ABYA 2025 Summer Conference

About ABYA

The Association of Brokers & Yacht Agents (ABYA) represents one-half of the YBDSA (Yacht Brokers & Designers Association), established in 1912. It is a highly regarded Members’ Association of exceptional, qualified, and experienced practitioners within the maritime industry. ABYA represents professional yacht brokers, dealers, and new boat salespeople. Its members are required to demonstrate knowledge and application of the legal, financial, and tax documentation needed to pass on good legal title when buying and selling a vessel.

In recent years, ABYA has risen to assume the position of the industry’s officially recognised regulatory body with major banking institutions such as RBS Group, following ABYA’s introduction of Codes of Practice focused heavily on customer due diligence and anti-money laundering safeguards. Through direct links with the UK Treasury, UK Finance, Financial Conduct Authority, HMRC, CE/UKCA certifying bodies, Marine Finance houses, and insurers, the ABYA team, peer-led by committee, continually lobbies for clarifications and amendments on new government policies, banking practices and all factors influencing the leisure marine market.

ABYA members also have exclusive use of what is widely regarded as the best and most effective brokerage sales contract used within the UK and European markets. Developed with the input of Europe’s foremost maritime lawyers and continually updated to stay abreast of market changes and KYC/AML requirements, the ABYA Conditional Sale & Purchase Agreement is, in many ways, the jewel of the ABYA crown.

Grabau International & ABYA

Grabau International operates following the ABYA Codes of Practice. Grabau International’s managing director, Alex Grabau, completed the ABYA training course in 2001, working through the various membership grades to achieve full broker member status in 2007. In 2023, in recognition of his contribution to the Association, its membership, and the industry, and following over a decade of activity within the ABYA committee, including the position of deputy chair, Alex was awarded the honour of Fellow Membership. As an active current member of various ABYA sub-committees and steering groups dedicated to the technical aspects, such as legal contracts, CE/UKCA conformity and VAT (UK and EU), Alex was invited to attend ABYA 2025 Summer Conference to sit on a Q&A Panel alongside specialist marine lawyer Lucy Goff from Ocean-Legal, Norbert Ostermann from the UK’s CE/UKCA official certifying body HPI Verification Services and YBDSA President and ABYA Regulatory Chair Peter Norris.

“The ABYA Summer Conference is always a well-attended event with an interesting cross-section of brokers, new boat agents and professionals from all parts of the maritime and supporting industries. The opportunity to network and learn about new developments and changes affecting our industry is hugely valuable for any professional broker operating at a top level. While ABYA members benefit from a regular and hugely informative series of subject-focused webinars, there is still no substitute for getting together and sharing knowledge, experiences and opinions. To be allowed to share some of the knowledge and experience I have developed over the past 25 years was an honour, and I think it is safe to say that everyone attending left with some new knowledge and understanding. The saying that ‘every day is a school day’ is never truer than at an ABYA Conference or Training Day.”

Alex Grabau