For the past several years, Sensation Yachts, the New Zealand- and Australia- based builder responsible for megayachts such as Noble House and Mari Cha III, has reportedly been battling bad relationships with creditors and debt collectors, and in recent months, bad publicity has plagued the firm as well. According to an investigation earlier this year conducted by the Sunday Star-Times, a New Zealand newspaper, Sensation repeatedly failed to pay its bills on time, owing money to a variety of firms large and small. Ivan Erceg, Sensation’s owner, told the paper in March that he was making changes to “put some order back.”
The future of both one of its facilities and its employees is looking better, based on an announcement made last Friday. An Australian boatbuilder reached an agreement with Sensation to acquire its business assets and take over its Sensation Australia site in New South Wales.
Azzura Marine, which builds both power and sailing yachts under the Azzura Yacht, Marten Yacht, and Sydney Yacht brands, plans to use the location for both refit and repair as well as to expand further into the superyacht market. (Cambria II, the Azzura Classic 100 shown above, was delivered two years ago.)
Building more megayachts was always in the plans for Azzura. “Securing the site will allow Azzura Marine to complete our current refit and repair works but aggressively pursue other opportunities that would not have been possible without the availability of this type of facility and infrastructure,” explains Iain Murray, the company’s principal. “The foundation of this agreement provides a positive step for renewed activity on the site and will generate an immediate influx of work.”
So what exactly does Azzura gain with Sensation’s facility? There’s nearly 800 feet of wharf space, a 900-metric-ton lifting capacity, and a construction hall capable of building 200-footers. There’s also deep-water access. From a refit standpoint, since global demand for new construction has been strong for the past few years, maintenance and repair facilities have seen strong demand, too. And because yacht owners have been visiting Australia in increasing numbers over recent years, the country’s various marine firms have been trying to position it as a superyacht hub.
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