The EVO range of WFSV’s starts at 18 meters and extends to 24 metres. They can be adapted to client requirement and are based on advanced semi-displacement or high speed catamaran platforms. From a design perspective EVO models apply innovative solutions to overcome operational problems and shortcomings in existing service vessels.

Flagship of the range is the EVO24-FA-12. This craft is a stunning performer with a top speed of 40 knots and service speeds well over 30 knots. When the sea-state deteriorates this vessel really comes into its own, being able to maintain high speeds as well as comfortable and stable conditions onboard for passengers. It does this by way of a unique marriage of technology involving hull form, propulsion system and foil-assist.

EVO24-FA-12 High Speed Foil Assisted WFSV

The target market is initially Europe and EVO vessels will be priced landed, commissioned and ready to go at the client’s port. The price is highly competitive with an added advantage of being constructed to New Zealand quality standards.

Launching Watson 60 Motor Yacht at Oceania Marine Shipyard

Marine Shipyard. Pre-dawn on Monday she arrived by transporter at the yard and slipped quietly into the water later that day. She now undergoes sea trials prior to final handover to the owners.

The trawler style yacht is designed for long distance cruising and exploring distant places.

For a full specification on the Watson 60 CLICK HERE

To view the launch video CLICK HERE

Black Pearl - Preparing Access & Protection

The vessel has just completed an extensive cruise of the South West Pacific. Initially she departed New Zealand shores from Nelson to visit the owner’s home city, Melbourne. From there she made passage to the Queensland coast to put in an appearance at Sanctuary Cove Boat Show where she was the highlight of the show. Immediately afterwards she headed out into the Pacific amongst the magnificent island groups that fill this part of Oceania. Her course was Northwest through New Caledonian, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands into Papua New Guinea. With the owner spending as much time on board as he could manage the vessel made its way to the outer reaches of Oceania at the Northern tip of New Ireland before turning around and heading back to New Zealand.

For Black Pearl this has been just the beginning because as soon as she completes her haulout at Oceania Marine she will be loaded on Dockwise for transport to Europe. There she plans to spend the 2012 season in the Mediterranean exploring everything from the Black Sea to Gibraltar. Thus begins a 3 year world cruise back to the South Pacific via the Caribbean.

Black Pearl Captain Paul Sewell

As to Black Pearl herself, Paul states “We are very happy with the boat – everything has worked well and she has met every expectation that I and the owner had. We have done a lot of miles in the last 10 months and even the tender has 450 hours on the clock”. So no doubt Paul will be looking forward to completing the haulout and might even get some ‘R&R’ for Christmas.

Oceania Marine Project Manager Brent Charlesworth has the paint team detailing the Awlcraft 2000 SE paint system originally applied by the yard when the vessel was built – “It’s a metallic and pearlescent ‘Special Effect’ paint system and this was one of the first projects where it was used so I was interested to see how it has stood up. I must say I am pleasantly surprised how good it looks, given the extensive use the vessel has had since it was launched. By the time we have finished Black Pearl will be at her sparkling best”.

Black Pearl on Oceania Marine 800 Tonne Slipway

The vessel is due for re-launching prior to Christmas.

Jim Loynes - Yacht Liaison - Oceania Marine

Managing Director, Martin Gleeson, explains; “This is a role which has been shared amongst staff up to this point but which has been difficult to carry out in practice so we are all looking forward to Jim taking this very important aspect on”. Mr Gleeson points out; “Oceania Marine is not offering yacht management services. We leave that to the very professional organisations that are already based in Auckland with whom we work closely, such as Ocean Independence. The Yacht Liaison role is designed to fill three important functions for Oceania Marine. Firstly to inform yachts on their arrival of the extensive services available at our shipyard in Whangarei. Secondly, to meet clients, ensure they are being looked after and organise preliminary aspects of the upcoming refit. Thirdly, to gather intelligence concerning vessels entering the Pacific and industry trends”.

Jim comes to New Zealand directly from the South of France where he captained superyachts for many years. He will be well known to many in the industry who will all wish him well in his new position.

It’s a situation that for most of us who drive boats we hope to avoid but for the captain of a tug with a 58 metre container, transport, barge in tow that is what happened. The tug went up first and the barge soon followed. It occurred on the barrier reef of one of our neighbouring Tropical Islands and the barge has just been hauled out at Oceania Marine Shipyard for urgent repairs after a 1000 mile plus voyage. The tug arrives, under tow, later this month. To see our Flickr photo diary of the haulout and repairs underway CLICK HERE.

OCEANIA MARINE SHIPYARD - 58M Container Transport Barge up for Repair

According to Oceania Marine Managing Director, Martin Gleeson, finding a slot for the Barge and Tug for urgent repairs was not easy at such short notice – “Luckily we have one the longest slipways in the Oceania region capable of taking multiple projects so with a bit of juggling we were able to fulfil existing commitments and accommodate the urgent repairs. We have managed to get the barge to the head of the slipway so that freed up the lower sections. At over 500 tonne all up on the rails it was not feasible to look at side-slipping” he stated.

