News broadcaster Mishal Hussain presented the "Neptunes" (yachting's Oscars) to most outstanding superyachts delivered in 2009, including several which can be found in our Dream Marine luxury yacht charter portfolio.

More than 500 of the world's leading ‘yacht-erati' - superyacht owners, their entourages and senior figures in the superyacht charter and construction industries - sipped vintage champagne to accompany their lavish dinner, whilst being serenaded by The Band of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, Portsmouth.

All the finalists shortlisted form over 100 nominations for these hotly contested awards received a bottle of vintage champagne and framed certificate, whilst the winners on the night collected 18 coveted Neptune statuettes, along with two Chihuly artworks specially commissioned for the occasion, and three handcrafted Nymphenburg porcelain figures for the Judges' Commendations.

Here's a quick glance at some of the winners:

Motor Yacht of the Year (sponsored by Maybach) went to the 60-metre long-range cruiser Arkley built by Lürssen and designed by Espen Oeino, with an interior by Mark Berryman.
My personal ‘I want that one' moment of the evening came when the Sailing Yacht of the Year winner was announced. Hanuman, Jim Clarke's 42-metre J-Class slender beauty is ‘the business'- built by Royal Huisman and designed by Dykstra & Partners Naval Architects and a worthy winner, for my money.
The Voyager's Award, a new category for 2010 sponsored by Porto Montenegro was awarded jointly to Alex Dreyfoos's 40-metre motor yacht Silver Cloud and the 40-metre sailing yacht Tenaz.
The Young Designer Of The Year Award, sponsored by Camper & Nicholsons International recognised young student Adam Voorhees for his project RA.
The Legacy Award went to Noel Lister, founder of the UK Sailing Academy (UKSA), yachtsman, pioneer of superyachting and owner of Whirlwind XII.
My f avourite motor yacht this year was Best Displacement Large Motor Yacht winner, the 75.4-metre ‘go-anywhere' Northern Star built by Lürssen and designed by Espen Oeino, with an interior by Pauline Nunns - bonus ‘respect' points for her ice-classed hull and the real log fire in the upper saloon!

Other finalists and superyacht category winners included Silver Angel, Northern Star, Arkley, Candyscape II, Cloude 9, Leo Fun, Slipstream, Blind Date, Evil Zana, Ethereal (with her pioneering environmental features), Riela, Liara and Richard Branson's own super-cat, Necker Belle.

And if a lot of those superyacht names sound familiar, it's because many of these superb examples of the yachtbuilder's art are available for charter around the globe with Dream Marine, in locations as diverse as the Caribbean and the East and West Mediterranean, including Italy, and Monaco and Cannes on the French Riviera. If the yacht you fancy isn't up for charter, we'll match it.

Posted by Melacina Clarinda