Boat builder Sirena Yachts launches US headquarters

FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida: Fort Lauderdale, long regarded in the maritime community as the yachting capital of the world, is adding to its international clout with the entry of another foreign boat manufacturer.

Turkish shipyard Sirena Marine has established Fort Lauderdale as its new US headquarters for its Sirena Yachts division.

The boat builder makes luxury vessels ranging from 56-feet to more than 100-feet in length, with prices starting at $1.5 million.

Sirena’s decision to establish a yearround sales presence in Fort Lauderdale was spurred by its successful debut of two yacht models in February during the Yachts Miami Beach boat show, Constantinos Constantinou, Sirena’s head of North American operations said on Wednesday (Thursday in Manila).

“The yachts were received with great enthusiasm and sales have resulted out of that experience,” he said.

Two Sirena 56- foot yachts and one 64- footer were recently sold in the US market.

Maintaining a physical footprint here also enables the company to better serve its American customers and market its vessels more effectively to prospective US buyers, Constantinou said.

- derdale headquarters at 3001 W. State Road 84 along the Marina Mile district about a month ago, he said.

“The heart of the yachting world beats [in Fort Lauderdale], so of course it made sense for us to be located here,” he said. - derdale-Hollywood International Airport will also enable clients to easily reach the new sales location.

Constantinou said he’ll be focused on developing the US market primarily for Serena’s yacht brand while also establishing a national dealership network. Separately, the company also makes sailboats under its Azuree and Euphoria brands.

“We are expecting the US market to grow at a substantial pace in the near future,” Sirena Marine Chief Executive

Sirena yachts are well-suited for longrange sailing, as well as for navigating inland lakes and waterways found around the US, Kirac noted.

The yacht-builder plans to exhibit at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat runs November 1-5. It’ll have two versions of its Sirena 64 motor yacht on display, Constantinou said.

“After having sold three yachts in recent weeks, and the great interest we have enjoyed since the Yachts Miami - na’s future in the US and North America as a whole,” he said.