A further complication is that the shipyard is just about to start the superyacht refit season. Oceania Marine Project Manager Brent Charlesworth explains – “We have had trouble this season getting yachts to confirm exact dates and committing to work. Perhaps it is a sign of the economic situation we all find ourselves in but that is how it is and we have to deal with it. Our problem now is that our access to the main refit shed for larger superyachts is blocked by the barge for the next couple of months. However we still have Shed A which at 110 x 40 metres is the largest refit shed in New Zealand and we will have to look at side-shifting projects into there. For vessels less than 300 tonnes this is a straight forward process but for larger ones there is a bit more involved”.

In any event slipway access will return to normal early in the New Year which probably suits most yacht clients’ cruising itineraries. Meanwhile the Shipyard is due to start 6 additional projects.

We decided to stay a few nights in San Francisco on our way to the FLIBS boat show to give us an opportunity to explore the city. I also had an interest in looking up Eric Haberli of Bay Ship & Yacht Co, who I had met at last year’s FLIBS, to see if I could visit their shipyard. As it happened Eric was not there but he arranged for Ira Maybaum, a director of Business Development at the yard, to give me a tour.

Bay Ship & Yacht Co - Superyacht on Hardstand

However, before we talk about the tour I have to tell you about the city. You will have to forgive me if I am talking about stuff you already know but it was our first visit (I was accompanied by my wife, and co-director, Shannon). We stayed right in the centre just off Union Square. The buildings and architecture are a regal blend of modern and old with many of the older structures constructed of red and brown brick. Within walking distance, in all directions, there was enough art galleries, real serious shopping, restaurants and clubs to keep a person occupied for years let alone 3 days. Not only that but it was nothing about fast food and mass produced consumerism and, instead, all about great quality and good value. For example, the cuisine was generally based on the best of local produce and this combined with wines from the Napa Valley produced an unforgettable experience.

Okay – back to work. I took a taxi, over Bay Bridge, to the north side of the harbour where Bay Ship’s yard was located. Ira soon had me in hardhat and safety goggles and we were off for our tour (for a Photo Diary of the Visit – CLICK HERE). The yard is serviced by a 3000 tonnes dry dock and 1200 tonnes Syncrolift (this is a real one made by Rolls Royce). They have the added advantage of a rail transfer system on the hardstand which provides multiple side-shift options. As a consequence Bay Ship’s yard can accommodate a number of projects at any given time.

Projects are supported by a complete range of workshops right alongside including a propeller shop capable of handling full propeller rebuild and maintenance. I was particularly impressed by the reticulation of utilities and logistical supply. The owners of the yard have had considerable input into the compressed air and sandblasting systems, for example, which ensure a quick turnaround of projects.

Bay Ship’s endeavour to do most work ‘in house’ and, as a consequence, run a fairly large workforce. They do contract out specialist aspects where necessary.

The nature of the refit work undertaken at the yard is very similar to our own in that they cater for a very wide variety from workboats to passenger vessels and white-boats. I think this is a good thing to look for in a yard because it ensures that they have developed the full range of services and skills required particularly in the area of class and flag state requirements for larger craft.

Ira was a great host and he finished the tour with lunch at a nearby restaurant, over the water. My seafood ravioli was divine. We discussed the upcoming America’s Cup 2012 Challenge to be held at San Francisco. The parallels between what is going to happen to San Francisco and what did happen for Auckland are very similar. Taking advantage of the benefits of such an event are not easy but if one realises that just as much work has to be done, if not more, after the cup finishes then they will definitely accrue. I don’t think Ira was impressed by my suggestion that San Francisco’s time in the ‘limelight’ will be short-lived as the cup would soon return to New Zealand. Oh well – I think my optimism could be excused as New Zealand had just won the Rugby World Cup 2 days before.

32m New Build Ready for Launch - 2011

Key performance indicators underpinning this are:

• Turnover for year 2 was up 47% on year 1
• The company has maintained good trading profits since commencement of business
• The first superyacht new build project was delivered in 2011
• 16 refit projects completed in year 1 increased to 29 in year 2
• Start-up capital investment in infrastructure, equipment and machinery completed
• Healthy forward bookings ensure further increase in turnover for year 3

Managing Director, Martin Gleeson, comments that “Oceania Marine started life in a very tough business environment. The effects of the worldwide economic downturn combined with significant marine company failures, locally, required great care on the part of management in negotiating the right path to success. The enthusiastic support of an experienced project management team, project partners and sub-contractors was an important ingredient. That combined with diversified income streams and an emphasis on quality ensured that our company was always going to be a good performer”.

