STARBOARD QUALITY

COMPLEX HE MAY BE, BUT ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIĆ’S MOTIVES BEHIND BECOMING THE LATEST FOOTBALLER TO INVEST IN HIS OWN LITTLE SLICE OF LUXURY ARE AS CLEAR AS THE WATER IT FLOATS ON WORDS: RICHARD ALDHOUS

Given the level of soccer sorcery that Zlatan Ibrahimović puts on show every time he steps out onto the football pitch, it’s little surprise to find similar levels of flair and exuberance in the way he goes about his personal life.

The Swede, born in Malmo to a Bosnian father, Sefik, and Catholic mother, Jurka, has provided for admirers and onlookers a mass of contradictions in a glittering playing career – they are puzzles and complications he thrives on.

Firstly, there’s the brutish, confrontation, aggressiveness of his on-field combat which, let’s be honest, is totally at odds with the graceful, gliding, almost glamorous way he plays the beautiful game.

Then there’s an agelessness that sees the now 39-yearold continue to perform at the top level – he’s even gained cult status at current employers AC Milan despite having previously played for their fiercest rivals Inter.

There’s his faith – in his childhood he was encouraged to uphold the values of both Catholicism and Islam (courtesy of his parents’ respective views), yet his body art, curiously, leans more towards Buddhism; while he attributes football as his “one true religion – godlier than any other in my life.” entrenched in the 24/7 of modern sport. You feel, even in retirement, his status will remain such that Ibra will be just as much in demand as he is now. And yet his private life is private, and fiercely protected.

It’s probably because of that last point that we feel flattered that one of the most decorated sportsmen of a generation – and yet, with not even a Champions League final appearance to his name… another wild contradiction – embraces his passion for yachts in a very public way.

“Perhaps it is because I spend so much of my life on grass, on flat ground, that I look for something different away from the sport,” he begins. “It’s not something I’ve thought about too much, but you won’t find me on a walking holiday… I need to do something different with my time away from competitive sport – I need to find a different place.”

That ‘different place’, as he calls it, is a 98ft yacht. The spectacular craft comes from the Riva stable, and when rumours began circulating in 2018 that the former Ajax, Juventus, Barcelona, PSG, Manchester United and LA Galaxy frontman was in the market for a boat, all eyes were set on his next move.

“Almost there” came the message on his Instagram feed, with a picture of a 100 Corsaro undergoing final checks in the manufacturer’s iconic shipyard in Spezia, on Italy’s north-west coast.

Before long, talk of him cutting a deal for the vessel – which was rumoured to have cost in the region of $7m – was rife.

Almost teasingly, the striker noted: “My life has always been the subject of speculation, so this is nothing new to me.

“If people want to talk about me, they are welcome to; but I will always talk about myself when I am ready, and not before.”

The point at which Sweden’s all-time record goalscorer was ready to unveil his new project in full came in the summer of 2020. Fans got wind of him taking some downtime off the coast of Saint-Tropez, and descended on the picture-perfect resort to find him celebrating his new purchase with family and friends.

“Of course privacy has always been a priority for me, but when you live your life in the lens you have to appreciate the fact you cannot just switch it off,” he says. “I am always truly grateful for the job I have and the extent to which fans of clubs follow their team, particularly when things are perhaps not going as well as they might; so I always try to do whatever I can for those supporters.”

That said, season ticket holders angling for an invitation onto his palatial yacht may find themselves sorely disappointed, even if the vessel can accommodate 10 people in six cabins, with one master suite and three additional crew cabins. There are six bathrooms and a further two in the crew quarters.

“Yachts are something a lot of footballers really have a passion for,” he says, “but the price of buying and maintaining these things is sometimes so incredible – you have to be really sure you want to go down that route, rather than invest your money in cars, property, or perhaps a restaurant,” he laughs. “There is a lot that can go wrong with these things.

“What has attracted me to boats is the desire to move around,” he says. “I have moved around all of my life” – something of an understatement for someone who has played football in all of the major European leagues bar the German Bundesliga – “I find it very difficult to sit still.

“The lockdown was a difficult time for everyone – I feel we suffered together, and in our own ways we all looked for the things that would make us happy… the simple things.

