Superyachts travel high and dry to join the rich fleet

By ALAN PERROTT

Five additions to Auckland's superyacht fleet have arrived in style - on a 140m floating marina.

Curious spectators watched the Dock Express 12 berth at Wynyard Wharf this morning and scratched their heads as the specialised cargo vessel slowly sank.

It can sink to 6m above its normal waterline to allow any sort of floatable cargo - such as yachts - to be floated on and off.

Ballast tanks in the hull are filled to sink the ship and bring the cargo deck down to water level.

Once at the correct level, stern doors are opened to allow the yachts to motor into the ship, where they are secured on purpose-built cradles.

The water in the tanks and dock deck is then pumped out, refloating the ship so the yachts and launches can be transported dry.

The process is reversed for unloading.

The various Dock vessels can carry anything from container cranes to submarines.

Arriving on the Dock Express 12 today were the superyachts Unfurled, Shamrock V, Freedom, and Sariyah, plus the 78ft motoryacht Kipany and two smaller yachts.

They were picked up at Monaco and Port Everglades in Florida and their arrival boosts the number of superyachts in Auckland to 44.

Shamrock V is a 36.5m J Class boat built in 1930 by Scottish tea-baron Sir Thomas Lipton for his fifth and final unsuccessful tilt at winning the America's Cup.

The yacht will be berthed at the Auckland Maritime Museum and is expected to take part in the Millennium Cup Superyacht Regatta in February.

The largest of the new arrivals is the New Zealand-built 43m (140ft) ketch Sariyah, owned by Isam Kabbani, owner of one of Saudi Arabia's biggest companies.

Dock Express 12 leaves Auckland on Friday with four new New Zealand-built yachts to be delivered to their overseas owners.

The story in pictures

More information: Dockwise Yacht Transport

Superyacht watcher's guide

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