Damen Yachting has confirmed that no "projects currently in build" were affected by a fire that broke out yesterday (May 15) at a construction hall in the Antalya Free Zone in Turkey. The hall is owned by Damen Shipyards and was “substantially damaged” in the blaze.
No casualties have been reported and Damen has credited a fast evacuation and efficient response by local firefighters. A statement by the yard said: “ While all of our clients associated with the Antalya facility have been informed of the incident, our priorities lie in supporting and caring for our colleagues in Antalya."
Damen Yachting's Antalya site is used for its SeaXplorer line. According to BOATPro, there are two SeaXplorer hulls in build; the SeaXplorer 60 and the 58-metre Pink Shadow. Anthony Hsieh's new 53-metre YS 53 was also at the site in Turkey, as confirmed in an Instagram post.
The Antalya Free Zone houses a number of major shipyards including Lazzara Yacht, Sarp Yachts and Bering. Damen Yachting's closest neighbour is Nebula Yacht, which is currently finishing construction of a 62-metre hull. It is not yet known if any shipyards in the vicinity were affected by the fire.
According to local media, the fire began at around 7pm local time and took several hours to be brought under control, with assistance from helicopters.