Oceanco is a custom yacht building company that has been building yachts in the range of 80+ meters since the year, 1987. It is privately owned by an Omani billionaire named Mohammed Al Barwani. Ever since the company first came into being 33 years ago, it has produced yachts that have always pushed the bar higher and set a new standard for themselves and the world around them. So far, in its 33 years long career, the company has produced 29 massive masterpiece super-yachts of up to 110 meters in length. Each year, the company manufactures and delivers approximately two yachts. Moreover, having set a great benchmark of 110 meters long yachts, the company aims to achieve higher and push its limits further with its new state of the art covered dry rock, which can accommodate the manufacturing and construction of 140 meters long yachts.
Oceanco is by far one of the most well known mega-yachts producers in the shipbuilding industry and has produced a few of the most preferred and prestigious yachts in the world, such as, Sunrays, 85.50 m (280.5 ft); Seven Seas, 86 m (282 ft); Nirvana, 88.50 m (290.4 ft); St. Princess Olga, 85.60 m (280.8 ft); Equanimity, 91.50 m (300.2 ft); and Infinity, 88.50 m (290.4 ft). Moreover, the two of the most well known massives produced by Oceanco Yachts are, the Jubilee; and the Bravo Eugenia, 109 meters. However, the most iconic yachts among these still remain the ones that were developed as the “Y Generation” of Oceanco Yachts, under the guidance of Theodore Angelopoulos, as a result of a marketing strategy that focused on 80 meters+ mega-yachts, such as, Amevi (Y701), 80 m (260 ft); Alfa Nero (Y702), 82 m (269 ft); Anastasia, 75.50 m (247.7 ft); and Vibrant Curiosity, 85.47 m (280.4 ft).
Adding on, Oceanco is for sure not all about only massive size and exteriors, what really makes it the king of the ocean is what they have to offer to the travelers inside their yachts; from swimming pools to large and unmatched interiors, Oceanco make it a point to ensure that no traveler feels any less than a king in his on-water palace.
Oceanco have its headquarters situated in Alblasserdam, approximately 20 km from Rotterdam, the Netherlands; and also has its sales, design, marketing, and communications office in Monaco.
Having read so much about a company that has achieved so much over the years, it would be impossible to not agree to the fact that the CEO of the company, Mr. Marcel Onkenhout, who has been a part of Oceanco since more than two decades, has played a major role in raising the company’s reputation to the peak. Which is why, we decided to interview him.
Excerpts from the interview:
Having been in the company for over 25 years now, how much do you think the company and its yachts have evolved over the years?
For decades, trends have led to producing more by just adding more. Bigger engines, more volume, more systems…. Now, ‘more with less’ is the new objective: Yachts with more space but with less maintenance; more luxury but with less crew; more comfort and range but with less emissions are all drivers and as much a part of the DNA as any design or luxury feature. It is of vital importance to build a yacht that is optimized for low energy consumption, low emissions and low overall environmental impact. The future is all about bringing in more efficiency.
In the past 30 years, Oceanco has produced 33 yachts, which one among these is your favorite? Why?
This is like asking me which is my favorite child – an impossible task! If pushed I would have to say Y703 76m 2008 Anastasia (now known as Wheels) as she was the first yacht that I was involved in from start to finish and beyond – the initial enquiry, developing the specification, negotiating the contract, construction and delivery etc.
Which role did you enjoy more, the role of a Deputy Managing Director, or the role of a CEO?
My traineeship role 26 years ago!
What kind of a yacht would you prefer for yourself, a big and massive one, or the one with a beautiful interior and exterior?
A small one which I can use to go fishing with my sons! (laughes)
Having seen Oceanco Yachts appear on the World’s Top 10 Super-yachts list since the past 10 years, what according to you is the next achievement ahead of the company?
To become the world’s most sustainable builder and at the same time be synonymous for some of the world’s coolest large yachts.
What according to you has set Oceanco apart from its competitors and has resulted in its success?
We build from an understanding of what the owner considers to be their perfect yacht. And we try to touch the lives of those who come onboard in exactly the way the owner intended.
Moving forward in the company as a CEO, what kind of support do you expect from your team?
I will continue to expect my team to understand and contribute to the vision of the organization as a whole and to be as dedicated to the success of their co-workers as much as their own.
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