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IT ALL

BEGAN

WITH A VISION

For the past 30 years, shipyards across the board have had

to deal with the same gripe from owners: “Why is it taking so long to build my boat?”

ICON Yachts was the first to see the gripe as an opportunity and, in 2005, opened for business. Their USP was their ability to significantly reduce build times.

Firstly, they selected a green-fields site located outside the historic port of Harlingen on the North Sea with unrestricted open-water access from locks and bridges. Not many Dutch yards boast such unencumbered facilities.

Secondly, they thought big and built bigger, correctly anticipating that the size of yachts would grow exponentially. The yard facilities initially included a 150m (492’) x 30m (108’) covered dock with a 7.5m (24’) maximum draft.

Thirdly, instead of building a yacht from the keel up, the shipyard took a leaf out of commercial shipping and outsourced the construction of the bare hull. At the same time, other components, from the engines onwards, were manufactured by specialized suppliers. Installation and outfitting would start as soon as the steel hull was delivered to the shipyard. The process resulted in time and cost efficiencies and is now widespread in yacht building.

A huge, additional plus was the reduced waste generated during construction and the more efficient use of energy and other resources. ICON Yachts ticked all the boxes and orders soon arrived.

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However, a huge upset ensued in 2009 as the Global Financial Crisis wiped out many

new builds around the world, and so also ICON Yachts’ order book. The business survived under new ownership and, post GFC, ICON delivered three very successful motor yachts; the 63m (207’) BATON ROUGE, the 62m (203’) MAIDELLE, now Party Girl now MY Nora, and the 68m (223’) ICON, now Loon.

Following these deliveries, true to the shipyard’s pioneering spirit and intuiting clients’ budding interest in adventure and long-distance travel, ICON undertook a project with a difference. The major conversion of the 77m/253’ ice-breaking tug GIANT into an ice-capable yacht with Lloyds 1A Ice Class. The newly named LEGEND was delivered in 2015 and was followed a few years later by the 68m/223’ Ragnar.

Compared to new builds, ICON realized that repurposing commercial ships as luxury exploration yachts made a lot of sense. It made sense technically, by selecting ships with appropriate design and high-quality construction, it made sense financially since conversions are more cost effective and take less time than new builds, and it made sense environmentally since the carbon footprint of a conversion is significantly lower than that of a new construction. And a major conversion, just as Project MASTER is, effectively prolongs the life of a ship since the vessel is redelivered on completion and has to comply with all regulations by flag and class, with regard to safety, MLC, environment, noise and vibration, etc. at the date of redelivery.

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IT'S ONLY GREEN

IF IT STARTS GREEN

At ICON Yachts we take sustainability seriously; so seriously that we have made it the backbone of our business.

Lloyd's Register awarded ICON Yachts the globally recognized ISO 9001 certification for its quality management, focused on improving performance, meeting customer expectations and demonstrating commitment to quality.

First among Dutch shipbuilders, ICON Yachts also obtained ISO 14001 certification which provides a framework for an environmental management system to minimize the shipyards environmental footprint.

Since 2021, ICON Yachts has used 100% green energy, has an advanced waste management process in place and maintains high sustainability standards when sourcing materials and products from suppliers.

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Project MASTER

has already had an impact

MASTER was originally an operational emergency rescue vessel. At the start of the conversion, we unloaded pallet after pallet of new, untouched first aid supplies and furnishings which were donated to the Red Cross and Ukrainian rescue shelters.

The original main engines, the pumps, winches, screens, etc., were dismantled and sold for reuse while the several tons of removed steel, cables, and copper wire were fully recycled.

MASTER’S original tenders are currently being repurposed.

HOLLAND: THE GLOBAL CAPITAL OF YACHTING

The Dutch were the first to coin the word jaghte. That was in the 16th century and their connection with yachts and yachting has only grown since. Holland today is a global leader and powerhouse for superyacht building and conversions.

When yacht owners come to Holland for a new build, a refit or a conversion they can expect hands-on expertise, efficiency, ingenuity and a very experienced workforce, which quite often is multi-generational.

ICON Yachts shipyard is located in a sheltered site, just 2.5km from the North Sea with clear access. “Many other shipyards have to navigate locks and bridges which is time-consuming and costly. Our shipyard is easy to reach. It sounds like a small thing, but it’s actually a very big deal especially in the case of yachts over 50m (164’).”

The site is also home to countless suppliers, craftspeople and professionals; from welders to IT experts, carpenters and electricians: such a line-up of talent and skills can only be found in Holland. ICON Yachts has a 45 person-strong workforce, including an expert engineering department, and a network of over 200 specialized suppliers.

Access to Harlingen by road, rail, sea or air is easy. The nearest airports are Groningen (GRQ) Airport which is 77.5 km away or Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) (106 km), a mere ninety minute drive. The private Drachten airport (EHDR) is 53km away. There is a private helicopter landing pad five minutes from the shipyard.

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FACILITIES

ICON Yachts has one of the largest dry docks in the Netherlands, a 150m (492’) x 30m (98’) covered graving dock holding up to four large yachts at a time, and a 90m (295’) x 20m (66’) floating dock with a round shed roof that can accommodate yachts with air drafts up to 26.5 meters (92’). ICON offers outdoor berthing alongside against its 500m (1,640’) quayside berths.

150m (492’) by 30m (98’) wide covered graving dock holding up to four large yachts (1200sqm /12,917 sq ft)

90m (295’) long by 20m (66’) wide (draft 6.5m / 21’), 26.5m (95’), 30,5 m (100’) high (Clear height 26.5m (86’9”) floating dock

500m (492’) of secure berthing with 6.5m (21’) draft

200-t overhead crane with 12m (39’) outreach

800sqm (8,611 sq ft) of crew/captain’s offices & facilities on site for 50+ people

ICON main offices on site overlooking refit projects

On-site co-makers’ workshops

Shipyard Facility

ICON Yachts is the standout name for highly-

specialized yacht conversion and refit projects

As the global fleet of superyacht increases, so does the demand for refit services. ICON caters for “classic refits” where the shipyard manages the entire project as a ‘one stop shop”, and “facility projects’ where the yard only provides the infrastructure for the refit, but not the refit management. However, a client can include a range of specialized services from procurement to engineering or admin support on demand. The aim is to be as flexible and cover all bases. Backed by these capabilities, ICON currently completes an average of five projects per year.