Superyacht Refit and Repair with In-House Yard Control

KRM is a refit and repair shipyard in Tuzla, Istanbul, working on yachts from 30 to 110 metres. A yard period here can be a five-year class survey, a full repaint, a systems overhaul, a structural job, or all of them in one period.

The hard part of a big refit is not any single trade. It is the points where the trades meet: a late survey finding, an approval that slips, a part with a ten-week lead time, two trades that need the same space on the same day. We plan for those at the start and run the yard period as one sequence, from scope review to redelivery.

Discuss Your Refit Scope

300+

MARINE
PROFESSIONALS

92%

RETURNING
CLIENT RATE

200+

DELIVERED
PROJECTS

400+ m

TOTAL YACHT LENGTH
DELIVERED LAST YEAR

Planning a Yard Period Around the Mediterranean Season

Most yachts we work on run a Mediterranean season and lay up afterwards. That sets the yard calendar: work starts once the season ends in September or October, and the yacht has to be back in the water before the next one begins.

Coming from the western Mediterranean

For a yacht finishing the season around Monaco, Antibes, Palma or the Italian coast, the run to Istanbul is a planned end-of-season passage. Crews fold it into the lay-up move, and the yacht arrives as the yard period opens.

Coming from the eastern Mediterranean

Yachts working the Greek islands, the Aegean or the Adriatic are already close. For an owner running Greece, Croatia or Montenegro itineraries, it is a short run.

Booking the window

Slots for that window fill during the summer, so the best time to open a scope review is while the yacht is still in season. If your next yard period falls in that window, you can open a scope review now.

Yard Control, Workshop Capability and Redelivery Discipline

One controlled project across the yard period

A yard period runs as one sequence: technical definition, workshop production, on-board work, commissioning and close-out. Most delays start in the handover between trades, so we run those handovers ourselves.

Variation and procurement control

As scope widens, the pressure moves to variations, supplier timing and procurement. We keep cost, time and decisions on one route, so the commercial picture stays readable while items are still open.

Class, flag and approvals managed early

Class survey items, flag requirements and third-party approvals go into the plan before they can block fabrication, installation or redelivery. We deal with the surveyors attending the yard period directly.

Reporting lines and decision control

Captains, owner's representatives and management teams get clear approval paths and a live view of what is still open. When a decision is needed, it is clear who makes it and what it affects.

In-house workshop execution under one structure

The core trades sit inside the yard, so package boundaries, loading and the joins between trades stay under our control. Specialist subcontractors work inside our sequence and report to the same project manager.

Commissioning and redelivery as part of the job

Testing, documentation, close-out lists and delivery readiness run through the whole project. That is how open items stay out of redelivery.

900-ton Travel Lift

The largest in Türkiye. It sets what can come out of the water and how the heavy packages are staged through the yard period.

Commercial Value on Larger Scopes

On a larger refit, keeping most of the work under one yard means fewer interfaces to manage and fewer gaps for cost to slip through. That is where the value sits. A day rate on its own is not a reliable basis for comparison.

LRQA-Certified Standards

LRQA-certified across ISO 9001 for quality, ISO 14001 for the environment and ISO 45001 for health and safety. All three run under one audited management system.

Comprehensive In-House Workshops

40,000 m² Facility with a 110 m Quay 40,000 m² of working area and a 110 m quay in Tuzla. Room to stage heavy packages ashore and alongside within the same yard period.

ICOMIA Refit Group Member

The first Turkish member of the ICOMIA Superyacht Refit Group, and still the only one as of 2026, alongside the established refit names and on the industry's standard contract framework.

Istanbul Supply Access

Tuzla is a working marine production zone. Steel, equipment, specialist trades and survey support are minutes from the yard, so a late finding doesn't cost a week waiting on delivery.

Crew & Visiting Team Support

Long yard periods put people on site for weeks. The yard is about 15 minutes from Sabiha Gökçen airport, with hotels and the city close by, so crew, surveyors and owner's teams can attend without it becoming a second project.

Capability for Complex Projects

Some packages cross hull, paint, machinery, electrical, interior and compliance at the same time. Recent examples of that kind of scope are listed below, with delivery times.

