A Customer Centric Shipyard in Tarragona - CEO Xavier Mercado Shares His Thoughts
Caroline Blatter 05 Aug 2022 Tarragona / Spain / Mediterranean / Boatyards / Shipyards / Haul Out / Refit & Repairs / Project Management
Xavier Mercado - CEO ptw Shipyard
Xavier, tell us a little bit about yourself and your company.
Hi there, my name is Xavier Mercado and I am the CEO and proud Founder of ptw Shipyard located in the beautiful city port of Tarragona, in Catalonia, Spain. I would consider myself to be an experienced professional in the yachting industry having worked in the yachting arena for over 2 decades.
In 2016 I founded ptw Shipyard because I noticed how the superyacht industry was growing exponentially and realised that historical yachting repair hubs in the region, such as Mallorca, would not be able to accommodate this growing demand because of their island location. Their geographical situation limits their ability to expand. I immediately knew that the deep water Port of Tarragona was the perfect location to establish a new shipyard and I am delighted to say that ptw has quickly become a prominent name for superyacht refit and repairs in the Mediterranean region.
So what can ptw Shipyard offer Superyacht clients?
From the beginning my focus was on the client. I didn’t want to open just another shipyard but to create a business that really appreciated what the client wanted and needed. The core concept of the business had to be customer centric so I asked myself “what does the client need”? and “how does a shipyard provide a seamless, cohesive experience for superyacht owners, captains and crews?”
My answer was to establish a one stop shipyard that had everything needed for superyacht refits and repairs all in one location, under one roof. I began by building a team of refit and repair specialists, experienced professionals who cared about the work they produced as well as the client they produced it for.
When a client chooses ptw Shipyard their refit and repairs are completed by teams of dedicated and skilled professionals in a variety of departments that includes Yacht Paint, Carpentry & Interiors, Engineering & Mechanics, Electrics & Systems as well as Authorised Caterpillar Sales & Services.
To further ease the entire process, every client is assigned a qualified in-house Project Manager who oversees all the individual works, across all the departments which means just one overall invoice, no matter how detailed or involved the project is.
We also offer an additional benefit to yachts that have a non-EU flag and non-EU owning company or owners as ptw Shipyard is one of the few accredited TPA or Inward Processing facilities. TPA and Inward processing are terms used to describe a customs control procedure that allows a vessel temporary permission to dock in the EU for repairs and maintenance works without being subject to paying VAT. Which means that there are major savings to be made for these clients on their refit and repair projects.
What were your reasons for choosing Tarragona as the location for ptw Shipyard?
Selecting Tarragona as the location for ptw Shipyard was very easy and straightforward for me, a no brainer, as some would say. The city, port and location have a wealth of merits for both the shipyard and our clients.
Firstly, the adjoining facilities of Marina Port Tarraco offer the perfect conditions for Super and Mega yacht clients with its 9 metre draft and 140 metre waiting dock. Our haul out facilities are located just alongside and include a 300-ton travel lift, 15000 sqm of hard standing area, accompanied by 2100 sqm of workshops allowing us to offer our clients exceptional refit and repair services, for yachts with a maximum LOA of 50 metres hauled out of the water, and boats of up to 180 metres berthed at the adjacent marina. These facilities, in this location, allow us to effectively work on quite a number of different superyacht projects at the same time. For instance, right now we are working on full refits on both a 30m and a 40m MY as well as partial refits on an additional 2 yachts yet we still have the capacity to accept other projects.
Secondly, when it comes to transport networks then Tarragona offers a comprehensive network of local and international transport links. It is located just over an hour's drive south from Barcelona city and Barcelona International Airport, which offers worldwide connections, while Reus, the nearest airport, offers seasonal connections to most European countries. The urban rail station for Tarragona is located just a short walk from the marina and international high speed rail connections are just 15 minutes away by car.
On top of this Tarragona is a great spot for owner families and crews to spend time. The marina is within walking distance of the city which is steeped in history and has a variety of roman ruins such as the amphitheatre and roman circus as well as a number of museums and historic buildings plus many high end shops and great beaches, while the port area is home to lots of wonderful bars and top class restaurants.
For those who love the outdoors and activities the port and city offer a stunning backdrop for daily walks and runs. There is a wide array of local fitness and sports centres and if you fancy a round of 18 holes you can choose from a number of top quality golf courses in and around the surrounding area.
Contact - ptw Shipyard
Xavier Mercado or Marta Tell Sanchez
Tel: +34 977 279 191
Email: sales@ptwshipyard.com
www.ptwshipyard.com
