Discovery Shipyard site taken over by UK shipyard

Ocean Shipyard has secured exclusive rights to hand build the Southerly 42, Southerly 48 and Bluewater 50 Catamaran following the demise of Discovery Shipyard

Discovery Shipyard Limited's Southerly 48 will be built by Ocean Shipyard. Credit: Richard Langdon

The Southerly 48 will be built by Ocean Shipyard. Credit: Richard Langdon Credit: Richard Langdon

Discovery Shipyard Limited’s Southerly 42, Southerly 48 and Bluewater 50 Catamaran are to be built by a new UK shipyard

Ocean Shipyard Ltd has secured exclusive rights to hand build the vessels following the demise of Discovery.

Run by Discovery Shipyard’s former general manager, Steve Edwards, Ocean Shipyard will also offer joinery and refit facilities, and is now operating from Discovery Shipyard’s former Southampton yard.

Discovery went into voluntary liquidation in January, with 77 staff made redundant.

The COVID-19 pandemic, declining orders and supply chain issues were blamed for the closure.

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One of Discovery Shipyard’s newest models was the Discovery 48S. Credit: Richard Langdon

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In a statement to Yachting Monthly, liquidators Interpath Advisory said it was progressing with the sale of assets.

‘Discovery Shipyard Limited owned minimal assets. A third party agent has been appointed to market those assets and offers have been received and accepted.

‘The assets include a forklift truck, a van, IT equipment and assorted hand tools and consumables,’ concluded the statement.

According to the UK’s Companies House records, Steve Edwards is now a director of Binti Marine Holdings Ltd, the original holding company of Discovery Shipyard. It follows the resignation of the previous director/owner Werner Schnabele.

Binti Holding GmbH is still listed as a ‘Persons with significant control’ of Binti Marine Holdings Ltd.

According to Company House records in Germany, Schnabele is the managing director of Binti Holding GmbH.

Steve Edwards and Binti Marine Holdings Ltd are listed as ‘Persons with significant control’ of Ocean Shipyard Ltd, according to Companies House records.

Wener Schnabele was one of 401 people who invested £2.2 million in Discovery after a fundraising campaign via Crowdcube.

He became the sole owner of the shipyard in December 2019.

In January 2021, it was announced that Schnaebele had invested a further £2 million in Discovery to be used exclusively on capital expenditures as well as project development including the newly designed Bluewater 50 Catamaran Mk 3, a redesigned Southerly 42 with lifting keel and improvements to the yard’s existing tooling.

Last year, Discovery announced a surge in its order books, including five new models sold off plan.

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