Mondo Marine has announced that they have acquired the famous Italian shipyard, Cantieri di Pisa, at auction in La Spezia following the yard's financial difficulties due to the recession. The failing shipyard was part of the famous Baglietto group which has acquired the US shipyard Bertram earlier this year, perhaps to make up for the reduction in offering that the foreclosure of Cantieri di Pisa would have caused. Famed for its fiberglass Akhir series which all ranged around 30 meters, Cantieri di Pisa was established in 1945 with its current yard being built in Darsena Pisana in 1956. Following lengthy financial difficulties for Cantieri di Pisa, the Court of La Spezia, had in the end of March 2015 announced a new third call for bids at an asking price of 3,200,000, 3 million less than the previous figure.
It had been reported that the Union Strong Marine Holding, led by Jean Marc Gregory, had been the sole bidder in the previous call but his bid has been rejected at an asking price of 6.2 million euros which was considered too high at the current market.
Other participants in the auction were a local group from Pisa, Pisa Superyacht, led by brothers Fabio and Guido Bini, which had partnered with a cooperative of previous Cantieri di Pisa workers.
It was however the Mondo Marine group, led by Alessandro Falciai, which has managed to come up with a winning bid of 3,600,000 at this third auction. Mondo Marine has indicated that they will be keeping on the remaining 33 employees. With this bid, Mondo Marine has acquired the 6,000 square meter warehouse facility, an 800 square meter bassin and the existing yard in Darsena Pisana with 6 boats currently under construction and all trademarks. Alessandro Falcai, Chairman and Owner of Mondomarine, declared: “I am very proud of the success achieved. I am sure
the quality of a business plan which also includes the enhancement of capacity and skills of employees in force at the
shipyards and linked industries has been recognized. The operation is part of the strategy of development of Mondomarine,
which aims to leadership in the field of high-end yachts. Precisely in this sense the historical line of Cantieri di Pisa, Akhir, will be redirected towards the production of high quality, with semi-displacement aluminium yachts from 30 meters up. It is
the best way - added Falciai - to celebrate this year the centenary of Cantieri Navali Campanella, our production site in
Savona."