Italian superyacht-builder Sanlorenzo recently moved its superyacht build operations to a new facility in La Spezia. The new yard will allow the company to build superyachts up to 70m-80m (230ft-263ft) compared to its current 60m (197ft) limit.

“We will invest around €25m buying the Cantieri San Marco shipyard and developing it in stages up to full operation over two or three years,” Ferruccio Rossi, Sanlorenzo’s general manager, told IBI at the Singapore Yacht Show. “This was formerly a commercial shipyard that built bulk carriers and other vessels up to 120,000 DWT or more.

“We have two 52m (171ft) yachts in build at Cantieri San Marco, with completion of one of them due for March next year,” he said. “It will be at the 2016 Monaco Yacht Show.

“We are developing new, larger designs in the 60m-65m (197ft-213ft) range, as customers are asking for this,” he added. “We have about a 90% repeat customer response, which is helped to establish Sanlorenzo as a strong brand.”

Rossi explained that turnover for Sanlorenzo in 2015 was around €220m and that for this year it is expected to increase to €250m. “We currently have a 30-strong dedicated workforce in our Superyacht Division and, with the orders we have, this will increase. We will move forward in stages from building yachts of under 500 tonnes to ones of 1,660-1,800 GRT as we go larger.”

By David Robinson