An inside look at superyacht surveyors

Yachting Pages spoke to Javier Fernández, Operations Manager at Craft Management to see how a new surveying company establishes themselves in an already competitive industry.

Tell me how Craft Management was founded?

Craft Management was established in August 2013 by my colleague Manuel Abolacio and I. The main reason we decided to start our own business was because we were working for Austal and they decided to close down the Austal Europe Service Centre, where we both worked. I was an operations manager and my colleague was a financial controller. Instead of looking for new positions we decided to drive our own project offering our services. Thus Craft Management was born.

How would you describe Craft Management?

We are a service company and I like to say we provide excellent services because of where our strengths lie ; I mean technical skills from my side (surveyor, technical manager, project manager) and finance skill (administration, controller, finance assessment) from Manuel.  

What makes you different and unique?

We are unique because we service just what the customer wants, as we have worked on board superyachts (marine engineer) and onshore (superintendent) we understand the requirements from different aspects making us able to work accordingly.

Are you working on any new developments at the moment?

Our targets for 2015 are: secure our current jobs/projects/customers and to get quality certification ISO 9001

Is there anything that people don’t know that you would like to announce?

We have been finalist as young company (fewer than three years old) in our region         

What are the biggest challenges that you face in the superyacht industry at the moment?

The biggest challenge is creating a reputation which will then allow us to grow up. Another challenge that Craft Management is facing is geographic. We are in an area with not to many opportunities (we have SY transit but not reputed repair yards)

What is the most bizarre client request you’ve received?

Hahaha, we received a RFQ (Request for Quotation) for a survey, the scope was to account three holds full of frozen prawns.

What are the current trends in your sector at the moment?

We have definitely seen a trend for pre purchase surveys. The purpose of obtaining a pre purchase survey on a boat is to gain as much information on the condition of the boat as possible before you buy it.

Who would be your dream client?

Honestly, I would like to have many clients and all of them with different profiles and requirements, more fun and more learning.

For more information visit Craft Management

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