Yacht Management News

The director of a yacht management firm was cleared of manslaughter charges bought on by the death of four sailors in 2014.Four U.K. men – two in their twenties and two in their fifties – were killed when the 40-foot Cheeki Rafiki capsized in the Atlantic in May 2014 while returning across the Atlantic Ocean to Southampton from Antigua. The sailors’ bodies were never recovered.Yacht manager Doug Innes, who had been accused of failing to have the yacht properly checked ahead of its voyage and to ensure that its certification was in date for the intended trip, has been found not guilty on four charges of gross negligence manslaughter today at Winchester Crown Court.Innes along with his company Stormforce Coaching had denied all charges…

Marine Professionals Inc. (MPI) is marking its 20th year in business, kicking off a year-long commemoration with a new celebratory logo and a secondary, complementary visual. The anniversary logo symbolizes MPI’s success over the past 20 years, as well as its commitment to its longstanding clients and overall philosophy of customer loyalty and care. The secondary logo rounds out new visual identifiers with a universally recognizable compass rose. Over the past two decades, MPI has sailed from expanding its ongoing yacht maintenance and management business, to charting the deeper waters of Marine Electronics, AV & Networking, and Emergency Crisis expertise, providing full-scale marine management services at its flagship location at Bahia Mar, Fort Lauderdale.

At a special press event held at the Palm Beach International Boat Show, MarineMax announced today that they are expanding into yacht management, crew placement and charter of luxury megayachts. Bob Saxon Associates, has joined MarineMax as part of the new endeavor that will be headquartered at the MarineMax Yacht Center in Pompano Beach, Florida. “We are excited to announce this strategic initiative,” offered Bill McGill, MarineMax President and CEO. “Bob Saxon Associates is a natural fit for MarineMax, expanding the breadth of our offerings into the rarefied sector of yacht management. With over 35 years of experience, Bob is well known and highly respected as an early innovator and is considered by many to be the patriarch of the yacht management industry.

Looking to convince Chinese tourists that a ship can be a holiday destination and not just a way to get there, the world's leading cruise lines are spending billions of dollars on flashy new vessels and quirky on-board services. Carnival Corp and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd are trying to pique interest with China-centric attractions such as a menu inspired by an ex-president. They are also tapping a national penchant for education with classes ranging from foreign languages to silver service. Drawing cruise lines to China is the prospect of $11.5 billion in sales come 2018 compared with $6.8 billion last year, according to researcher Euromonitor. The market will soon be the second-biggest and could eventually surpass the United States, industry executives said.

The year 2013 has been designated as the Year of Nationalization by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. In keeping with the theme that has been laid out by our wise leadership, Drydocks World and Maritime World, an international marine and maritime services provider has put in place a number of initiatives to implement this vision. All of these initiatives which are in place in all business units of DDWMW including at Jadaf, Platinum Yachts abd Dubai Maritime City are geared towards bringing qualified and competent nationals into the organization, identifying competent nationals within the existing workforce and putting in place plans to provide growth opportunities for nationals.

As the evolution and integration of robotics in maritime vehicles continues to reshape missions and capabilities inland, near-shore and at sea, Maritime Reporter & Engineering News last month was on hand in Abu Dhabi for the unveiling of a new Unmanned Surface Vessel family. If it delivers as designed, it will revolutionize marine robotic vehicle applications for both military and commercial purposes. Robert J. Murphy is certainly no stranger to the world of autonomous robotic marine vehicles, having worked in the field for more than a quarter of a century, dating to the mid-1980s.

HNA Tourism Cruise & Yacht Management unveils mainland China's largest cruise ship 'Henna'. The Henna previously P&O Cruises' Pacific Sun, has a length of 223m, a width of 31m and 739 rooms for 1,965 passengers, and will make its debut on the Sanya-Ha Long Bay-Da Nang route. Cruise route planning is mainly based on short-term needs and short distance tours, with Sanya and Tianjin serving as home ports and Vietnam and South Korea as destinations. Mr. Zhang Hao, President of HNA Tourism Cruise and Yacht Management…

Pelagic Fleet Management launches yacht fleet management software solution to improve service delivery & gain operational efficiencies. Pelagic Fleet Management announced today the launch of Pelagic FM™ , a complete yacht management software-as-a-service solution, enabling yacht charters, brokers or service and maintenance managers to more effectively manage and monitor their fleets, improve service delivery to their customers and increase operational efficiencies. “Modern yacht management has has become more complex with customers making greater demands and expecting even greater value. To remain competitive and deliver exceptional value, you need comprehensive, reliable solutions to effectively manage your fleet.” said Daniel Avenel, President of Pelagic Fleet Management.

Vantage Yacht Club, offering shared yacht ownership announce additions to its Fleet Membership and Non-Member rental fleets with the delivery of four electric Duffy Boats. Arrival of the electric boats is the first such initiative in Chicago. Electric boaters will cruise the Chicago River taking in the sights and sounds of the city while promoting environmental responsibility and sustainability. These zero-emission electric boats are available to rent by-the-hour beginning April 1, 2012 from 8:00 am until midnight, seven days a week.

