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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Dockwise Yacht Transport, the world’s only float-on/float-off yacht transport service, has christened the 687.5-foot Yacht Express at the Yantai Raffles Shipyard in China, the largest vessel of its kind in the world, the company said in a release last week.
“Following the growth of the yachting industry and the still rising demand of intercontinental transportation of yachts, Dockwise has decided to invest in this type of vessel to further enhance the growing business of Dockwise Yacht Transport,” said André Goedée, CEO of Dockwise Transport N.V.
Yacht Express was purpose-built with a semi-submersible dock bay that allows yachts of any size to be safely floated on and off as cargo. The company said the process is unique to DYT, which also operates four other semi-submersible yacht carriers.
“Yacht Express is more than 130 feet longer than our largest carrier,” said DYT President and CEO Clemens van der Werf. “It marks a major milestone in the development of the yacht transport industry, as it will not only accommodate more yachts on regularly scheduled trips to and from Florida and the Mediterranean but also it will deliver them faster.”
With a service speed of 18 knots, Yacht Express is expected to reduce the time of a transatlantic voyage by nearly 50 percent, from 15 to 8 days. Following sea trials, Yacht Express will mobilize through Australia and New Zealand and to Florida before making a special appearance at the Monaco Yacht Show in September, where it will be re-christened and introduced to the yachting community.
Dockwise Yacht Transport, based in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., is a group company of Dockwise Transport B.V., which is located in Breda, The Netherlands.
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