01 February 2006
LONDON-BASED
YACHTPLUS PLACES AN INITIAL ORDER FOR TWO 40-METRE (131 FT) LUXURY
PRIVATE YACHTS AND AN OPTION FOR EIGHT MORE YACHTS
The luxury private motor yachts will be designed by Foster and
Partners, the London-based architecture and design partnership
founded by Norman Foster, one of the world’s pre-eminent
architects.
YachtPlus, the London-based
Anglo-Italian luxury yacht services group, and Italian high-tech
shipyard Rodriquez Cantieri Navali (RCN) signed a deal for the
production of two YachtPlus 40 ‘Signature Series’ of
40-metre (131 ft).
YachtPlus, founded in mid-2005,
is rapidly establishing itself as a new force in contemporary
yachting by offering an alternative yacht ownership solution in
the rapidly growing market of fractionalised luxury. The initial
order of two yachts, set for delivery from mid-2007 onwards, will
launch its “fractionally-owned” luxury motor yacht fleet
that the group manages and maintains on behalf of its Owners.
Through its Programme, up to eight Owners per yacht gain flexible
year-round access to a growing fleet of fully-crewed and serviced
luxury private motor yachts located in the Mediterranean in summer
and in the Caribbean in winter, without any of the costs and hassles
of full yacht ownership or the quality inconsistency of yacht
charter.
The initial two yachts will
be made in aluminium alloy with composite used for the superstructure
and will be built at RCN’s high-tech luxury yacht division
near La Spezia in Italy. The agreement includes an option for
eight further yachts.
The yachts will be externally and internally styled by Foster
and Partners, whose work on luxury hotels and residences will
now be applied in this new context to revolutionize standards
of exclusivity and comfort while still capturing the essence of
nautical tradition. While the yacht will have a conventional hull
form and propulsion system, the overall styling is resolutely
contemporary, with the strongest possible attention been paid
to build quality, generous proportions for the on-board living
space, spectacular outdoor terraces and stunning interplay between
internal light and views from the vessel. The yacht will be finished
to the highest custom built standard and will reflect in every
way Foster & Partners’ world leading design capabilities.
With project offices in more
than 20 countries, over the last 20 years Foster and Partners
has been responsible for an outstanding range of work, from urban
master plans, public infrastructure, airports, civic and cultural
buildings, offices and workplaces to private houses, yachts and
product design.
Commenting on the launch of
the YachtPlus 40 ‘ Signature Series’ project Han Verstraete,
Co-Founder and CEO of YachtPlus, said: “Rodriquez, over a
period of 50 years, have built over 550 vessels including high
specification military vessels to fast ferries and luxury yachts.
No other yard brings with it this combination of production capacity
and engineering prowess. We wanted our brand to carry the Made
in Italy label and through our agreement with RCN, we can now
bring our Owners the best Italy has to offer.”
Roberto Colaninno, Chairman
of Immsi, the principal shareholder in Rodriquez Cantieri Navali,
commented: ”This innovative deal underscores the high level
of skill and know-how we have developed at Rodriquez. We are delighted
to be collaborating with Lord Foster, providing him with the outstanding
quality with which Rodriquez Yacht is synonymous.”
Marco Ragazzini, Managing
Director of the Group Rodriquez Cantieri Navali, stated: “Rodriquez
is a well-known company in the shipyard sector, boasting almost
120 years of activity, famous all around the world for the creation
and trading of hydrofoils over the international markets. After
the acquisition of Rodriguez by Immsi, occurred on May 2004, the
company changed from a status of deep crisis to that of a well-being
both from the financial and managerial points of view. During
the last 12 months, the RCN new launch has been based on some
new investments, strengthening the managerial team as well as
launching new products using the most advanced technological tools
which have always characterized Rodriguez .” Nowadays, the
Group Rodriquez Cantieri Navali operates in three different sectors:
fast ferries, for the transport of passengers and vehicles, military
sector with special attention to its relevant production and series
yachts (15-25 m with Conam trademark) and customized mega-yachts
over 35 m with the Rodriquez Yachts trademark.
“The development of the
Group”, added Marco Ragazzini, “will be focused both
on big luxury yachts and on the new launch of fast transport means,
thanks to the introduction of extremely innovating ships from
the technological point of view (hydroplanes with immerged wings
and aliswath). The co-operation with YachtPlus, under the aegis
of Lord Norman Foster, underlines the Rodriguez trend towards
the maximum quality of the product and both the style and technological
innovation. In the end, also completely new is the YachtPlus business
formula our 40 m boat ‘Signature Series’ is connected
to, which – through the multiproperty system – introduces
the new concept of luxury shipyards.”
