In recent years, I have reported several marina and maintenance developments around the Mediterranean, although this was before the arrival of the current economic depression. However, despite the almost daily reports of price reductions on yachts, regardless of size or value, it doesn’t alter the fact that they still need to be kept somewhere, so the requirement for good mooring and maintenance facilities remains a priority.
In an exclusive interview with Denis Pellegrino, Directeur General of International Marine Services (I.M.S.) Shipyards in Toulon, I inspected a huge project currently in the final stages of settlement, which will give I.M.S. a tremendous size and space advantage in accommodating yachts up to sixty metres.
Extensive and well-sheltered docking is available, with acres of hard-standing plus five enormous hangars for refit and paint projects. These will also provide crew facilities and private offices for captains, with a central ‘admin’ block on three levels containing drawing offices and administrative staff units. A helicopter pad is also part of the layout.
This development will substantially complement the existing I.M.S. Shipyard in the next bay and work is scheduled to begin in early 2013 for an end-of-year opening.