Megayacht News – Builders

Megayacht Lady Petra Launches, Frans Heesen Retires

May 2, 2012 by Diane M. Byrne

PHOTO: Suus Heersema

This past Saturday marked two significant events at Heesen Yachts: the launch of Lady Petra for the shipyard’s founder, Frans Heesen, and his wife Petra, and the retirement of Heesen himself.

The 153-foot (46.7-meter) Lady Petra is the successor to a same-named yacht. That Lady Petra measured 144 feet (44 meters) and was delivered in 2009. Shortly after the Heesens took delivery of her, they began thinking about building a larger megayacht. And why not? Many of Heesen Yachts’ clients have done so. Plus, a larger megayacht would afford the couple more room to relax with their family, which includes a good number of grandchildren.

Speaking of the grandchildren, they’ll surely put good use to the media and games room forward on the main deck. Since this occupies the traditional location for the master suite, the Heesens requested their stateroom be placed on the upper deck. The rest of their family and friends can stay below decks, affording the kids their own space to laugh and carry on and the Heesens their privacy.

Omega Architects, the longtime Heesen collaborator, handled the general arrangement and naval architecture. Bannenberg & Rowell created an interior atmosphere featuring a diverse mix of tones and textures. One technique: optical geometrics, where light affects transparent or opaque objects and even affects other light beams. There’s also 20th-century industrial Dutch design, where ergonomics and aesthetics are enhanced. To get a better idea of what all of this looks like, see our story from when Frans Heesen signed the new My Petra.

Frans and Petra Heesen will hopefully put My Petra to a lot of use now that he is retiring from day-to-day business. Frans Heesen founded Heesen Yachts in 1978. Given the popularity of aluminum hulls today, it’s interesting to note that Heesen Yachts was the first Dutch-based yacht builder to utilize them. Another notable achievement: Frans Heesen was named Business Person of the Year by the International Superyacht Society in 2009. He sold the shipyard several years ago, though he has remained involved with clients and at boat shows.

Even though he’s retiring, he’s not withdrawing completely. “I am going to be the brand ambassador of this wonderful company that I founded some 35 years ago,” he says, in a statement released by Heesen Yachts. “I will always be there to support the brand and to promote it until the end of my days!”

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HDW 422 and HDW 423 Megayachts Revealed

April 30, 2012 by Diane M. Byrne

PHOTO: Olaf Eggert/TheYachtPhoto.com

Two megayachts from a five-megayacht order commissioned prior to the global economic crisis are being finished in Germany.

Projects 422 and 423, both seen below (and 423 additionally seen above), were part of a contract commissioned at HDW (now an Abu Dhabi Mar property) in Kiel, Germany a few years ago. When the economy tumbled, however, three of the five orders were cancelled, with 422 and 423 the only ones remaining active.

PHOTO: Olaf Eggert/TheYachtPhoto.com

Few details are known about HDW 422 or 423. They share the same LOA and beam, 239’5” and 39’4” (73 meters and 12 meters), respectively. They also bear exterior design by Focus Yacht Design, a young firm based in Germany. If you look at the image of HDW 423 above, you’ll note a bulbous bow. HDW 423 will also feature interior-design work from H2 Yacht Design. In fact, the project is for a repeat client and will emphasize family voyages for 12 in the owner’s party. Taking another look at the photo of her above, you’ll also see three large oval ports forward on the main deck. It would make sense for those to be in either the master suite or a relaxation/lounge area. Neither arrangement is confirmed, however.

As for HDW 422, since she’s still under cover, her profile features are unknown. However, an interesting development occurred over the weekend. HDW 422’s name under her AIS signal changed to Plan B. Whether that is a code name or her real name, though, isn’t certain. But, if it is her real name, then her owner may be the same person who owns a 161-footer (49-meter) named Plan B. Plan B was built in 1973 as an oceanographic survey ship in Australia and converted to a megayacht in 2007.

Some confidential sources further report that HDW 423 will be moved to Nobiskrug, also in Germany, for final fit-out, prior to delivery in 2013. HDW 422 will reported stay in Kiel for completion this year.

Leave a CommentFiled under: Builders, Motoryachts, Yachts, Yard News Tagged with Abu Dhabi Mar, Focus Yacht Design, H2 Yacht Design, Nobiskrug

Blohm+Voss’ New Ownership: “Open for Business”

April 25, 2012 by Diane M. Byrne

Star Capital Partners, which recently acquired Blohm+Voss, wants megayacht buyers, their brokers, and the megayacht industry at large to know it’s serious about its investment.

According to Superyacht Business magazine, Herbert Aly, Blohm+Voss’ managing director, is more than happy with Star Capital Partners and its CEO, Tony Mallin. At a special presentation in London this week, Aly explained that Blohm+Voss’ previous parent company, ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, “lost all of its appetite for building superyachts” and that Mallin was a “savior,” Superyacht Business quotes him as saying.

Facts certainly back up Aly’s first statement. ThyssenKrupp had been searching for a buyer for its non-military divisions for some time, due to the financial crisis. It had initially signed a deal with Abu Dhabi Mar in 2009, but last summer the two sides parted ways, failing to reach consensus. Star Capital Partners signed a letter of intent with ThyssenKrupp in December, receiving regulators’ approval and finalizing the deal three months ago. As for the “savior” reference, it’s not much of a stretch, given that Blohm+Voss’ focus was something that ThyssenKrupp was no longer interested in.

During the presentation in London, Mallin stated that the investment isn’t just on a corporate level, it’s also a personal one. “I bought Blohm+Voss because it was a globally acclaimed, quality brand,” Superyacht Business quotes him as saying. “With this stability we can help it improve, until new owners take over. How long that will be is difficult to say—perhaps 10 years—but my personal commitment is quite clear, as my own capital is now invested in the yard.” (Don’t read much into the reference to eventual new owners. Founded in 2000, Star Capital Partners invests in businesses primarily to inject funds to drive growth.)

Besides the yacht division, the Blohm+Voss businesses that Star Capital Partners acquired from ThyssenKrupp are Blohm+Voss Industries, a provider of highly complex marine components; Blohm+Voss Repair, a ship repair and conversion business; and Blohm+ Voss Oil Tools, which provides pipe-handling equipment in the oil and gas sector. Taken together, the businesses have reported annual revenues of around €400 million (nearly $528.2 million).

“Behind the scenes there is a great deal of activity going on, and it all points to the fact that Blohm+Voss is not just back in the market place, it is also very much open for business,” Mallin further was quoted as saying. He added that that a yacht exeeding 262 feet (80 meters) was under construction and that discussions were underway for a 426-footer (130-meter).

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