Derecktor Ft. Pierce proceeds with expansion 

Derecktor Ft. Pierce proceeds with expansion 

Fort Pierce, Fl (treasurecoast.com) -Wheels are rolling in, structural parts are being delivered  and the skeleton of a $6.5 million mega-yacht lift is beginning to take shape at the Port of Fort Pierce.

Derecktor Ft. Pierce shipyard has been bringing in six trucks a day from Miami, with about 20 of the 32 wheels and other pieces needed for the massive lift. About 25 shipments have arrived so far, with more expected, according to Justin Beard, Derecktor Ft. Pierce marketing manager. 

Once assembled, the lift will weigh more than 700 tons with a hauling capacity of 1,500 tons. It will stand 85 feet tall — towering 20 feet higher than the South Bridge — and be 73 feet wide and 105 feet long. 

The lift will allow Derecktor to hoist yachts as large as 250 feet out of the water and into the shipyard for extensive renovations and repair. 

Derecktor hopes the lift — which was manufactured in northern Italy — will be assembled and fully operational by May. That would mark the one-year anniversary of Derecktor winning a 30-year, $37 million contract from St. Lucie County to operate a mega-yacht repair center on 12 acres of county-owned land at the port.

That timetable, though, depends on factors such as the arrival of two technicians from Italy. They should arrive next month after clearing  COVID-19 travel restrictions.

Derecktor could hire up to nine local workers to help assembling the lift, Beard said. 

By spring of 2022, Derecktor hopes to have up to 70 employees in fort Pierce, a combination of new jobs and in-house hires from its Dania Beach shipyard.

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  • Posted 3 years ago

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