Recently, many world’s marinas have gone through deep restructuring to strengthen their offering and compete for superyachts' attention. At the core of this pivotal moment for yachting infrastructure, however, stood Porto Montenegro, one of the first purpose-built superyacht hubs. During the MYS 2019, the plans for further development of one of the 10 most stunning European superyacht marinas got revealed.
The project of Porto Montenegro dates back to 2007, when Peter Munk, a Hungarian-born Canadian businessman purchased a site in Montenegro for €23 million, with the purpose of building a superyacht marina that would rival mainstream destinations. With backing from LVMH Chairman, Bernard Arnault, Russian oligarch, Oleg Deripaska and Lord Jacob Rothschild, the Barrick Gold founder set out to develop the largest private-sector investment in the country.
Located near the coastal city of Tivat, Porto Montenegro's ambition was to become a homeport for some of the world's largest yachts by providing their crew and visiting owners with high end facilities. The development also included the construction of a strong ecosystem around the marina with condos, restaurants and a five star hotel.
Over its several years of development, Porto Montenegro caught the eye of new investors and in May 2016 it was confirmed that the development was acquired the Investment Corporation of Dubai, the city-state's investment arm.
Currently, Porto Montenegro has 450 berths for yachts from 12 to 250 meters in length (with a capacity to expand to 850 berths), 300 sold-out luxury apartments, as well as 60 units of ground floor retail with restaurants, bars, cafes, shops and amenities and a five-star Regent Hotel with over 130 luxury suites and apartments.
During a private event at the Monaco Yacht Show 2019, Porto Montenegro announced it was going to invest over €500 million in further development and new projects on site over the next 10 years.
Danilo Kalezic, Senior PR and Marketing Manager at Porto Montenegro, stated:
We are currently only building on 30 percent of a vast 24 hectares that once belonged to the Arsenal, a former Yugoslav naval base. To date, we have invested €500 million and I believe that in the next 10 years, we’ll invest additional €500 million to develop half of the remaining land. This is difficult to predict because the site study is still being adopted but we’re on the right track.
He also emphasised, that the Porto Montenegro village has been transforming from a summer destination to a year-round regional lifestyle-centre and multi-faceted business hub.
What is more, in 2019 the Regent Pool Club Residences, consisting of apartments and penthouse suites, positioned adjacent to the five-star Regent Porto Montenegro hotel, was completed. The space contemporary design with elements of Venetian and Italian aesthetics, by London’s WATG Architects and MHZ Paris.
In addition, the managers reported the summer season 2019 to be one of the most successful ever for Porto Montenegro. The village hosted such top-level events as the first RC44 regatta, the Gigayacht Captains Forum, the Sunreef Yachts rendezvous and Gumball3000 supercar rally, along with music, fashion and wine festivals.
Danilo Kalezic expressed on the high number of yachts and residential clients:
All berths for yachts under 30 metres were fully occupied this summer and overall occupancy was 11.5% higher compared to 2018. In the winter season, we recorded a 10.5% increase compared to last year.
Alongside continued upgrades to Porto Montenegro Yacht Club, the village also embraces new business dimensions, offering co-working spaces and new office hubs. In 2019, Porto Montenegro also welcomed its first family office for new business residents, with Monte Carlo Yachts, Beneteau, and Sunreef Yachts among them.
Meanwhile, Damen, the Dutch group behind Amels, has entered into a contract with Adriatic Marinas and the government of Montenegro to develop a superyacht repair and refit facility in a former shipyard in Bijela, Boka Bay. It is expected to become fully operational in 2021.
Italian builder Azimut Yachts has completed the Azimut Magellano 25 Metri and revealed first look images of the boat. She is their first 25.2-metre pocket superyacht, which was created in collaboration with interior designer and architect Vincenzo De Cotiis. Exterior designer Ken Freivokh was responcible for “chic and sophisticated” exterior lines.Built in GRP and carbon fibre, the pocket superyacht was created to "convey the feeling of a penthouse overlooking the sea" because of her fully glazed superstructure, the yard said.The vessel can accommodate up to 10 guests across five cabins including an owner’s suite, which features a walk-in wardrobe and polished brass details, two VIPs located on the lower deck, one double and one convertible twin cabin.There are other stylish highlight of the boat design such as “retro-style” windows in the hull and slatted teak panels either side of the aft deckhouse. There is a large lounge area and an ‘infinity terrace’ at the bow area, which is perfect for warm weather cruising with sofas, converting into sunbeds and a bar aft and an outside dining under a retractable sunroof. The boat features twin MAN engines with 1,400 hp each, a Humpree electric fin stabilisation system, and a V-Drive in-line transmission. She can reach a top speed 25 knots or cruise at 21 knots.
