Ocean Independence

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Ocean Independence AG
Company typeAktiengesellschaft
IndustryYachting
PredecessorOcean Cruise
Founded1991
FounderPeter Hürzeler
HeadquartersKüsnacht,
Zurich
,
Switzerland
Number of locations
16 (2025)
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Peter Hürzeler (founder & CEO)
ServicesYacht Sales and Purchases, Yacht Charter Retail, Yacht Charter Management, Yacht Services, New Construction and Refit Management, Consulting, Private Aviation
Websitehttps://www.oceanindependence.com

Ocean Independence is a yacht brokerage firm that provides luxury yachting services across yacht sales, yacht charter, management, and build. The company is headquartered in Küsnacht, Zurich, Switzerland.

History

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Early years

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Ocean Independence, initially established as Ocean Cruise, was founded in 1991. Ocean Cruise’s origins trace back to the mid-1980s, when Peter Hürzeler, his brother, and a group of friends built and operated some of the first commercially registered sailing yachts for charter. In the mid-1990s, when they decided to sell the fleet, Peter Hürzeler continued Ocean Cruise and started to focus on the brokerage and consultancy business in Zollikon, Zurich.[1]

Expansion

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In 1999, Ocean Cruise opened an office in Monaco and four years later in Palma, Mallorca.[1] In 2005, the firm expanded through the acquisition of Velonà Yachting, a Monaco-based brokerage house, and subsequently merged with Sea Independence (formerly Dahm International), a brokerage house in Palma, forming the Ocean Independence brand known today.[2] Through this expansion the company increased its workforce from 22 to 45 people.[3] That same year, Nicholas Dean joined Ocean Cruise as a Managing Partner.[4] One year later, in 2006, the company officially launched its dedicated yacht management services.

To further expand, Ocean Independence acquired Cavendish White, a British brokerage house based in London, in 2008.[4] This acquisition increased the company’s workforce to 70 people[1] and expanded its reach in the UK market. In 2011, the acquisition of Primo Yacht, a yacht charter firm based in Antibes (France), expanded Ocean Independence’s role in charter fleet management[4]

In 2015, Ocean Independence expanded its operations by establishing a U.S. charter and sales office in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The same year, the company relocated its global headquarters from Zollikon (Zurich) to Küsnacht (Zurich),[5] revised its brand identity and launched a lifestyle magazine called PURSUIT. Two years later, in 2017, Ocean Independence acquired the Hong Kong-based brokerage company Seanergy.

Services

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Ocean Independence specializes in crewed motor and sailing yachts over 18 meters.[1] While the company does not own any yachts itself, it acts as an intermediary on behalf of its clients.[5] Its core services include representing clients in yacht sales and purchases, yacht ownership management, charter management and retail as well as overseeing the construction and refit process of yachts.[1]

Prominent Sales

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Ocean Independence sells yachts worth several hundred million euros every year.[1] According to the firm's own claims, Ocean Independence has sold over 500 yachts since its founding in the 1990s and generated a total yacht sales revenue of 4 billion euros. Some prominent yacht sales from the past include:

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Mijuk, Gordana (2009). "Klein denken, gross träumen" [Think small, dream big]. nzz.genios.de (in Swiss High German). Neue Zürcher Zeitung. Retrieved 2025-02-05.
  2. ^ Lüscher, Martin (2016-02-12). "Peter Hürzeler: Kapitän ausser Dienst" [Peter Hürzeler: Captain off duty]. Finanz und Wirtschaft (in German). Retrieved 2025-02-05.
  3. ^ Schenkel, Roland (2005-12-01). "Mit Mega-Jachten auf Erfolgskurs" [On course for success with mega yachts]. Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in Swiss High German). ISSN 0376-6829. Retrieved 2025-02-05.
  4. ^ a b c Loizou, Kiki (2013-05-05). "How I Made It: Nicholas Dean, founder of Ocean Independence". www.thetimes.com. The Sunday Times. Retrieved 2025-02-05.
  5. ^ a b Speidel, Frank (2021-10-12). "Von Küsnacht aus vermittelt er Jachten in die ganze Welt" [From Küsnacht, he brokers yachts all over the world]. Zürichsee-Zeitung (in Swiss High German). Retrieved 2025-02-05.
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