled out in a correct and timely manner.

For charter yachts this can be especially paperwork heavy during a time when you might have demanding guest on board who want to change the itinerary at short notice.

Our eNOAD service allows your Captain and crew to focus on you and your guest and trust that the administration is taken care of by a team of trusted advisors.

*The eNOAD is a US Coast Guard requirement only and has no bearing on whether the yacht will be cleared for immigration by the Customs and Border Protection authority on an arrival into the United States.

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• Budget analysis and full ongoing accounting service
• Crew payroll and employment service
• Ownership company set-up and management

Today’s superyachts are run like large private estates or hotels. Whether they are used purely privately or with commercial activity through charter, superyachts are multi-million dollar assets with annual operational budgets that commonly run well into seven figures.

We have a team of qualified specialists who can manage your yachts accounts, deliver crew payroll, legal contracts, coordinate yacht expenses, provide accurate and responsive reporting and produce monthly and annual budgets. Why not let our onshore experts keep your books up to date, and let your Captain and crew look after you?

The accounting and budget analysis of superyacht operation and planning can be time consuming and complex, demanding considerable attention from a captain, purser or chief stewardess. Add to this the increased workload of crew payroll and employment contracts that are required by the MLC 2006, and significant resources are needed to maintain compliance.

At Edge Yachts, we see ourselves as an extension of your onboard crew, able to assist department heads with their administrative duties and freeing up their time to focus on making sure every guest experience is as incredible as possible. To our team of highly experienced maritime professionals, yachting regulations and legal frameworks are second nature. We are accustomed to setting up ownership structures for superyachts, to ensure these are done in the most fiscally responsible and logical way possible.

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• Full owner representation from contract negotiation to delivery
• Technical consultation and regulatory advice
• On-the-ground representation and remote support for build captains and engineers
• Warranty tracking and management for recently delivered superyachts
• Planned maintenance scheduling and tracking
• Project scope definition and projections
• Liaison with refit yard teams for upcoming refit and repair periods
• Captain and crew support before, during and after refits

New build

Custom-building your own luxury yacht is a highly personal experience, and a lifelong ambition for many. Most future yacht owners will have a vision in their mind of their ideal vessel, and look for assistance from seasoned professionals to make that dream become a reality.

An owner’s representative or build team should first and foremost be experienced enough to understand that vision and the technical aspects and choices necessary to bring it to life, on time and on budget. Whether it’s installing a cutting-edge music-recording studio, incorporating a four-deck-tall sculpture into the interior, or integrating seamless head-of-state-level security systems, Edge Yachts has the experience to make the most elaborate of requests come to fruition on any custom-build superyacht project.

From contract negotiations and early design consultations to delivery and launch, the Edge Yachts team has exceptional technical and operational experience to lead the way for a custom-build superyacht project. Our clients have included some of the most discerning and experienced superyacht owners, with exacting standards and the highest of expectations. We have had the privilege of working with some of the best shipyards and designers in the world, alongside the best captains and build crew in the business.

As well as working for an owner as a direct on-the-ground representative, our team can also provide build captains and engineers with remote support and technical guidance to whatever level requested. And once the new yacht has been launched, we will assist the onboard team with warranty tracking and ongoing management to ensure a smooth-running first few months and years of operation.

Refit

Refit, repair and maintenance are part of a yacht’s ongoing lifecycle after launch. Maintaining your luxury yacht to the highest standards is a complex undertaking, requiring considerable expertise and planning. Responsibility for tracking and scheduling planned maintenance and refits usually falls to the captain and departmental heads onboard, but this can be very time-consuming, particularly when planning ahead for a yard period often takes place in the middle of a busy charter season.

If the refits, repairs and maintenance are not planned ahead of a yard period, costs and time needed can escalate when unexpected work orders are added. On the other hand, if a yard period is well planned, costs are better controlled, standards of workmanship are enhanced and downtime is minimised. The team at Edge Yachts has many decades of combined superyacht sea-time, and have managed multiple new build and refit projects. We can assist the captain and department heads with planning a successful refit period and alleviate their workload during busy operational months.

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• International background checks for prospective crew
• In-depth verification of references and criminal record checks

As an extension of your home, a superyacht is a private space for you to enjoy time off with friends and family. Beyond the responsibility of human safety placed on the crew, many priceless items and works of art are often kept onboard. Recruitment protocols should therefore be as rigorous for a superyacht as they would be for a private residence or family office. Simple reference checks do not provide sufficient data to fully understand a candidate’s suitability for a position, and will often not be in-depth enough to consider the potential crewmember’s life prior to yachting.

Our understanding of the unique demands in yachting gives us an added advantage over other services that carry out background checks. Our searches are international and exhaustive, giving you peace of mind that those you have trusted to look after your superyacht asset, the valuable items onboard and, most importantly, your family and friends, are the perfect fit.

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• Assistance with obtaining a Declaration of Maritime Labour Compliance Certificate
• Advice on up-to-date regulations for MLC 2006 compliance

Coming into force in August 2013, the Maritime Labour Convention 2006 (MLC 2006) caused a significant stir in the luxury yacht world. Having been created as a way of improving conditions for all those who work at sea, it consolidated dozens of existing pieces of legislation from the International Maritime Organization. It also created a number of new hurdles that superyacht owners and captains would have to jump in order to operate for charter.

Areas covered by the MLC 2006 include crew accommodation, payroll, employment contracts, complaint procedures and employee rights. To add to the complexity, as well as home port registration, individual crew nationality can also have an impact on the yacht’s obligations.

Although it can seem daunting, working with a skilled team of yacht management professionals will assist you and your superyacht crew in ensuring 100% compliance to the MLC 2006, giving you peace of mind for any potential inspections by port state control.

Our team of administrative experts understand the nuances and very latest updates on MLC 2006 regulation. Whether you have a private vessel looking to move into charter or a recently delivered new build superyacht, we will guide you through the process of obtaining a Declaration of Maritime Labour Compliance Certificate (DMLCC) and maintaining your status of compliance going forward.

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• Signing party for COFR paperwork of non-US flagged vessels visiting the US
• Provide ongoing support and monitoring of COFR paperwork
• Access to eCOFR portal for certification applications

Also relating to environmental issues and water pollution, the Certificate of Financial Responsibility or COFR is a guarantee from the vessel owner or a third party that a superyacht is able to cover its legal liability up to prescribed limits, in the event of the release or threatened release of oil or other hazardous materials.

It is applicable to superyachts of over 300GT using the navigable waters of the US. In the case of superyachts, the COFR is usually a statement of proof of insurance to pay for costs of clean-up and damage relating to a spill up to the liability limits required by the Oil Pollution Act. As a US-based company with USCG approval, Edge Yachts can act as the signing party for COFR applications of non-US flagged superyachts over 300GT looking to cruise US waters.

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