The 88m Maltese Falcon relaunched

Lusben, founded in 1956 and part of the Azimut-Benetti Group, staged the technical launch of Maltese Falcon in Livorno as part of a major refit of the 88m sailing yacht. Originally launched by Perini Navi in 2006, Maltese Falcon arrived at Lusben at the end of October 2022 and will remain until at least the end of May before the yacht becomes available for chartering.

Gianni Paladino, Commercial Director at Lusben, said: “We couldn’t have made it through to this technical launch, while ensuring the high standards of quality we want to offer Lusben customers, had it not been for our professional team’s expertise in tackling such a complex project.

“It was a great privilege to work on a boat like the Maltese Falcon, but the congratulations really go to the whole team coordinated by Site Manager Alessio Centelli for the great job done.”

Even before the refit itself began, major work had to be performed on the Livorno yard’s floating dock, with a special system designed and built to accommodate the yacht’s 6m draught and hull shape.

Once the yacht was in the new floating dock, Lusben began the refit, which included replacement of the teak deck, refurbishment of the interiors and repainting the entire hull in its distinctive ‘Perini Blue’ colour, which requires special working conditions due to the paint’s chemical and physical characteristics.

As well as improving the aesthetics and comfort of the yacht, the refit has improved performance and efficiency by upgrading the onboard systems – generators, main engines, propellers – while other complex jobs included work on the iconic mast-handling system.

Pierfrancesco Cafaro, the skipper of Maltese Falcon, said: “I’ve had the chance in the past to appreciate Lusben and the services they offer, which is why I was happy to collaborate with them again. The work we carried out in synergy with their team was incredible.

“For both us and the owner company, working with the shipyard meant having the confidence that all our requests would be handled promptly and professionally. With Lusben’s help, we’ll be ready in June to welcome our customers and make their holiday on the water an unforgettable experience.”

www.lusben.com

www.azimutbenetti.it