New Zealand yard Yachting Developments has announced it has resumed operations after prime minister Jacinda Ardern declared the country’s COVID-19 outbreak “eliminated”.
The country has enforced a new “Level 3 status”, allowing non-essential businesses to resume work after nearly five weeks of a country-wide lockdown.
The yard said it was “scaling” its workforce’s return to work and that it hopes to have the “whole team” back at the yard within the next two weeks.
Director Ian Cook said the yard has “plenty of work ahead.” “We are busy with the refit on the Tripp 88 Black Pearl [and] finishing work on a Volvo 65,” he said.
He added that the yard is “looking forward” to the enforcement of Level 2 status, which will allow the yard to launch the first nine metre AC9F Youth America’s Cup boat for testing.
Yachting Developments’ upholstery department and 3D printing facilities will be returning to work from May 12 after which Cook said the yard will have “the capacity to expand to new projects and jobs”.
Social distancing will remain in place as the yard adapts to working under the Level 3 status.
“There will be restrictions on movements within our site, while entry to buildings and offices will only be permitted to Yachting Developments staff members and approved accredited contractors,” Cook said.