“I was desperate to get back to my boat, but also just to feel the sea and spend time around water – it is very calming.

“When I was able to do that, with friends, and the ocean around me, it was one of the greatest reliefs.”

While glorious shots of Ibrahimović diving off the side of his yacht have certainly entertained his 45 million Instagram followers, his actions may have proven less encouraging for Milan boss Stefano Pioli, who typically tries to keep the veteran wrapped in cotton wool so as to preserve the club’s Serie A title bid.

“I am always going to look after myself and keep in good shape,” comes the response. “The way I feel now, I can keep on playing until I am 50, no problem. For me, staying fit, being happy and feeling capable of putting my body through the demands of professional football means being able to relax and enjoy the things around me. It’s all part of the deal.”

Certainly, in the era of astronomical football wages, the star isn’t the first and won’t be the last to take the jump into yacht ownership. Only very elite sports stars can be assured of earning enough over a concerted period of time so as to be able to fund the extravagance, with Lionel Messi, David Beckham, Sergio Ramos, Neymar, Cristiano Ronaldo select owners who are setting the standard.

Chartering remains the more sensible option, but since when did sensible work its way into Zlatan’s mindset? “I’m not going to be that person to sit back and accept normality. My boat is an expression of me seeking out new horizons, new challenges; about wanting to put my mark on something different; and that is the way I have been throughout my career.

“For me, that pursuit of new experiences is what has kept my interest in football and it’s what has always made me want to put my boots back on. When I lose that, I will surely retire…”

A yacht charter offers owners attractive incentives that help to make the most of their asset. These include keeping the yacht and crew in good condition and offsetting a boat’s running costs, but there is always more to charter than what first meets the eye. For many owners, the pressure of staying on top of financial and operational services is a time-consuming headache that they would rather do without. Far from turning their back on charter, however, often the best option is to seek independent corporate assistance and Vistra’s Mallorca Model is just one example of how engaging the services of a fiscal management team can alleviate the administrative burden for owners and captains alike.

The sailing hub of Spain promises sun, sand and the sound of life’s stresses slowly slipping away beneath your keel. But for yacht owners looking to charter their yacht in the area, navigating various bureaucratic and fiscal intricacies unique to Spanish waters can seem daunting. A big advantage of the Mallorca-Model is that Vistra Marine & Aviation Limited takes full responsibility for the entire setup, leaving non-EU commercial yacht owners free to relax. For example, all non-EU yachts that wish to charter must first be imported within the EU. That process involves appointing an on-the-ground fiscal representative in Spain to manage the importation and declaration of the yacht with an EU Customs Authority. They will also handle the application for a Spanish VAT number, together with the administrative requirements, such as yacht valuation.

Unlike other EU charter hotspots, such as France or Italy, before a yacht conducts a charter in Spain it must hold a charter license that has been obtained in the Spanish region where the charter will start. Vistra advises clients to apply for both the Balearics and Barcelona license to futureproof their options, but because Vistra has set up a dedicated charter company solely to undertake the commercial operation of yachts in Spain, it can efficiently handle all of the above on the yacht owner’s behalf.

In addition, yacht owners that take advantage of Vistra’s Mallorca-Model benefit from a legitimate, efficient and professional method that guarantees a smooth process from beginning to end. It also handles all relevant tax requirements, ensuring Spain’s non-negotiable 21% VAT charter income is collected and paid. Having the charter handled by Vistra allows owners to ensure no further tax becomes due. If the charter is undertaken by a non-EU company (e.g. Cayman Island, BVI, Marshall Island) and this country does not have a double tax treaty with Spain, an additional withholding tax of 24% has to be deducted from the charter income.

Vistra covers all facets of charter requirements – not just those associated with chartering in Spain – from assistance with registration, asset administration and corporate structuring to accounting, payroll, yacht financing, customs, VAT and tax compliance services. Vistra takes the ‘why’ out of yacht charter but keeps the owner in the driving seat.

Daan Balk looks back over seven generations of family ownership and discusses the fundamentals that have helped Balk Shipyard grow into one of the most trusted and technically proficient shipyards in Europe

Approximately 220 years ago, the Balk Shipyard was founded in the small town of Elburg. Today, many of the same values still hold true and have been fundamental to the growth and success of the business.

