Turkish boatbuilder Sirena Yachts has expanded its yacht production facilities. Leasing waterside building halls in the shipbuilding centre of Yalova, near Istanbul, has added extra construction space to Sirena’s estate, taking it to 150,000 square metres overall, and boosted the workforce to 1,200. The boatbuilder says it intends to concentrate production of Sirena’s Steel 42 superyacht there.

“Yalova is an area renowned for its commercial shipbuilding, so it is appropriate that we should be building the new 42 Steel there,” says Sirena’s chief operations officer Ali Onger.

“Hot steel work, such as cutting, bending, and welding, will all be done by subcontractors on site. We will also do the outfitting and interior fit-out here. The chief advantage is that we can launch our growing range of big yachts directly from the production halls, with no need for transportation to the water’s edge.”

Sirena Yachts superyacht shipyard

The new Yalova site joins Sirena’s two existing building locations in the region. The main facility is a 155,000 square metre complex some 25 minutes drive from the sea, where the brand’s smaller series yachts are built.

“Our original shipyard lies inland, and it is still the main site where we manufacture the Sirena 48, 58, 68 and 78. On the Sirena 68 and 78 we perform the final fit out at another location in Yalova, as this keeps the air draught low enough to pass under a number of bridges,” says Onger.

The Tuzla shipyard has been given over exclusively to the production of the 88ft flagship, Onger reveals. “It is a big boat, so you cannot transport it by motorway. We needed a special area by the sea where we could launch them directly. We have a huge hangar where we can build four 88s at the same time – three in moulding and one in fit-out.”

The Sirena brand launched in late 2016, with the debut 64 hitting the water in 2017. Since then, the yard has undergone a period of double-digit growth, especially from the mid-range US market.

Sirena Yachts superyacht shipyard

“We want to be present in different size ranges,” says Onger. “We want to be the go-to shipyard that can accommodate the needs of the clients from the Sirena 48 upwards. The biggest brands don’t build this small anymore, but somebody has to be there to provide yachts that can get clients started on their boating journey. This way, we can provide the right yacht for each stage of the client’s yachting life.”

All images courtesy of Sirena Yachts/Emre Boyoglu.

The post Sirena Yachts opens new Turkish shipyard appeared first on Marine Industry News.