Full Project Visibility

Through "View Your Yacht", owners, captains and managers follow progress remotely, around the clock.

Comprehensive In-House Workshop Services

Most of a refit is done by our own teams. That is how we hold timing and quality when several trades work the same yacht at once. When a job needs a specialist we don't keep in-house, that subcontractor works to our schedule and reporting line.

Carpentry

Painting

Interior & Redesign

Metalwork

Mechanical & Hydraulic

Electrical & Electronics

Piping & Plumbing

Engineering & Design

Composite & GRP

Glazing & Acrylic

Insulation & Isolation

Machinery & Equipment

Testing & Surveying

Fire & Safety

Refit Experience Across 30-110m Superyachts

The work changes a lot with scope. A topside repaint, a systems-led refit and a mixed technical-and-interior period don't put the same pressure on access, protection, sequencing or close-out. The yard has to take that on without losing the schedule. Above the lift capacity, refit periods run afloat alongside our 110 m quay, with shore power, crane cover and the same workshop support brought to the berth.

A few recent yard periods, by scope:

31.8m motor yacht, 1988 build: hull and superstructure repaint, engine-room piping renewal, generator overhaul and refurbishment of selected guest areas. Delivered in 16 weeks.

52m motor yacht, 2003 build: five-year class survey, stabiliser overhaul, HVAC upgrades, teak deck repairs and complete exterior repaint. Delivered in 24 weeks.

42m motor yacht, 2016 build: guest-area refurbishment, navigation and AV/IT upgrades, galley improvements and exterior paint repairs. Delivered in 12 weeks.

49.2m motor yacht, 2011 build: generator replacement, bridge electronics upgrade, hydraulic-system overhaul and complete hull and superstructure repaint. Delivered in 24 weeks.

52m motor yacht, 2023 build: owner-requested interior modifications, noise and vibration improvements, beach-club refurbishment and electrical-system optimisation. Delivered in 14 weeks.

65m motor yacht, 2011 build: extensive interior refurbishment, complete paint programme, HVAC renewal, power-management upgrades and five-year class survey. Delivered in 9 months.

More of what we have delivered: Completed Projects

Yacht refit technical drawing – engineering plan for luxury yacht refurbishment

KRM Refit Delivery Sequence

1. Scope review and survey

We start with the vessel: class and flag, current condition, the work you want, the dates. Early surveys lock the real scope before the project starts spending time on assumptions. See our refit planning guide.

2. Engineering, procurement and approvals

Drawings, long-lead orders, access sequence, workshop loading and class and flag submissions. Lead times and third-party items go into the plan at this stage, while there is still room to work around them.

3. Yard production and trade coordination

Hull, paint, machinery, electrical, piping, interior and structural work run in one sequence. Most of the coordination is keeping trades from competing for the same space in the same week.

4. Commissioning, documentation and redelivery

Testing, inspection, final documentation and sea trials where the scope calls for them.

Reporting Lines, Approvals and Decision Control

Projects come through different structures: the owner, the captain, an owner's representative or a management company. We fit the reporting line to how your side runs.

On a big yard period that matters as much as the production. When a new finding lands, the cost depends on who decides, how fast the answer comes back, and what it does to the schedule. We keep that visible so decisions don't stall the yard.

Project manager reviewing luxury yacht interior refit using digital tablet – KRM Yacht

Typical Superyacht Refit Work Packages

Technical

Machinery overhauls and renewals, generator changes, electrical and automation upgrades, piping and HVAC.

Exterior and structural

Repaint and fairing, deck work, structural repairs and modifications.

Interior

Accommodation and guest-area refits, interior refit, layout changes, and the systems behind the finish.

Class and Compliance

Survey-driven packages where inspection, approvals and documentation set the pace.

Lifting Day at KRM Yacht

Crew Life and Logistics During the Yard Period

A longer yard period affects the attendance plan as much as the vessel. Around Tuzla, day-to-day accommodation, transport and basic services are close enough to keep visiting teams working without adding a separate logistics workload on top of the yard stay.

