Australian superyacht refit yard Gold Coast City Marina (GCCM) has announced it is to double in size by expanding onto an adjacent 20-hectare site.
The development of the site, estimated to cost over $100 million, will enable the yard to accommodate more superyachts, including “wide beam catamarans and sailing yachts.”
The expansion includes a number of new facilities, including a 1000 tonne capacity lift, which will increase the yard’s refit lifting capacity by 400%, and a number of undercover refit and repair factories.
When the expansion is completed, the yard, which already claims to be the “largest of its kind in the southern hemisphere”, will eventually occupy a site stretching 37.5 hectares.
Chief executive Trenton Gay revealed the expansion will begin over 10 years since the yard acquired the new site. The planning and research behind the development of the site meanwhile began five years ago, he revealed.
“Submissions for this site have been lodged with authorities and once approvals are in place, construction for the first stage will be imminent,” he said.
It comes after the yard, which is able to accommodate superyachts measuring over 70 metres, recently completed work on Silver Yachts 73 metre Dragonfly, Halter Marine 58 metre Pangaea and 51 metre Pursuit.
“We expect boats of this size and larger to increase in numbers therefore our refit capabilities need to accommodate these,” Gay added.