Yacht News for January 2010
Thunderbolt link for apprenticeship programThunderbolt Marine, a yacht repair and refit facility located near Savannah, Georgia, is launching a marine apprenticeship program, in partnership with Brooks Marine Group, a widely recognized marine industry management recruiting firm, to provide strategies to address the shrinking trades workforce.
The Thunderbolt Apprentice Program, or TAP, has been designed to collaborate with two Savannah area schools, Woodville Tompkins Technical Career Institute and Savannah Technical College, in identifying and recruiting the first batch of apprentices.
Brooks Marine Group and Thunderbolt are also in dialogue with European shipyards, notably Pendennis, the UK-based yacht facility, as their apprenticeship program has met with continuing success over the past 10 years.
“Thunderbolt, like many boatyards and service yards nationwide, has recognized the strategic importance of developing their workforce while promoting marine employment as a strategic tool for current employee retention and the cultivation of new personnel, ” says Neal Harrell, principal at Brooks Marine Group.
The first group of select apprentices will report to Thunderbolt Marine in early January and will be assigned to the machining, welding, paint, electrical, rigging and mill shops.
Bermuda Government approves Partnership for a new marina
The Bermudian government has approved formation of its first megayacht marina development, Cross Island Marina; located on 250 acres at the west end of Bermuda, redeveloping an area known as Dockyard. The area has already seen major infrastructure upgrades, including a water treatment plant, a new cruise terminal expansion, homes, restaurants and shopping facilities.
Cross Island Marina will include a mix of slip sizes to accommodate megayachts, much needed new dockage for local Bermudians and a select number of “Founders” megayacht slips at the heart of the marina and all of its amenities. Slips of 100’ to 250’ are available. At this early stage of design, conceptually, the marina has the ability to accommodate yachts in excess of 300’.
Ground breaking ceremony at Çeşme Marina
The ground breaking ceremony took place on October 24, 2009 for the Çeşme Marina, a joint investment between Camper & Nicholsons Marinas and IC Ibrahim Çeçen Holding, one of Turkey’s major investment companies.
The marina, located on the beautiful Izmir Peninsula in the Aegean, is expected to open in May 2010.
Nick Maris, chairman of Camper & Nicholsons Marinas, said: “ Turkey, with its incomparable coastline and long history of seafaring, is one of the most important yachting areas in the Mediterranean. Camper & Nicholsons and IC see Çeşme as a first step in investing in the marina sector of Turkey, and we look forward to being involved in further projects. ”
Çeşme Marina offers access to one of the world’s most beautiful cruising grounds. The marina is set in a natural harbour and, when complete will provide 400 berths up to 60m in length.
The investment value of the Çeşme Marina Project is 12,000,000 Euro. The total project area is 34,500 sq m. Buildings for marina services and commercial use amount to 7,500 sq m. Çeşme Marina’s architectural plans have been prepared by Atelier Xavier Bohl and Ayyapı Architects with attention being paid to the historical and cultural inheritance of the Çeşme area.
Tags: Aegean, Bermuda, Camper & Nicholsons Marinas, Caribbean, Çeşme Marina, Cross Island Marina, Dockwise Yacht Transport, Dovaston, Global Evolution Sails, IC Ibrahim Çeçen Holding, IGY Marinas, Interlux, J-Class, Marine Group, Morris Yachts, Palma de Mallorca, Prickly Bay Marina, RORC Caribbean 600, SY Rainbow, Sydney City Marine, Thunderbolt Marine, Turkey, US Coast Guard Academy, YCO