International Maritime Services (IMS) Ship Delivery department has been recognised for meeting the international standard for safe management and operation of ships and pollution prevention (ISM Code). On 14 February, a Document of Compliance (DOC) was issued by Germanischer Lloyd on behalf of Bahamas Maritime Authority, which will immediately encompass the requirements for an upcoming delivery voyage of 10,500 nautical miles. IMS Chief Operating Officer, Brendan Cooley stated, “We pride ourselves on offering our clients a flexible and quality level of service at all times. IMS is one of the world’s leading ship delivery companies and ‘total solutions provider’.

International Yacht Collection (IYC) is pleased to announce that, effective immediately, Captain Andre Peens takes on the critical role of Director of Yacht Management. His extensive experience includes piloting and managing some of the most recognizable superyachts in the world for both private use and charter: 286’ Oceanco, Seven Seas; 280’ Royal Denship Princess Mariana; 245’ Blohm+Voss, Katana; 165’ Feadship, Iroquois; and, the 145’ Heesen, Artful Dodger. “I look forward to…

Donald L. Blount and Associates, Inc. (DLBA), a naval architecture and marine engineering company, announced that Gordon Hatchell has recently become the newest member of our firm. DLBA’s project base consists of three components; 1) Custom designs for private clients, 2) Production boat/refit/yacht management, and 3) Military/commercial design and engineering. As the marine business climate is rising, Gordon has taken on the dual responsibilities for program management and business development of the third component of DLBA activity to increase the time available for current staff to pursue tasking for the first two business components.

As of 1 July 2009, yachts larger than 78.7 ft registered under the Dutch flag can be built in accordance with the international Large Yacht Code 2. The Dutch regulations have been adapted and potential yacht owners can now come to Holland for the design, construction, registration and operation of their yacht. It has been a thorn in the side of the industry for years that yachts built in accordance with the technical requirements of the Large Yacht Code 2 of the British Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) could not be registered under the Dutch flag. In practice all yachts larger than 24 metres are built to meet these requirements. HISWA Holland Marine Industry, the trade association for the Dutch watersports industry, is enthusiastic.

When you purchase a superyacht, you may look forward to a life of luxury and relaxation. But all too often, superyacht owners find that possessing such a vessel is not that simple – with administration and operation issues causing potential headaches. Sunseeker Superyacht Management, which was officially launched at the 2009 London International Boat Show, offers a new yacht management service covering administration, maintenance and operation under one roof. Ben Young, founder…

Drydocks World, a subsidiary of Dubai World, is an expanding international player in ship repair, conversion, new building and other marine related activities. Those in the Group at present include Drydocks World – Dubai, which is an amalgamation of Dubai Drydocks and Jadaf Dubai; Platinum Yachts FZCO and Platinum Yacht Management; Drydocks World – Singapore, formerly Pan United Marine and Drydocks World – Batam, a green field development in Indonesia. New building has been one of the key areas of focus for the Group. The Dubai yard in particular has seen many innovations.

Drydocks World, a subsidiary of Dubai World, has announced that it has successfully completed the setting up of a new group under its umbrella. Geoff Taylor, CEO of Drydocks World, said Drydocks World will monitor, control and set procedures in respect of finance, HR and other common functions in group companies. Those in the group at present include Drydocks World Dubai, which is an amalgamation of Dubai Drydocks and Jadaf, Drydocks World Singapore, formerly Pan United Marine, Drydocks World Batam, a green field development in Indonesia, Platinum Yachts FZ and Platinum Yacht management. Drydocks World Dubai is the complete amalgamation of Jadaf Shipyard and Dubai Drydocks.

Trinity Yachts, LLC (Trinity) and International Yacht Collection (IYC) have announced today that they have signed a Letter of Intent for Trinity to acquire IYC. This acquisition will expand Trinity's capabilities and enable it to offer its clients the entire range of yachting services: new construction, repairs, brokerage, charter management, retail charter, yacht management, and crew placement. It is expected that the purchase should be completed by July 1, 2007.

Dubai World has consolidated its drydocks and maritime business by bringing Dubai Drydocks, Al Jadaf Shipyard, Platinum Yachts FZ and Platinum Yacht Management under a single umbrella - Dubai Drydocks World (DD World), a statement said. Dubai World, which runs DP World, the world's third largest port operator, yesterday announced the establishment of Dubai Drydocks World (DD World) to consolidate the dry docks and maritime sector of the organisation. All of these business units have aligned activities, which involve ship repair, conversion and ship building. Dubai Drydocks, a Dubai government-owned entity, has been operating since 1983 and has grown from humble beginnings into a world leader in the ship repair and conversion business.

MARITIME SECURITY AUDITOR (ISPS): Maritime security training for ship managers, port facilities, shipboard personnel, and yachts. This module provides trainees with detailed knowledge and understanding of the ISPS Code, thus allowing them to conduct the annually mandated internal security audits. This interactive, classroom training course will provide an overview of the ISPS Code and the most prominent interpretations being enforced that affect all ship types; explain the ISPS Code’s functional requirements and their implications for a company, also contrasting them to the US Maritime Transportation Security Act (MTSA); list and explain the ISPS Code’s detailed security requirements…