Tuzla’s Shipyards Gear Up for Superyacht Maintenance and Renovation
Russian billionaires, who moved their superyachts to Turkish waters after the war between Russia and Ukraine began, now require maintenance and renovation for their vessels as the conflict continues. KRM Yacht, founded by a young Turkish engineer, has completed the installation of Turkey’s largest mobile crane with a capacity of 900 tons, enabling the renovation of large yachts up to 70 meters in Tuzla.
After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, wealthy Russians brought their yachts to Turkey for safety. As the war continues, these yachts require refit, repair, and maintenance services. KRM Yacht, fully focused on yacht repair and refit projects, has now positioned itself to serve these superyachts by setting up the massive crane in Tuzla.
Kerem Başer, the founder of KRM Yacht, told Patronlar Dünyası, “With this crane, we can now renovate yachts up to 70 meters in Tuzla. All the Russian billionaires’ yachts are currently in Turkey. They have been wanting to renovate these yachts, but our previous crane could only handle vessels up to 40 meters. Now, we’ll be able to repair and renew larger yachts as well.”
A Focus on Refit Projects
Kerem Başer, a graduate of Istanbul Technical University (İTÜ) and a marine engineer, highlighted that this 900-ton crane will open new opportunities not only for KRM Yacht but also for all Turkish manufacturers operating in the Tuzla shipyard ecosystem. By founding his company with a sole focus on yacht refit and repair, Başer has differentiated himself in the industry. KRM Yacht currently employs close to 100 people.
Yachts Can Be Extended and Fully Customized
Looking ahead, Başer aims to handle the renovation of superyachts up to 100 meters. Explaining the costs involved, he noted, “Completely refitting a yacht costs between 6-7 million euros. It’s not just about maintenance and repair; the yachts can be entirely renewed, extended, or even redesigned. If a yacht is from a good manufacturer, a proper renovation significantly increases its value. This is why global businesspeople see this as an investment opportunity. Currently, we are handling the three largest refit projects in Turkey, and with our new crane, we will be able to accept even larger yachts.”
Source: Patronlar Dünyası/ Prepared by: İlayda Gök