Since Riviera’s first overseas export from Australia in 1983, the company has shipped more than 2,800 luxury motor yachts around the world, which is a testament to the popularity of the yachts with boating enthusiasts globally. Delivering Riviera motor yachts to all five inhabited continents is a significant logistical undertaking, one that requires precision planning and execution. What brings the process together is a shipping plan specific to each Riviera yacht.
Once a Riviera motor yacht has completed sea trials on the Gold Coast, she is returned to the hardstand and prepared for export.
Pre-loading
During a motor yacht’s build, extensive logistics planning is undertaken by the Riviera team, starting with the cradle manufacturing; each yacht is mounted on its own cradle for transport.
Once a Riviera motor yacht has completed sea trials on the Gold Coast, it is returned to the hardstand and prepared for export. The superstructure is covered in a protective heat-shrink wrap. This layer protects the yacht from soot, oils and rust marks it might otherwise get from a container ship. Meanwhile, the steel shipping cradle, which has been manufactured specifically for each Riviera model, is transported to the international port.
The yacht is skippered from Riviera’s boatbuilding facility on the Gold Coast to the port in Brisbane, some 40 nautical miles to the north, or much further south to Sydney. On arrival, the yacht is lifted onto the shipping cradle and carefully lashed in accordance with the shipping plans. With the shipping cradle attached, the motor yacht is then lowered back into the water and met once again by the skipper on a tender. The skipper steers her alongside the container ship. Before disembarking, the team undertakes an extensive shutdown process ensuring the yacht arrives at its destination ready for immediate operation.
During a motor yacht’s build, extensive logistics planning is undertaken by the Riviera team, starting with the cradle manufacturing; each yacht is mounted on its own cradle for transport.
Up, up and away
Loading can take anywhere from two hours to an entire day or night, and at any time in a 24-hour period. A shipping surveyor supervises the entire operation. Firstly, the ship’s crane lowers heavy-duty web lifting slings to the steel cradle. Divers in the water check the slings are positioned correctly according to the shipping plans. Before raising the yacht, the lifting gear is reviewed to ensure it is well within the capability of the crane, slings, hooks, shackles and chains.
The Riviera yacht is lifted onto the deck and its cradle is secured onto a flatrack, which is essentially a shipping container devoid of sides and which is already in situ for transit. Plywood sheets are positioned between the cradle and flatrack to prevent metal-to-metal contact and it can be positioned below or above deck.
The surveyor certifies that the lashings between the yacht and cradle, and between the cradle and flatrack, have been fitted according to the shipping plan. They’ll check the straps are new and the tension is appropriate to ensure safe carriage all the way through to the final destination.
It’s interesting to note that a single Riviera yacht may occupy the space of up to 80 shipping containers as the ship is unable to have a vertical stack where the yacht is positioned.
A beautiful Riviera in every port
Ideally, the Riviera yacht will remain on the one ship and in the same location from port to port. There are some instances, though, that require trans-shipping. It just depends on the destination. Some ports, particularly in Europe, present the team with fresh challenges – from the size of available cranes and lift capacity with steps in place to ensure port masters follow the shipping plans precisely.
Riviera motor yachts on their way to the east coast of the US depart from Brisbane and travel across the Pacific, through the Panama Canal and into the Gulf of Mexico to unload in Savannah, Georgia. Those heading to the west coast depart from Sydney and usually unload in Long Beach or Seattle.
In September last year, seven luxury Riviera motor yachts were shipped to Florida for the 2021 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. Riviera’s well-established reputation, combined with the volume the yachts occupied on the container ship, meant the team could negotiate a faster transit than usual by omitting certain ports along the way.
A Riviera 64 Sports Motor Yacht is back on the water after reaching her final destination in the US, ready to be enjoyed by an expectant new owner.
Unloading
Practically the reverse occurs when unloading and this is also supervised by a shipping surveyor. Some ports will launch the motor yacht into water without the cradle. The cradle may be offloaded separately and sent away for recycling. A skipper in a tender will await the yacht as she is unloaded by the ship’s crane. Meanwhile, the Riviera dealer in the destination port will have arranged the necessary customs clearance.
