The best-known projects in recent years include the 110-metre "Kaos"the 109 metre long "Bravo Eugenia" and the two gigasailers "Koru" (125m) and "Black Pearl" (107m). Gabe Newell, also known in the gaming scene by the nickname "GabeN", is not acting purely as a financial investor, according to the shipyard. "Gabe Newell is not entering the world of superyachts as a financier or strategist, but as a practical visionary who respects the sea, our craft and, above all, the people who make the construction of these unique floating vessels possible," reads a statement from the shipyard. The shipyard's order situation is good, as our shipyard report shows.
A close connection to subcontractors
Outsourcing a large part of the manual work is the strategy pursued by Oceanco near Rotterdam. The company focusses on management and planning and maintains close contact with its many partner companies, the "co-makers". CEO Marcel Onkenhout emphasises the social component: "The construction of a yacht is 70 to 80 percent human labour, and we enter into a close relationship with our partners for up to five years." Or shorter. This is because Oceanco's refit orders, which are processed exclusively at the Zwijndrecht site acquired in 2019, are increasing. The 204 metre long and 38 metre high hall, in which the ten-year-old Tranquility is currently standing behind a high scaffold, is dedicated to life cycle support. In the centre, duplex steel for hull openings is being welded in a small tent.
Building on a pre-constructed platform saves time
Hulls are also created in Zwijndrecht, currently for the first unit from the "Simply Custom" cosmos. Customers can choose from exteriors by 28 designers, which are based on a pre-constructed 80-metre platform. Espen Øino's "Clarity" won over an owner who saved around nine months of construction time and a considerable amount of money compared to a full custom project. The finished metal hull is towed across the Oude Maas to Alblasserdam, a good five nautical miles away, where Oceanco operates a fully air-conditioned dry dock, which, like a humidor, keeps the temperature and humidity constant at all levels.
Twice 111 metres before delivery
Shortly before delivery, two 111 metre boats were ready for the shipyard visit: Y726 with lines from Espen Øino International and Y722 from the computers of the in-house design team based in Monaco. The latter arrives dry jacked up, with the 1.8 tonne anchor chain on the flank ready to reach the capstan. Aft are electric pod drives, which Oceanco now exclusively realises for new builds. A vacuum crane from German pane manufacturer Tilse sucks up to two tonnes of laminated glass onto the decks. Many a surprise awaits inside. There is actually no crew mess - the crew dine in the same room as the owners and guests. Esthec is moored on deck so that the crew are less occupied with maintenance and can devote themselves to other tasks. A special request from the owner occupies the foyer, where a glass panel with engraved names pays tribute to those who were directly involved in the construction.
Impetus for innovative yacht building
The extent to which Newell will become involved in the shipyard business remains to be seen. With his experience in the technology sector and his entrepreneurial flair, he could provide new impetus for innovation in yacht building. At the same time, the emphasis on continuity signals that Oceanco's proven strengths are to be retained.
Influential personality
Gabe Newell is co-founder and CEO of Valve Corporation, one of the most successful companies in the video games industry. After working at Microsoft, he founded Valve in 1996 and developed games such as Half-Life and Counter-Strike. He later revolutionised the digital distribution of computer games with the Steam gaming platform. Newell is considered one of the most influential personalities in the technology industry and has an estimated fortune of several billion dollars.
