First yachts have been lifted ahead of what expects to be a busy season on the latest upgrade to the Barcelona facilities. 

MB92 Barcelona announced today that the new 4,800-ton shiplift is now operational and open for business, with the first haul outs successfully completed in August 2019. Located at their facilities in the heart of the port of Barcelona, the shiplift platform and transfer system can haul out and maneuver up to 9 superyachts under 115m LOA onto 30,000m2 of hard-standing area. The new area also contains a keel pit (14.5m length x 5m width x 8m depth) to facilitate daggerboard works for sailing superyachts.

Pepe García-Aubert, President and CEO of the MB92 Group, said: “This serious investment demonstrates our continued commitment to improving our service and to provide our clients with state-of-the-art dry dock solutions. I am immensely proud of the enormous effort it has taken to bring this project to fruition and would like to thank everyone involved for their dedication in achieving this great success. Our new shiplift provides us with increased docking capacity, efficiency and effectiveness for all work requiring the yacht to be out of the water.”

This unique development was originally conceived in 2011 and construction started in Summer 2015 with the dismantling of the paint shed. MB92 technical management has been working alongside Barcelona Port Authorities and leading names in civil engineering companies, including Pearlson Shiplift Corporation and Enginyeria Reventós.

Mercè Conesa, President of the Barcelona Port Authority, commented: “We celebrate the launch of the new Shiplift located in the Port of Barcelona, which consolidates MB92 as a worldwide reference in superyacht refit and repair. It has been a pleasure to work together on this project that focuses on the latest generation solutions to continue offering a quality, effective and efficient service aligned with the Port of Barcelona’s commitment to innovation.”

Bryan Fraind, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Pearlson Shiplift Corporation, said: “PSC is very pleased to be associated with this prestigious new facility and the respected team of MB92.  This strategic investment by MB92 has produced a world class facility which will service some of the largest superyachts in the world currently in operation as well as those to come in the future.”

The 2019/20 season is shaping up to be a busy period, with much interest shown in reserving space on the new platform. Henk Dreijer, Chief Business Development Officer confirmed that “this new development opens up a much wider range of options and flexibility for our clients during the traditionally busier periods of the year, when scheduling dry dock work can prove complicated. With several projects currently in consideration, we look forward to turning more client visions into reality”.