That matters when captains, crew, surveyors, technical representatives and visiting specialists need to be on site over a longer period. Travel time, access and local routine all feed back into the working day.

A winter in the yard does not have to feel like time lost. Crew based here through the refit have one of Europe's great cities within reach: restaurants, culture, coastline and, in winter, ski slopes within driving distance. Compared with most refit destinations, accommodation and daily living also cost noticeably less.

Around Tuzla: day-to-day accommodation, dining and local transport close to the yard.

Istanbul within reach: food, culture and city life on days off, and full airport and business access for teams moving in and out.

Time off, well spent: from the Princes' Islands and the coast to winter ski trips, Türkiye gives a crew real options during a long yard period.

Longer-Stay Practicality: a workable local setup for surveyors, crew and owner-side teams during longer yard periods.

Frequently Asked Questions

1What do you need to look at a refit scope?

Vessel basics (length, build year, class and flag), current and planned location, your target dates, the work you're thinking about, and any drawings, photos or recent survey reports. Even a rough scope is enough for a useful first read.

2What does a superyacht refit cost?

It depends on scope, but across our recent projects the structure is consistent: labour is usually 30-40% of the total, materials 20-30%, yard fees 15-25% and project management 8-12%. We also recommend a 10-15% contingency. The biggest variables are fairing extent on a repaint and what the survey finds once panels come off. We price it once we have surveyed the yacht and locked the scope. If you send the vessel details and a rough scope, we can give you a useful first read before any survey.

3How long will my yacht be in the yard?

It depends on the package. Recent yard periods here have run from 12 weeks for a guest-area refresh with paint repairs, to 24 weeks for a full exterior repaint with a class survey, up to 9 months for a large interior and paint programme. The longest item sets the date, usually paint or long-lead equipment.

4How early should a yard period be planned?

The bigger the job, the earlier. For a survey and paint period in the October to April window, opening the scope review during the summer season usually works. For a major refit with structural work or long-lead equipment, established yards, including ours, are often booked 12 to 18 months out, and a year ahead is not too early.

5Do you work with class, flag and third-party surveyors?

Yes. Where the package carries class survey items, flag requirements or third-party approvals, we build them into the plan and work with the surveyors attending the yard period. Recent yard periods have run survey items with Lloyd's Register, ABS, RINA and Bureau Veritas attending surveyors.

6Can you work with our captain, owner's rep or management company?

Yes. Projects come through all of those structures. We set up the reporting line around the team you already have, rather than forcing one model on every job.

7How do you keep open items from slipping into redelivery?

Close-out runs through the job. Testing, inspection, documentation and the snag list are tracked as the work goes.

8How does an enquiry usually start?

Usually with a scope review: the vessel, the likely work and the dates, and how the yard period would run to handover. From there we can put a quotation together. To start one, send the vessel details and your target dates through our quote form.

9How do customs and temporary importation work for a foreign-flagged yacht?

Temporary importation of the yacht itself is handled by the yacht's own agent, as is standard practice in Türkiye. Once the yacht is in the yard, customs clearance for parts and materials arriving under ship in transit status is handled by our team as part of the yard period.

10What insurance does the yard hold?

The yard carries ship repairer's liability cover, and policy details are available on request. Health and safety runs under our LRQA-certified ISO 45001 system, and our safety records are available to owners' teams on request.

11Can the crew stay aboard during the yard period?

In many refit periods, yes. It depends on the scope: the berth provides shore power, fresh water and waste connection, with 24-hour access for crew. When the scope takes power off the yacht or brings dangerous work such as hot works, living aboard is not possible for that phase. In rebuild projects, where systems and interiors are stripped out, crew stay ashore for the full period.

12How do you run a full repaint in the winter window?

Full repaints run under cover in controlled temperature and humidity, so the Istanbul winter does not sit on the critical path of a paint project.

Discuss the Next Yard Period with KRM Yacht

If an upcoming refit, rebuild or upgrade period needs early scope review or project control, send us the vessel's details and the scope you have in mind. We will come back with the likely work packages, the approvals involved, and a working plan through to handover.

Discuss Your Refit Scope