High-technology motor yacht transporter enhances efficiencies at Riviera

The care and efficiency of moving luxury motor yachts on site at Riviera’s 16.8-hectare Gold Coast boatbuilding facility has been enhanced with the commissioning of a new self-propelled transporter.

The Marine Travelift TM100 has capacity to move with ease motor yachts of up to 100 tonnes, or 50 per cent more than the weight of Riviera’s flagship 72 Sports Motor Yacht. This is the latest high-technology enhancement for Riviera as the company prepares for the next phase of a $10 million expansion of the facility this year to meet growing demand.

The 16-wheel loader is managed by a single operator to efficiently manoeuvre large motor yachts in Riviera’s model range across the company’s expansive boatbuilding site.

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In the past, Riviera’s team would move motor yachts using cradles that were specifically designed for each hull.

“The new transporter enables our team to consolidate our workflow, creating greater efficiencies in the process of building luxury motor yachts,” says Riviera’s Supply, Planning and Production director Kyle Davison.

“It provides a lot more manoeuvrability, enabling better access to existing and new facilities and, by employing this state-of-the-art technology, the team can take advantage of improved efficiencies and safety on site.”

The first stage of Riviera’s expansion last year involved an enlargement of the final fitout building to accommodate larger yachts and the new transporter system.

Operated through a remote panel, the Italian-made TM100 offers complete control to easily transport Riviera motor yachts, that can weigh as much as 68 metric tons, from one location to the next at each stage of the boatbuilding process.

The open-ended design of the transporter allows the operator to position the device under a parked boat or around a cradle to lift it. This is done after the placement of pads on either side of the hull using hydraulic cylinders which safely stabilises the motor yacht once in position.

“The commissioning of the new marine transporter is part of our ongoing investment in new technology to enhance our overall boatbuilding operations,” says Riviera owner Rodney Longhurst.

“Plans are currently under way for the next phase of expanding our boatbuilding facilities on the Gold Coast, and this is an important step in this program as we continue to create bigger, more advanced and sophisticated luxury motor yachts.”

Riviera builds over 100 luxury motor yachts a year from its facility on the Gold Coast, the largest of its kind in the southern hemisphere.