Today, Daan Balk, CEO and seventh generation of the Balk family sits at the helm of the Shipyard and is steering the business forward supported by a team of over 50 experienced and highly skilled individuals.

Daan explains, “Through the years we built, maintained and renovated ships for the Dutch market. In 2002 we were even granted an exclusive Royal Seal of Approval which symbolises the confidence that the Dutch Royal Family has in our company.”

“Due to the land reclaiming of the inland sea in the 1950s, which caused Elburg to become a small harbour on inland waters, and the growing demand there was a need to relocate and expand. In 2004 the decision was made to relocate the company to the town of Urk, which is located directly on open waters. In Urk we bought a larger existing shipyard and completely transformed it into a modern state of the art facility which answers to the new build and refit needs on the domestic and international markets.”

THE YARD AND FACILITIES “Over the past 15 years,” Daan explains, “our focus was mainly on our projects but we have also been investing in our facilities which consist of three large conditioned halls and three outside parking tracks compliant with the latest environmental requirements. “One hall is fully dedicated to aluminum construction and fabrication, mainly for our own projects as well as for some well respected Dutch shipyards such as the Feadship organisation (Royal Van Lent and Koninklijke De Vries Scheepsbouw), Heesen and many others, plus others across the seas and outside of Europe.”

Daan continues, “Another hall is a refit facility in which we can run two projects at the same time, for example a 45m and a 50m yacht can fit alongside each other. Our warehouse and dedicated workshops are created directly on side in this refit facility. Our third hall is the largest one; here we run major projects which can vary from a really large refit project to a new build.”

“Next to our facilities on the yard, we also have some mooring spaces within the protected boarders of our premises. These mooring spaces are of course equipped with proper shore power and running water.” “Last but definitely not least, we have a unique lifting system which enables us to haul out and launch yachts up to 1000 tons dead weight and a total length of +65m. With this lift system we can easily haul out and park the yacht in one of our designated halls within a couple of hours at a competitive rate.”

Separate from the yard facilities, Balk have the availability of a crew house since late 2020. It’s a beautiful house in one of the best preserved old town centres of The Netherlands, Urk’s neighbouring town, Kampen, The house is located in the city centre, right next to the river IJssel, Kampen has everything you expect of a middle sized town, such as two train stations, one with a direct connection to Amsterdam and Lelystad and a bus station with a direct connection to Urk. In the town centre you will find a large variety of shops, including a cinema and many bars and restaurants. Kampen is a 40 minute

drive from Amsterdam and a 20 minute drive from Urk. So for crew, Daan explains, “It is quite a lively spot to stay during a refit.”

OUR EMPLOYEES It’s not all about bricks and mortar, Daan continues, “Besides a modern facility we also have a large in-house expertise. The yard is organised and run by approximately 50 experienced and highly skilled employees in all functions and trades necessary to generate a supreme quality product. We take pride in what we accomplish and are constantly trying to improve our quality, effectiveness and efficiency in all levels.”

OUR PROJECTS “Since the beginning of Balk Shipyard in 1798 we’ve been specialised in refit and rebuild so we’re proud to be known around the world as a refit/rebuild yard,” Daan says. “And, over the years we’ve carried out and have participated in many great refit projects such as M.Y Bravado, MY Pioneer, MY Dancing Hare, S.Y. Rossiya, S.Y. Athos and S.Y. Copihue. A new build example is the S.Y. Mikhail S. Vorontsov for which we won the World Superyacht Award.”

Over the years, many superyachts have found their way to the Balk Shipyard and most of the clients have proven to be returning customers. This is true testament to the quality of work and service provided.

Daan concludes, “We are grateful that the superyacht business recognises us as a well-respected player in this business. The fact that we have become a finalist in almost every edition of the World Superyacht Awards since its beginning in 2008 gives us a lot of motivation and spirit in every project we take part in.”

©GeBo Fotografie ©GeBo Fotografie

For more details: Tel: +31 (0) 527 681 741 or visit www.balkshipyard.com