VMG Sagunto Puts 5,000t Shiplift Into Operation for Yachts to 125m

VMG Astilleros de Sagunto has put its 5,000-tonne shiplift into day-to-day operation at the Spanish refit yard, materially increasing the facility's ability to handle large superyachts out of the water. The system uses a 102-metre by 22-metre platform and is designed for yachts up to 125 metres, depending on hull configuration.

The yard says the installation is now supporting active operations rather than remaining a commissioning-stage project. That matters for the Mediterranean refit market because lifting capacity is one of the main constraints when very large yachts require dry access for class work, hull repairs, coatings, propulsion service or major technical refits.

Twenty-eight hoists manage a 5,000-tonne lift

The shiplift uses 28 electrically controlled PSC/Alten hoists working as a synchronised system. VMG says the installation also includes load monitoring that gives the dockmaster information on how vessel weight is distributed during lifting operations.

For large yachts, controlled load distribution is critical because the lifting operation must account for hull form, block positioning and local structural loads rather than simply total vessel displacement. The system's scale gives the yard access to projects that would otherwise require a traditional dry dock or one of the relatively small number of very-high-capacity lifts in the Mediterranean.

Yachts can be moved to hardstanding after the lift

Once a yacht has been raised, the yard can transfer it to land-level repair positions, allowing the shiplift itself to return to service for another vessel. That approach can increase throughput compared with a single dry dock that remains occupied for the entire duration of a refit.

The hardstanding model also gives project teams flexibility to separate lifting from the longer repair phase. For owners and captains, the practical benefit is potentially greater scheduling availability for complex refits that require weeks or months ashore.

Sagunto strengthens its position in Mediterranean refit

The new capability gives Sagunto a larger role in the western Mediterranean refit network, alongside established Spanish and French facilities serving yachts moving between seasonal cruising areas. VMG says the system is intended to support owners, captains and technical teams working on increasingly large and complex vessels.

The installation was delivered with Pearlson Shiplift Corporation, which has supported commissioning and on-site training. VMG's own operational update confirms that the lift is no longer simply a future-capacity project but an active part of the yard's current service infrastructure.

Why lifting infrastructure is becoming more important

As the global superyacht fleet grows in both length and displacement, yards face increasing pressure to provide safe dry access for vessels well above conventional travel-lift limits. Large shiplifts can bridge the gap between mobile hoists and fixed dry docks while allowing several projects to occupy land positions simultaneously.

For Superyacht Guide market intelligence, VMG's 5,000-tonne installation is a significant infrastructure marker because it expands the number of Mediterranean facilities able to accept very large yachts for out-of-water work. The real measure of its impact will be the size, duration and number of refit projects the Sagunto yard handles over the coming seasons.