International Boat Industry – June-July 2019

54 JUNE–JULY 2019 | International Boat Industry ibinews.com

Markets & Regions

REPORT | SUPERYACHT SECTOR – REFIT

docks for the largest of superyachts. The

multimillion-euro expansion will strengthen

the company’s leading position and increase

capacity, focusing on repair and refit of

superyachts in the 40m-150m range.

The main element of the expansion

is a 15,000m^2 yard expansion, including

the construction of a 4,000-tonne shiplift

capable of hoisting yachts up to the

displacement limit (around 95m), with a

shore-moving system capable of transferring

yachts on the hard without interference

between the different slots.

The three open on-the-hard slots, plus

the six refit sheds for yachts up to 60m,

will still be operational together with the

835-tonne travel lift. The two covered,

graving dry docks will benefit from

improvements, and further open graving

dock solutions up to 200m will provide

added value to the existing services.

The expansion includes a new technical

marina with changes being made to a

60,000m^2 area providing new quays,

improved logistics and crew dedicated areas.

This marina will be able to berth superyachts

up to 110m.

In total, Italy’s Mediterranean coast

hosts some 50 companies that in one way

or another service the superyacht market

through repairs, maintenance or refits. This

means that any cruising superyacht does

not have to travel far to find an answer to its

needs.

In March 2020, Viareggio will once

again play host to YARE, the international

business event dedicated to refit and

aftersales in the superyacht industry. The

event has steadily grown in popularity,

with 13 yacht-builders and around 700

companies from the five industry sub-

sectors (shipyards, refit, suppliers, ground

and marine services) expected to attend next

year’s 10th anniversary event.

MALTA

Malta’s strategic location in the centre

of the Med and its long shipbuilding and

repair history make it an important hub for

superyacht repair and refit.

The main player is Palumbo Malta

Superyachts Ltd, which operates a yard

providing two dry docks of 164m and 144m

with a full range of skills and services. The

smaller of the docks has a retractable cover

and the yard’s provision for crew has been

enhanced with new accommodation and

sports facilities.

Other key players in Malta are the Melita

Marine Group and the Manoel Island

Yacht Yard. Melita offers facilities including

floating docks for superyachts up to 100m

or more. It offers a full range of services

and crew facilities. The Manoel Island

Yacht Yard can cope with superyachts up to

50m and provides a full skill set and crew

facilities. The Bezzina Shipyard also handles

superyachts up to 50m.

EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN

CROATIA

The main refit yard in Croatia is NCP

Repair Shipyard at Sibenik, where facilities

include a 75m drydock, lifts up to 1,500

tonnes, and a 70m shed. In 2017, NCP

had a change of ownership with the Swiss

Maritime Investment Co becoming the

majority owner. In addition to superyachts,

which is a major part of NCP’s workload, it

also handles commercial and naval vessels.

The Swiss company is understood to have

shareholders from Denmark and the US, as

well as Switzerland.

With the country’s strong yacht charter

market, Croatia hosts a number of other

refit companies which include Avangard

Shipyards and Istria Yachting d.o.o. in Pula,

Brodogradiliste Cres in Cres, Brodogradiliste

Punat Shipyard in Punat, and Servisni

Centar Trogir (SCT) in Trogir. These latter

yards offer a range of facilities including

dry docks, shed and lifts for handling

superyachts up to a maximum of 160m.

GREECE

With its long maritime heritage, of which

yachts have been an integral part, Greece

is working to expand both its superyacht

new-build and refit activities.

One possible addition to the country’s

established core of shipyards was a plan

by the Chinese group Cosco, which runs

Piraeus port. Under its expansion plans

for the port, a new shipyard facility with

a large synchrolift was being planned

with superyachts as a key focus for the

new facility. However, this project is now

in doubt after concerns from Greece’s

archaeological authorities were raised about

the planned site for the yard.

Greece boasts about half a dozen

shipyards actively engaged in superyacht

repairs and refits. These include Atlas

Shipyards in Piraeus, Halkitis Shipyard at

Perama, Spanopoulos Shipyard in Piraeus,

Privatsea Marine Services at Elefsis, and

Neorion Shipyards on the island of Syros. All

of these yards are able to handle superyachts

in the 100m-160m range and undertake

superyacht work alongside commercial and

sometimes naval contracts.

ITALY | ADRIATIC COAST

Italy’s Adriatic coast is home to several

refit businesses. Ancona, which hosts such

builders as Ferretti Group’s Superyacht

Shipyard and Palumbo Yachts working

with the ISA and Columbus brands, is also

a centre of refit work. Through its CRN

brand, the Ferretti Group provides a full refit

service in Ancona where it aims to handle

two or more projects a year. Palumbo is open

to refit work, although this is mainly done at

its yards in Malta and Savona.

A relative newcomer to Italy’s Adriatic

coast refit businesses is Pesaro-based

Cantiere Rossini, which is now completed

after three years’ work and a total

investment of €25m. The new yard is

designed to handle superyachts of up to 55m

(180ft) and offers a comprehensive range of

facilities which include a 560-tonne travel

lift manufactured by Cimolai Technology,

15,000m^2 of hard standing, and a private

marina with 12 berths for yachts of up to

 The new Durrat Marina

facility in Bahrain will be able to

handle yachts up to 50m (164ft)