Page 21 - Tropic Magazine Issue 21

TROPIC • TOURISM

Risk rewarded 1 If you drive past at

midnight you might
THIS IS BIG
A gamble to invest in the world’s see me out there giving
largest mobile boat hoist is her a hug
paying dividends for BSE Justin Parer
Maritime Solutions. BSE Maritime Solutions

Words: Renee Cluff Department is now taking Cairns very
seriously,” Mr Parer said. “Not long ago
The $20 million, 1120-tonne ship hoist 2 we were the poor cousin that wouldn’t get
known as ‘big bad Bessie’ has been hard an invite to Christmas. At the Pacific 19
at work at BSE’s Cairns Slipway over the and I think she talks back.” International Maritime Exposition they
past few months, with early bookings What Bessie is doing for the business is were using BSE and Cairns as a poster
exceeding expectations. Managing certainly no joke. Mr Parer is expecting child, as a template they want to use
Director Justin Parer jokes that he’s turnover to double this financial year and because they now want more regional
fallen in love with the monstrous piece of the company’s also aiming to double its maintenance centres. There’s suddenly a
machinery. “If you drive past at midnight Cairns workforce. However, the benefits lot of activity at the right level.”
you might see me out there giving her a extend much further. “The Defence
hug,” he told Tropic. “I’m fully committed MORE: bse.net.au
and emotionally involved. I talk to her
A few of Bessie’s feats

1 SL Curtis Island, a Sanmar
tug for Smit Lamnalco
WEIGHT: 930 tonnes 3
DIMENSIONS: 34m x 14.5m
x 6m draught Attracting superyachts
THE JOB: Five year survey. It was REGIONAL APPROACH 4
the first time a Sanmar tug had
been lifted in Cairns. Cairns-based SuperYacht Group Great Barrier Reef (SYGGBR ) has taken
the lead in a collaborative approach to draw more luxury boats to the South
2 Ocean Quest, Diver’s Den Pacific. Representatives of SYGGBR recently returned from the Monaco
liveaboard dive boat Yacht Show and the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show where they
spruiked the region from a joint South Pacific stand. Several superyachts
WEIGHT: 180 tonnes are expected in the region for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the America’s
DIMENSIONS: 35m x 13.25m Cup in New Zealand the following year.
x 2.2m draught
THE JOB : Emergency repairs.
The vessel was back on the reef Taxing time
within 24 hours.
PROHIBITIVE COSTS
3 Cape Class patrol boat, It’s hoped 2020 will be the year the Federal Government makes amendments
Australian Defence Force to legislation to allow international superyachts to charter in Australian
WEIGHT: 360 tonnes waters. Currently, when a superyacht visits it literally has to be imported
and a tax of 10 per cent of its total cost is applied, which generally runs
DIMENSIONS: 57.8m x 10.3m
x 3m draught into the millions.
JOB: Emergency repairs.
It traditionally would have 1. Mobile boat hoist pulls 930 tonne tug from the water
2. Mobile boat hoist lifting a Border Force vessel for emergency repairs
gone to Perth. 3. Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show
4. SYGGBR’s Kathleen Ferguson (L) with Superyacht industry representatives from the Cook Islands

21 • tropicnow.com.au