August 5, 2020
Italian shipyard CPN is happy to announce the on-schedule delivery of the 36.6-metre explorer yacht K-584, which happened on 31st July.Cristiana Belardinelli, owner of CPN, commented:It has been an amazing and very challenging experience to go through the full design, development and building process, lived very directly also by the clients. Looking at this brilliant jewel like K-584 leaving our dock and taking the sea on August 1st made myself and our family so proud, a truly priceless moment.The project was overseen by Yachting Expertise who was involved since the project development stages K-584 features naval architecture by Yachting Expertise engineer Antonio Longobardi. Andrea Vallicelli and Alessandro Nazareth are responcible for her exterior design.Gianluca Fenucci from Yachting Expertise said:K-584 is a great and unique story of human relationship, ambition, professionalism, respect, intense teamwork and the love for the work we do since three decades, always with the same professionalism, passion and dedicationition, professionalism, respect, intense teamwork and the love for the work we do since three decades, always with the same professionalism, passion and dedication.Yachting Expertise had the responsibility to keep all these values well balanced and timely deliver a very innovative project that we trust will raise the bar to another level with her personality, elegance and amazing performance. She is a beauty, strong, very efficient and very easy to be operated. What else do you need to be happy and enjoy yachting? Today we are very satisfied to have been able to reach once again the difficult task to make “everybody happy”, including ourselves at YE, and to be back to the yachting arena with a project that is different from everything else and that will set a new standard.K-584 is powered with twin MAN D2868 LE 425 715hp engines which helps her to reach a top speed of 14.4 knots and an autonomous range of 6,000 nautical range at 10 knots.The motor boat features a 6-metre Tideman tender on her aft deck where a two-tonne HS-Marine crane takes care of launching and retrieving operations. There is a large swim platform with an adjacent fully-equipped diving area lower aft deck. The motor yacht can accommodate up to 10 peoplewith 5 crew members. The owner's stateroom with a private outdoor terrace is located on the upper deck. Guest can stay in two VIP and two additional guest staterooms. Pierluigi Floris, supported by Yachting Expertise partner Lorenzo Barbini and collaborating with the owners, created the design of all guest areas on board.The owner commented: For an owner’s perspective, the realisation of a project like K-584 starts with a dream that you try to transform into reality. You start by listening to your heart and after using your brain.Three intense years with all the parties involved are totally focused to reach the best results with regard to style, technical performance and seaworthiness. Almost three years that make the shipyard your second home, this is the feeling my wife and I had. Now that all personal, technical and comfort expectations have been exceeded, we have the privilege and great pleasure to enjoy this superb jewel. Viva CPN, viva K-584, we look forward to the next challenge.
August 5, 2020
It is impossible not to notice this eye-catching matte black 33.5-metre Mangusta 108 motor yacht Neoprene (ex: Naisca V), which has been recently sold. Dimitris Kyriazakos from Ekka Yachts was representing the buyer and Ed Dickinson and David Seal from Northrop & Johnson were representing the seller in the deal.Neoprene was built by Overmarine in Italy at their Viareggio shipyard in 2002. With a beam of 7.1 m and a draft of 1.2 m, she is powered by two MTU 12V 4000 M90 diesel engines, enabling her a maximum speed of 32 knots and a cruising speed of 25 knots. She features an exterior design by Italian studio Stefano Righini Design, with naval architecture by Andrea Bacigalupo and Overmarine. Her light-warm and neutral timeless interior design was created by Barth Italy, which was renewed from the last refit in 2017, thanks to Monaco Marine.The motor yacht can accommodate up to 10 guests across four staterooms, comprising a master suite with king-sized bed and walk-in wardrobe, VIP stateroom with a double bed, another double bed stateroom and a quadruple stateroom with four bunk beds. A crew of 5 members will take care of guests.There are sun-pads located on the foredeck shaded by an optional canopy with an outdoor dining space aft.
August 5, 2020
Let’s take a look inside the new 31.1-metre explorer yacht Archipelago, which is the fifth Darwin 102 to come from the Italian superyacht manufacturer Cantiere delle Marche.The boat has a steel hull and aluminium superstructure built to RINA Class standards. Her naval architecture and exterior styling comes from Hydro Tec.Francesco Guida is responsible for her interior design with a sea theme of white, blue and green. Archipelago offers accommodation for 10 guests across five en-suite cabins, including a large owner's suite on the main deck, 1 VIP stateroom, 2 double cabins and 1 twin cabin. The crew of 6 will provide luxury comfort for of guests. Vasco Buonpensiere, co-founder and Sales and Marketing Director of CdM, commented:We are very proud of launching the fifth Darwin Class 102' confirming that there is no other more successful explorer vessel’s model between 90 and 110 feet in the whole market.There is a large open-plan living room with dining area on the main deck. The upper deck has the storage for the yacht's Williams Dieseljet D565 tender and wheelhouse. Also here you can find the helm controls forward with the Captain's cabin immediately behind, followed by the cozy skylounge, which is ideal for close conversation.Archipelago is powered with twin Caterpillar Inc C18 Acert engines delivering 500kW each, which helps her to reach a top speed of 13 knots and a cruising speed of 11.5 knots. The yacht has an extensive cruising range of 4,700 nautical miles at 9.5 knots.
August 4, 2020
Grace is a 52.3 m luxury motor yacht. She was built as a Limited Edition 171 model by Amels and delivered in 2009. With Imperial Yachts representing the seller and Edmiston introducing the buyer, Grace has been recently sold. With a beam of 9.5 m and a draft of 3.3 m, she has a steel hull and aluminium superstructure. This adds up to a gross tonnage of 649 tons. She is powered by MTU engines of 1427 hp each giving her a maximum speed of 15.5 knots and a cruising speed of 13 knots. Grace's maximum range is estimated at 4500 nautical miles. The motor yacht can accommodate 12 guests in 6 cabins with an interior design by Nuvolari Lenard and an exterior design by Tim Heywood.Tim Heywood described:The larger the boat is, the easier it is to make it elegant. But then, I like the challenge of trying to apply the design formulas I’ve created to smaller boats. The Amels 171 as it was originally, now the 180, that to me features a lot of the details and design elements that I’ve created on the bigger boats.There are two jet skis, 6.5-metre tender, large swim platform, onboard crane, and the panoramic sundeck with its Jacuzzi and many other outstanding features.Greg Thomas, Imperial sales broker commented:Most of the Limited Editions superyachts have interiors by Laura Sessa, whereas Grace was created by Nuvolari Lenard Studio, so she has a special, unique touch and feel compared to other 171’s.The interior is decorated with leather, wenge wood, light white oak, Alcantara fabric and Capria leather. For the third third owner her last asking price was €23,000,000.
August 4, 2020