Dutch sailing yacht specialist Royal Huisman has announced that it plans to hire the Holland Jachtbouw facility in Amsterdam.
The news comes after the owner of Holland Jachtbouw informed staff on January 20 that the yard would no longer be continuing business following the sudden death of founder Chris Gongriep in December.
Royal Huisman will be hiring all three halls at the 12,000 square metre facility for refit and construction of yachts up to 60 metres. The yard adds that it is also considering commissioning yachts at the site, which features access to 120 metres of waterfront.
Roemer Boogaard, managing director of Royal Huisman, said: “We regret to see a yard like Holland Jachtbouw eventually cease to exist, but we hope we are able to keep the Netherlands firmly on the map for superyacht owners, keeping in mind our plans for diversification in the motor and sailing yacht sector.”
The expansion increases the number of Royal Huisman sites to three, with the yard recently announcing an exclusive contract to use the 300,000 square metre Emden Dockyard in Germany for its superyacht refit arm Huisfit.
Superyacht projects currently under development at the Vollenhove-based firm include the 81 metre Project 400, which will become the Royal Huisman flagship when launched in 2020.
Developed in collaboration with Dykstra Naval Architects and Mark Whiteley Design, Project 400 will rank among the world’s largest sailing yachts.