Category: Yachts - Page 39

Jeanneau Yachts 60: Philippe Briand’s 120th production yacht design is a boat for both the Mediterranean and the Baltic

February 26, 2021 by Editorial Team

He may be one of the most prolific yacht designers of his times, but London-based Philippe Briand is not resting on his laurels. In fact, he has just seen what he calls his ‘most advanced’ yacht yet through to production. The Jeanneau Yachts 60 was due to be launched at this year’s Dusseldorf … Read more

Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli sailed to victory in the 2021 Prada Cup Final

February 22, 2021 by Editorial Team

Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli team won the PRADA Cup over INEOS Team UK with 7-1. The 2021 Prada Challenger’s Trophy is a sailing competition held to determine the challenger in the 2021 America’s Cup. The races are being held from January 15 to February 21, 2021 in Auckland, New Zealand and were preceded … Read more

Two rival yacht builders form a Joint Venture to rescue the bankrupt Perini Navi

March 4, 2021February 22, 2021 by Editorial Team

This is an alliance of historic importance for the yachting industry. Ferretti Group and Sanlorenzo form a Joint Venture to rescue Perini Navi, one of the world’s most iconic luxury sailing brands.

Ferretti Group and Sanlorenzo, two rival Italian motoryacht builders, announced the creation of a 50:50 Joint Venture NewCo to take over Perini Navi, declared bankrupt by the Court of Lucca on January 29. Perini Navi is an Italian shipyard based in Viareggio, Tuscany, Italy. Perini Navi‘s largest project to date was the 88m Maltese Falcon for repeat client Tom Perkins. Other owners include Rupert Murdoch, Silvio Berlusconi, Turgay Ciner, Gerhard Andlinger, Larry Ellison, George Economou, Massimo Moratti, Bertram R.C. Rickmers and Kenneth P. Weiss.

In 2021, an Italian court declared Perini Navi bankrupt. It had made a loss of €80.87 million at the end of 2019, and a debt exposure of nearly €100 million by the first quarter of 2020. It employed about 100 employees at the time.

Through the NewCo, world leading players of Italian yachting excellence Ferretti Group and Sanlorenzo have expressed their interest in making an offer to acquire the trademarks, assets and Italian operations of Perini Navi, if necessary with a business unit lease agreement, in order to ensure a swift recovery of production activities and the maintenance of employment levels.

“It is fair to say at this point that the loss of the Perini Navi brand would be a sad day for the superyacht market. However, the strength of the business’ brand, location and portfolio make it a fascinating opportunity for the potential investors and with three major shipyard groups already announcing their interest in the brand, one can assume that this does not signal the end of Perini Navi,” commented superyachtnews.com.

“While the acquisition of Perini Navi’s physical assets perhaps represents the most obvious benefits for the superyacht businesses that are interested in the acquisition, the market would do well to remember the historical strength of Perini Navi’s brand,” added superyachtnews.com.

“This is an important day for the Italian yachting industry, for the employees of Perini Navi and for their families, ensuring in this way that their passion, experience and unique skills will continue to be protected. As will the Perini Navi supply chain, which is made up of numerous suppliers who will be reassured and whose peace of mind will be restored by today’s safeguards,” said Ferretti Group CEO Alberto Galassi.

“At Ferretti Group we are always on the lookout for excellence and capabilities to integrate with our own. And often we find them in Italy, as is the case today. We are confident our commitment will translate into further growth that benefits the local area and raises the profile of the Italian yacht industry still further. I would also like to emphasise the historical importance of the alliance with Sanlorenzo, reflecting the new spirit of collaboration sweeping through Italy: a positive broadening of our horizons that will let us seize even more opportunities and deliver even more success”.

“I began my professional career in the yacht industry in Viareggio, in the same place and year in which Perini Navi was starting life a short distance away,” said Sanlorenzo Executive Chairman Massimo Perotti.

“That was back in 1983 and since then I’ve always had great admiration for the business model adopted by this remarkable brand: boats with outstanding qualities, built exclusively to order for a limited number of expert owners and connoisseurs. These are the same unique features I found years later in Sanlorenzo. Because of these similarities and with a strong determination to rescue an Italian brand with an unparalleled history, in the interests of the local area, all stakeholders and first and foremost employees and suppliers, I have from the outset confirmed the willingness of Sanlorenzo to contribute to the brand’s relaunch. Today I am pleased to be able to do so jointly with Ferretti Group. It is an alliance of historic importance for our industry, one which I am convinced will continue to develop and set an example for other initiatives aimed at strengthening our world leadership in this sector”.

