In late February, Dockwise Yacht Transport’s (DYT) 456 ft Super Servant 3 left Port Everglades for Toulon, unloading 18 yachts and loading one in St. Thomas, then moved on to Martinique where it loaded 18 more yachts, totaling 32 power and sailing yachts for a final cargo value of $140m. In early March, the second of DYT’s fleet of semi-submersible transport ships, the 556 ft Super Servant 4, departed from Port Everglades, heading to Palma de Mallorca with another $140m worth of yachts.
“For the most part, the yachts are headed for the Caribbean and the Mediterranean for the Spring and Summer sailing season,” said DYT President Clemens van der Werf. “Some are charter yachts but others are privately owned. In fact, many of the yachts we shipped to the Med went there for vacation as well as charter commitments in conjunction with such May events as the MYBA Charter Show in Genoa, Cannes Film Festival and the Monaco Grand Prix.”
All of this bodes well for the world’s only float-on, float-off transport service. “Of course we feel the effects of the economy on our business,” said van der Werf, “but it’s clear that our services, which once were a novelty due to the unique way our ships accommodate their cargoes, are now integral to the economy of an extensive, and certainly significant, global network of marine businesses and waterfront developments.”
A DYT vessel sinks to a level where yachts can be safely maneuvered on their own bottoms into the ship’s cargo hold. The process alleviates the need for motorized lifting and shifting that puts strain on hulls and equipment. It also allows for assured safe passage over long distances, while captains and crews get much-needed breaks from delivery trips that also cause wear and tear on the yachts and add to engine hours as well as maintenance and fuel costs.
Just as technology has made the world one community, so has DYT blurred the boundaries between countries. Global routes for the company’s semi-submersibles currently include the U.S. East Coast (Newport, Rhode Island and Port Everglades, Florida), the Mediterranean (Toulon, France; Genoa, Taranto and Olbia, Italy; Marmaris, Turkey; Palma de Mallorca, Spain), Northern Europe (La Rochelle and Cherbourg, France), the Caribbean (St. Thomas and Martinique), the Pacific West Coast (Golfito, Costa Rica; La Paz and Ensenada, Mexico and Vancouver, B.C., Canada) and the South Pacific (Papeete, Tahiti; Auckland, New Zealand and Brisbane, Australia).
Headquartered in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, DYT is a wholly owned subsidiary of Dockwise Ltd. (Hamilton, Bermuda), the global leader in maritime transports and installation. Since its maiden voyage in 1987, the company has transported over 10,000 motor and sailing yachts to various destinations around the globe, offering owners and charterers safe and easy access to many of the world’s premier cruising grounds.
(www.yacht-transport.com)