From deposit terms and survey conditions to delivery obligations and default provisions, the MOA establishes the framework that governs every stage of a yacht sale and helps ensure the transaction progresses securely and transparently.
The Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) is the contract that transforms an agreed offer into a committed yacht sale. Within the superyacht market, the industry standard is the MYBA MOA, published by the Mediterranean Yacht Brokers Association and used across the majority of central agency transactions worldwide.
At first glance, it appears relatively straightforward, a concise document made up of standard clauses and schedules. In practice, however, each clause allocates responsibility, defines risk, and shapes how the transaction will proceed if complications arise. Small adjustments in wording can carry significant commercial consequences, particularly in cross-border transactions involving multiple jurisdictions, lenders, or regulatory considerations. Understanding how the MOA functions is therefore less about legal technicalities and more about understanding how the sale itself is protected, managed and ultimately completed.
