May 1st marked a change at the helm for Curaçao Marine. Local entrepreneurs Justus and Jens van der Lubbe, have taken over the business, which is located at a nearly 30,000-square-yard site at the Pletterijweg on Parera near Willemstad. While father Justus continues with his insurance company Inter-Assure, son Jens serves as co-owner. Jens, born in St. Maarten and raised in Curaçao, holds diplomas in international business management and marketing, is multilingual and previously ran his own company, Marine Zone, which focused on boat maintenance and sales of boat products. Gareth Weber is the yard manager. Weber served in this position under the previous owner Harry Faydherbe, who chose to hand over the company to a younger generation. As the largest shipyard of its kind in Curaçao, and thanks to an excellent reputation at home and abroad, Curaçao Marine has the potential to attract an increasing share of the regional market. That is what Jens van der Lubbe is aiming for.
“Shortly, we will be expanding with a boat storage rack, two-story garage for vehicles, two more stories on the main office roof for apartments and offices, and adding an 80-ton trailer, an on-site parts shop, and small restaurant, ‘’ says Justus van der Lubbe. “We will also be redesigning the property to gain more efficiency on the yacht storage by adding more space and adding an extension on the main pier to add 30 berths for mono and multihulls.”
Curaçao’s position south of the hurricane belt makes it ideally suited for the safe storage of expensive yachts. Curaçao Marine has room for up to 240 vessels on dry land plus more than 40 docked. More than storage, facilities, services and trained personnel can perform large-scale maintenance on yachts. This includes cleaning, osmosis treatment, closed cabin spraying, engine maintenance and repair, fiberglass repairs, electrician and communication equipment work, and thorough mast and hull inspection. The yard works with an experienced sailmaker for custom repairs and canvas fabrication. Curaçao Marine’s extensive customer service includes providing laundry services, arranging for a rental car, and offering a shuttle service to and from the supermarket. In all these ways, Curaçao Marine, and the island of Curaçao in its wake, is becoming a household name in the world of affluent global sail and motor yacht owners. curacaomarinezone.com