600 HP V-12 Verado is Mercury’s most powerful and capable outboard with industry‑first features

February 15, 2021 by Editorial Team

With boats continuing to grow bigger and performance expectations continuing to rise, boaters have been asking for a better, more capable high‑horsepower solution to meet their needs. “The V12 Verado outboard is Mercury’s answer,” said Chris Drees, Mercury Marine president. Headquartered in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, Mercury Marine is the world’s leading manufacturer … Read more

Exciting and fuel efficient, the MC63P is the power cat of the modern era

February 8, 2021 by Editorial Team

McConaghy Boats’ MC63P semi-foiling power multihull is a mini-superyacht with luxury and performance ability perfectly partnered. Retractable glass panels flank the open-plan saloon and galley, and full height bi-fold glass doors connect this dynamic social space to the aft deck. The MC63P joins McConaghy’s highly successful multihull series and the New South … Read more

UK is building its first Urban Air Port Air-One, an airport for flying cars

February 8, 2021February 2, 2021 by Editorial Team

Urban Air Port Air-One eVTOL hub; @hyundai.news

Urban Air Port has the potential to revolutionise cities across the world, making them more connected, cleaner and accelerating our green economic recovery.

Urban Air Port Air-One is an innovative hub for future electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft – such as air taxis and autonomous delivery drones – that will transport people and cargo across cities in the coming years.

The aviation company plans to install more than 200 zero emission sites worldwide over the next five years in response to global demand.

NASA predicts that urban-air mobility in the US alone could be worth up to $500 billion USD (£375 billion) in the near-term and states that a significant barrier to market growth is the lack of infrastructure, an issue which Urban Air Port was established to resolve.

The Urban Air Mobility Division of Hyundai Motor Group has chosen Urban Air Port as its priority infrastructure partner to support the global growth of this new sector. The South Korean company plans to create its own eVTOL aircraft and support the broader urban air mobility eco-system. Hyundai Motor Group is supporting the development of Air-One® as part of its plan to commercialise its aircraft by 2028.

The eVTOL hub provides an integrated approach to the decarbonisation of cities. It is designed to support any eVTOL aircraft and
complements other modes of sustainable transport as a hub for electric vehicles, buses or scooters. The design enables Urban Air Ports to be easily moved to alternative sites, as the air-mobility sector develops. This design also means the sites are ideal for disaster emergency management. Urban Air Ports can rapidly deploy drones and other eVTOL to collect and transport emergency supplies, equipment and people where needed.

The physical footprint of an Urban Air Port is 60% smaller than a traditional heliport (the most comparable existing infrastructure). Using innovative construction, the sites can be installed in a matter of days, emit net zero carbon emissions and can be operated completely off-grid, meaning they do not always have to rely on a suitable grid connection.

“Cars need roads. Trains need rails. Planes need airports. eVTOLs will need Urban Air Ports. Over a hundred years ago, the world’s first commercial flight took off, creating the modern connected world. Urban Air Port will improve connectivity across our cities, boost productivity and help the UK to take the lead in a whole new clean global economy. Flying cars used to be a futuristic flight of fancy. Air-One will bring clean urban air transport to the masses and unleash a new airborne world of zero emission mobility.” – Ricky Sandhu, Founder and Executive Chairman of Urban Air Port.

Urban Air Port chose Coventry for the first site due to its important location in the heart of the UK and because it is a historic hub for the automobile and aerospace industry, with a pool of people and skills that can support the manufacturing industries of the future. The city’s unique location also provides easy access within four hours to most parts of the country. In December 2020, Coventry was named the best UK town for electric cars. Air-One will be unveiled during Coventry’s UK city of culture celebrations in 2021 and continue to form part of the Commonwealth Games in 2022.

Urban Air Port has been awarded a £1.2 million grant from UK Research and Innovation’s Future Flight Challenge. The programme is funded by £125 million from the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund and is expected to be matched by up to £175 million from industry.