Renamed shipyard PRYDE makes strong impression with 88.8-meter superyacht Illusion

Hong Kong, August 7, 2013 – Superyacht shipyard PRYDE will shine at the Monaco Yacht Show 2013 with its prestigious new model, the 88.8-meter Illusion. PRYDE is a world-class, competitive yacht-building business, located on China’s Yantai Peninsula. PRYDE specializes in the development, creation and marketing of 80-120m superyachts. With Illusion, this new shipyard brand certainly gives an impressive first glimpse of what it has in store for the future.

According to Itay Simhony, the shipyard’s director, PRYDE combines tradition with expertise. “PRYDE’s philosophy can be characterized by its professionalism, its perfectionist approach and superb craftsmanship. This is encapsulated by the spirit of ‘the unlimited’: endless possibilities in the development, creation and marketing of 80-120m superyachts.”

Financial and manufacturing experience

PRYDE is a rebranding of CIMC Raffles Yacht Ltd., owned by China International Marine Containers (CIMC). This global, 11 billion dollar enterprise builds on a solid financial base and has extensive experience in the domain of manufacturing and shipbuilding. In general, maritime enterprise in China has flourished in recent years, with a number of large Chinese enterprises acquiring important yachting brands. PRYDE will greatly benefit from its close ties with its parent company CIMC and expects to be able to operate as a fully fledged player in the global yacht-building industry.

Simhony emphasizes the international character of his business. “Illusion is the result of close cooperation between experts from Europe, the U.S.A., Australia, New Zealand and Asia. They developed this yacht with world-class consultants and designers, paying meticulous attention to PRYDE’s exacting standards. The result is a yacht that meets European standards, while maintaining competitive prices.”

Illusion

Illusion will be presented at the upcoming Monaco Yacht Show ahead of its delivery in early 2015. One of the yacht’s most striking characteristics is its impressive interior volume. Illusion’s exceptional beam and its 88.8-meter length result in an impressive 3,600 gross tonnes, creating a unique spatial experience. The spacious design is combined with state-of-the art finishings, fine woods, rare natural stone and exclusive metals that give Illusion a luxurious yet relaxed and homely feel.

Obsession with perfectionism

With more than 25 years of experience in the world of shipbuilding and superyachts, and numerous high-quality international projects to his name, PRYDE director Itay Simhony knows that China is not immediately associated with the luxury industry. But in his view, things are rapidly changing: “Already today, China accounts for 25% of the global sales of luxury goods. So it is not surprising that the country also wants to play a role in the production of these goods. The country has an obsession with perfectionism and a strong drive to significantly contribute to the qualitative aspects of the world economy.” This is underscored by Jan Jaap Minnema of Fraser Yachts, who is listing Illusion for sale: “Many people do not immediately associate China with quality and certainly not with the quality that we are used to in this sector. That makes PRYDE’s achievement all the more interesting for the sector; it is a pioneering venture. And because of the competitive labor prices, they even managed it for a very good price.”

Monaco

This is also why the shipyard has consciously chosen to present PRYDE and Illusion in Monaco, where one of the most important superyacht fairs will be held in Port Hercule from the 25^th to 28^th of September. Simhony “The Monaco Yacht Show is truly an international show, where the whole yachting world comes together to see the newest developments in the domain of superyachts.” Simhony has observed a number of new trends in the market, with superyacht owners becoming more discerning and the market for superyachts becoming increasingly competitive. “The professional approach is nothing new to us. We have been part of a larger conglomerate operating on global nautical markets for a long time. We have always used state-of-the-art facilities and worked in compliance with complex regulations. PRYDE merges all this knowledge and expertise from Europe, the U.S.A., Australia, New Zealand and Asia.” PRYDE’s second showpiece is the ESTATEMENT, a 115-meter concept that will also be presented to the world for the first time in Monaco. Like Illusion, it has been designed with a clear view of the future and a genuine focus on innovation.

Illusion is listed for sale with Fraser Yachts, contact Jan Jaap Minnema (jj.minnema@fraseryachts.com) for further information.