African Boating Conference 2026: Nadja Asmus on Charter in Southern Africa

Nadja Asmus, Senior Charter Broker at DMA Yachting and a supporting industry voice for Southern Africa, sat on the charter panel at the African Boating Conference in Cape Town on 21 October 2026. With her on stage were Lisa Airasca, Head of Charter Management Europe at Fraser, Captain Burger van der Walt of the 60 m sailing yacht Perseus³, and Mervyn Esparon, founder of Uncharted Yachting in the Seychelles, with Veda Pretorius, founder of Superyachting Cape Town, moderating.

The subject was Southern Africa as a connected cruising region: South Africa, Mozambique, Madagascar, Mauritius and the Seychelles, each contributing something distinctive, and together making the case for a yacht to spend a whole season there.

The draw is exploration, wildlife, culture and the experiences aboard and ashore that no Mediterranean week offers.

The panel was equally clear about the work that turns that potential into bookings.

Nadja Asmus Senior Charter Broker, Associate CYBA Member

Nadja Asmus of DMA Yachting on the charter panel at the African Boating Conference 2026 in Cape Town — The charter panel at the African Boating Conference, Cape Town, 21 October 2026: Nadja Asmus of DMA Yachting with Lisa Airasca of Fraser, Captain Burger van der Walt of Perseus³ and Mervyn Esparon of Uncharted Yachting, moderated by Veda Pretorius. The panel was sponsored by Dan-Bunkering.

What the region is working on

The conference published its own summary of the session on 27 October. The discussion explored how five things build confidence among owners, captains, managers and brokers:

Clear regulations and predictable taxation. Five countries handle charter permits and tax differently today.
Nadja’s point to the room was that clients book where the costs and the rules are understood, and brokers sell what they have experienced.
Consistent procedures between countries. Mervyn Esparon’s emphasis: regional cooperation and the same clearance, permit and support steps from one destination to the next make cruising practical and predictable.
That is what lets a yacht plan a season rather than a single stop.
Limited berthing and support options for larger yachts. Captain van der Walt described the need for suitable stopping points, dependable technical assistance and safe havens along parts of the coastline.
That is what lets a 60 m yacht can cruise it with confidence.
Reliable local support. Agents, provisioning, fuel and crew logistics that work the same way every time.
Owner confidence. Lisa Airasca said owners commit a yacht to a new region once the legal, tax and infrastructure questions are answered.
They also want to see enough charter demand to justify the positioning.

The recommendations highlighted during the discussion were regional cooperation on rules, familiarisation trips for brokers, charter managers and captains, and destination development that sells the region on exploration and wildlife rather than as a Mediterranean substitute.\n\nSource: the conference’s session summary.

Nadja and Daniel Asmus of DMA Yachting in front of the partner wall at the African Boating Conference 2026 — Nadja and Daniel Asmus at the partner wall, Nadja with fellow delegates, as panelist speaker, the stage at the V&A Waterfront, and her speaker badge.

Nadja Asmus with two fellow delegates beside the African Boating Conference banner — Nadja and Daniel Asmus at the partner wall, Nadja with fellow delegates, as panelist speaker, the stage at the V&A Waterfront, and her speaker badge.

The itineraries: a regional season and the individual trip

Two things to keep apart.\n\nThe vision discussed on the panel is a connected cruising region, routes that let a yacht move between South Africa, Mozambique, Madagascar, Mauritius and the Seychelles over a season.

An individual charter is planned around realistic distances, conditions and the support available on that stretch of coast.

Charter opportunities vary across the region, with each itinerary depending on yacht availability, permissions, season, local support and guest requirements.\n\nThe practical picture by destination:

Seychelles is the example the panel discussed for tourism centred on quality and lower visitor volumes, with an established agency network and clear procedures.
Cape Town and the South African coast offer the city, the winelands, the wildlife and a yachting services hub, with the itinerary shaped by the weather windows and the stopping points along the coast.
Mozambique and Madagascar offer the remotest cruising in the region, reefs, islands and wildlife, planned around permissions and the support available.
Mauritius connects the Indian Ocean side of the route with resort infrastructure and an established marina.

What it means if you want Africa by yacht

Tell us the destination that appeals, the dates and the group, and we will tell you what that trip looks like in practice: which yacht, which permissions, which season and what the week costs.\n\nWhere the region is still building, we say so, and we stay close to the people building it.

The experience behind Nadja’s perspective

Veda Pretorius invited Nadja Asmus to bring her professional perspective, shaped by fourteen years in the superyacht industry, to the panel.\n\nAs a Senior Charter Broker at DMA Yachting working with international clients, Nadja understands what guests look for when choosing a yacht and destination, and the service standards they expect.\n\nHer contribution explored how this insight can help shape Southern Africa into a compelling charter destination, connecting the region’s distinctive experiences with the needs and expectations of international charter guests.

DMA Yachting, with Daniel and Nadja Asmus at the conference, supported the VIP programme. The charter panel itself was sponsored by Dan-Bunkering.

Read Nadja’s broker profile, and the conference preview from Boating South Africa.

What to do next

To explore yacht charter opportunities in Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean, contact Nadja to discuss your preferred destination, dates and guest requirements.