“Whilst we might feel very pleased with our year 2 result, this has to be tempered by the fact that the shipyard has considerable and extensive facilities that would require Oceania Marine to continue growing over coming years in order to be fully utilised. It’s a good start but we have to build on what we have done and attract, particularly, larger refit projects to Port Whangarei and the Oceania Marine shipyard”.

This year I arrived in the South of France in time to catch the end of the Cannes Yacht Show then stayed on for all of the Monaco Yacht Show. My aim was to get an overview of the superyacht industry on a worldwide basis and to establish international networks for Oceania Marine in the areas of superyacht construction and refit.

Monaco Yacht Show 2011

As I write this it is my first day back in New Zealand at the shipyard and the feedback that I am seeing from the yacht show is one of optimism. Based on what I actually heard and saw, what that optimism is based on is very hard for me to determine but I guess the two things which are the main contributors would be:

• A gradual recovery in second hand yacht sales (albeit at much reduced prices) and
• The extraordinary continuation of new build orders at the larger and very large end of the market

Therefore the optimism being generated is most likely coming from the sectors benefiting most from the above factors. I suspect that elsewhere the mood would be subdued and in some cases downright depressed.

One other interesting recurring theme was the stated intention by many I spoke to of giving more attention to commercial vessels in an attempt to bring back or establish some diversification in their businesses. The added advantage of doing this is that this invariably increases a marine businesses knowledge and capacity in dealing with larger vessels particularly when dealing with code compliance and class.

A point of interest – To have a spell from the yacht show my wife convinced me to go to the Musée Océanographique de Monaco located high overlooking the harbour and coastline. The aquarium was stunning as well as the views and I recommend a visit although I would give the restaurant a miss. While I was up there I took some snapshots of the yacht show, harbour and coastline. Very interesting to see the now familiar fleet of superyachts anchored offshore in the hope of finding a buyer. Follow this link to view:   flickr Photos – Set ‘Monaco Yacht Show 2011’

La Ciotat Shipyard

As the operator of one of the top shipyards in New Zealand it is hard for me to admit this but if I had a dream and in it I dreamed of the perfect shipyard it would be similar in many respects to La Ciotat shipyard situated in the South of France on the Mediterranean Sea. Ever since I saw pictures of the new facilities at La Ciotat in the yachting press it excited my imagination and I very much wanted to visit it.

So when, during the spare time between the two boat shows, Lars Bjorklund of Ocean independence (Auckland Office) offered to tee me up for a visit of La Ciotat with his good mate Ben Mennem of Composite Works I was over the moon to say the least. Lars and I, together with his partner John Vitali of Diverse Projects have been working together for a couple of years now. As a result Lars knew full well my frustrations at operational level and was keen to show me a ‘state of the art shipyard’.

We set off from Antibes on a beautiful sunny September day but as we got closer to our destination the wind picked up and by the time we arrived at La Ciotat it was full gale. Both Lars and Ben dismissed the breeze with typical understatement – “It blows a bit around here most of the time”. We managed to have useful time with Ben, during his very busy schedule, and discuss the usual shipyard stuff before he gave us free access to the shipyard. In all honesty I do not think that my words would do justice to this facility so I made a photo diary of the visit with comments and invite you to take a look via the following link:

flickr Photostream Set – La Ciotat – a technical view

La Ciotat is an integrated haulout facility which through its range of equipment can haul a wide variety of craft and transport them to outside hardstand or to specialised undercover spaces. It can do this on a scale few shipyards can match. Having seen this shipyard first hand has filled my mind full of ideas for improvements in our own shipyard although I will have to do them with a lot less zero’s after the Dollar sign than what was spent at La Ciotat – make that a lot, lot, lot less …….

Oceania Marine is one of the members and Managing Director Martin Gleeson sees the establishment of WMOG as significant; “The needs of the group are specific and by banding together the likelihood of making significant progress towards achieving their aims is considerably enhanced”. He goes on to say; “There is an amazing ignorance locally, nationally and particularly internationally about the high quality and large capacity of existing shipyards located in Whangarei and really we only have ourselves to blame for that, so it is about time we did something about it. The situation as it relates to servicing superyachts is in particular need of attention. As an example it is not widely known that the most extensive undercover refit sheds and haulout facilities available in New Zealand are located in Whangarei and when one considers that this is backed up by readily available, experienced and highly skilled marine tradesmen we should be the Mecca of the South Pacific for visiting superyachts not one of New Zealand’s best kept secrets”.

Oceania Marine Shipyard and Ship Repair NZ - Port Whangarei

Henk Eilering of Ship Repair NZ was elected as chairman and tasked with briefing the Whangarei District Council and the Northern Regional Council on WMOG and its objectives with a view to having representatives present at the next meeting. From here members will develop an action plan that ensures substantive initiatives are set in motion quickly and effectively.

For any further information on WMOG contact info@oceaniamarine.co.nz and this will be passed to the chairman.