Derecktor Shipyards and St. Lucie County in Florida have signed an agreement for the development of a superyacht repair and refit facility in the port of Fort Pierce.
According to Derecktor, the shipyard will be unique in the United States: the first facility designed and built specifically to accommodate power and sailing yachts in the 200-foot-plus range.
Derecktor Fort Pierce will have direct access from the Atlantic Ocean through Fort Pierce inlet, with no overhead obstructions and a maintained depth of 28 feet. The yard will cover eight acres and have more than 1,000 linear feet of deep-water dockage. An existing building will be refitted to house machine, wood, pipe and electrical shops, and more.
The lift, which is expected to be operational for haul-outs by autumn 2020, is spec’d to have a 1,500-ton capacity, making it the largest in the world, according to Derecktor. Plans call for the dry dock to follow with the ability to handle vessels as large as 4,000 tons.
“This is a big day in the history of our company,” Paul Derecktor, president of Derecktor Shipyards, stated in a press release. “This yard lets us bring in a whole new range of boats. It’s a new market for us and, in large part, a new market for the U.S.”
When will the work start? As soon as permits are in place. Derecktor is working on them now.
For more information, visit: derecktor.com
