Port Everglades

Derecktor officials broke ground at the Port on Friday, November 13 during a small ceremony where federal, state and local dignitaries brandishing golden shovels, hard hats and face masks gathered to commemorate the historic occasion. (Photo: Steven Martine, handout via Derecktor Shipyards)

Derecktor Breaks Ground on New Florida Shipyard

Plans to convert the century-old Port of Fort Pierce into a repair and refit facility for the global fleet of megayachts and large sailing yachts are moving full speed ahead.After a lengthy permitting and review process, Derecktor Shipyards has been granted approval from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, St. Lucie County Board of County Commissioners and the City of Fort Pierce to begin construction of its newest shipyard – Derecktor Ft.

Rendering of Derecktor Ft. Pierce with 1,500-ton mobile boat hoist and planned dry docks. (Image: Derecktor Ft. Pierce)

USACE Approves Derecktor's Plan for New Megayacht Yard

Plans to convert the nearly 100-year-old Port of Fort Pierce into a full-service repair and refit facility for the global fleet of megayachts cleared a significant hurdle, Derecktor Shipyards announced.After 11 months of review, the engineering and plans for Derecktor Ft. Pierce’s new haul-out basin have been officially approved by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, paving way for construction to commence once the City of Fort Pierce Building Department gives its final approval.“Securing a permit from the U.S.

Proposed locations for Derecktor Fort Pierce. Photo courtesy Derecktor Shipyard.

Derecktor to Develop New US Superyacht Hub

St. Lucie County Commissioners unanimously chose Derecktor Shipyards to create and manage a facility servicing large yachts in Fort Pierce, Fla. on Nov. 14. Located about 100 miles north of Fort Lauderdale and about 40 miles north of Palm Beach, the shipyard will develop a proposal for a mutually agreeable lease and contract to develop the 290-acre port, with deep water draft, easy land access and no fixed bridges.Derecktor was established in 1947 by the late Bob Derecktor, a competitive sailor in his own right with his personal fleet of “goose” sailboats…

Allure of the Seas, Photo courtesy of Royal Caribbean

Royal Caribbean Announces Winter 2015-16 Schedule

Four of the Regions Largest and Most Innovative Cruise Ships to Sail from Port Everglades and Port Canaveral. The cruise line has announced that Allure of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas and Serenade of the Seas will sail the Caribbean from convenient Florida homeports for the winter 2015-16 season, which are now open for sale. Sister-ships Allure of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas will offer vacationers still-matched Caribbean cruises in the 2015-16 winter season. Both ships will homeport at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Pilot Boat on Deck of Star Lofoten with Ship Raven

Raven Offshore Yacht Shipping Sets Sail with First Charter

Raven Offshore Yacht Shipping announces that their first charter with Grieg Star Shipping was loaded and departed on schedule on Sunday, August 25, 2013 from Vancouver, B.C. Cofounded earlier this year by industry experts, insurance broker Rick Gladych, and Anthony Utley of Raven Marine Services in British Columbia, Raven Offshore Yacht Shipping charters the decks of Grieg’s L-Class Ships (paid-in-full), virtually eliminating any third-party issues. For each transport, Ship Raven exclusively utilizes the world-class lift on/lift off services of Marine Heavy Lift Services (MHL).

US Coast-to-Coast Yacht Delivery Partnership Formed

United Yacht Transport LLC, a Fort Lauderdale-based yacht transport company, has reached an agreement with PACC Container Lines Pte. Ltd. to provide regular yacht transportation service between Port Everglades, FL and multiple West Coast North American Ports. With this backing, United Yacht Transport will provide regularly scheduled sailings from Port Everglades to Costa Rica, Mexico, Canada and Japan aboard a fleet of thirteen, 27,000 DWT multi-purpose ships. PACC currently operates a semi-monthly express liner service between U.S. Gulf and Atlantic Ports and S.E. Asia.

Short List Announced for the 2012 International Seafarers' Welfare Awards

The International Seafarers' Welfare Awards, aimed at show-casing best practice in seafarers' welfare in the maritime industry, will take place on November 28, 2012 at the IMO in London. - Port of the Year: Port of Corpus Christi, USA; Kandla Port, India and Port of Singapore, Singapore. - Seafarer Center of the Year: The Flying Angel Club Fremantle, Australia; Mission to Seafarers Sydney, Australia; Mission to Seafarers Vancouver & Roberts Bank, Canada; Seafarers' House Port Everglades, USA; Seamen's Club Welcome Bremerhaven, Germany.

The 686-foot Yacht Express in Martinique.

Precious Cargo Returns to S. Florida

Every October at Port Everglades, one of the most active cargo ports in the United States, Dockwise Yacht Transport (DYT) reminds the world that its semi-submersible ships are among the most extraordinary in the world, and the cargo they carry is as precious as any delivered around the globe by the thousands of ships that pass through there. This year, not one but two Dockwise ships, the 686-foot (209-meter) Yacht Express and the smaller 555.93-foot (169.49-meter) Super Servant 4…