CMN

Gulf Craft's production is continued at both its facilities in the UAE and the Maldives.Shipyard comments that it is taking all of the precautionary measures necessary in terms of physical distancing and hygiene requirements to ensure the safety of employees, visitors and contractors such as disinfection, tests and daily health checks. Mostly, the majority of administrative staff are working from home.Monaco Marine announced the temporary closure of their shipyards since March 19, 2020. This includes the shutdown of certain subcontractors and suppliers and closure of ports. In spite of this, the management teams will remain operational to answer clients’ concerns.

German design studio Beiderbeck Designs relieved the 65-meter explorer superyacht concept.The design studio was founded in the 1990s by its eponym Jörg Beiderbeck. In 2010 Immo Lüdeling and Tim Ulrich took over the studio as owner and the team now includes 8 designers, interior designers and engineers.The five-deck explorer concept is fully SOLAS certified and features a diesel-electric propulsion system. Key features include “outstanding sea-going, stability and manoeuvring characteristics.”Accommodation onboard has the owner's deck (the master cabin with a large saloon and bathroom), two lounges and a private terrace, six double guest cabins, a saloon large enough to accommodate 12 people and an alfresco lounge area also four single cabins and two twins on the main deck, gym, spa, galley and pantry. Crew accommodation comprises nine twin cabins for a staff of 18. The 65m explorer has a helipad and hangar, car garage and storage for three tenders.Other technical details include a 14-metre beam, draught of 4.2 metres and a top speed of 12.8 knots.

Turkish yard Mengi Yay shares an update on the 42.5m sailing yacht L'Aquila II, which is approaching to the end of hull construction.The builder says its production capabilities were reduced by 30% due to the safety measures because of COVID-19.Key features of L'Aquila II include a steel hull and aluminium superstructure with naval architecture and an exterior design by Ginton Naval Architects and interiors by BTA Design.Accommodation will be for up to 10 guests in five cabins, with a further three cabins sleeping up to six crew members.Technical characteristics include 911hp Yanmar engine with a maximum speed of 14.6 knots and a cruising speed of 13.5 knots. The sailing yacht will have a beam of nine metres and a four-metre draft.Her construction is set to take 24 months with the delivery planned for 2021.

Sixth Amels Limited Edition 242 hull has been recently launched at the Damen facility in Romania. This 74-metre Amels 242 with an exterior design by Tim Heywood will be delivered in autumn 2021.Currently listed as a yacht for sale, she can accomodate up to 12 guests across two main-deck VIP suites and three lower-deck suites. Her interior will be decorated to the custom design of the owner.Since the delivery of the first Amels 242 five years ago, the Amels 242 has quickly become the world’s most successful yacht in the 75-metre segment. The Amels 242 features an entire private 374 square-metre Owners Deck with spectacular forward-facing Stateroom; a large swimming pool; and the award-winning full beam midships wellness and relaxing spa area with a unique 19.5 square metre folding beach platform.

The Azimut/Benetti Group has announced some initiatives to distribute PPE to those in need. It comes after Princess Yachts and Sunseeker International had announced about their donations of PPE to workers fighting coronavirus a while ago.The Italian yard Azimut/Benetti Group is donating equipment to different social groups located near the company’s facilities in Piedmont, Liguria, Tuscany and Marche: hospitals, police officers and port authorities.The yard has organized a dedicated team that is working to procure, package and deliver the kits, which are usually used by the yard’s production employees.The group chairman Paolo Vitelli:“With this practical contribution we want to express our closeness with and gratitude with local areas that have welcomed us and helped the company to develop. Our ties with them are stronger than they have ever been.”