New Orleans marine businesses start over
By IBI Magazine/Michael Verdon
Amidst the flooded streets and human trauma created by Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans last week, two major marine businesses have survived relatively unscathed. One of the country's largest marine accessories distributors and one of its largest yacht builders will relocate their headquarters to nearby Baton Rouge, Louisiana, after Hurricane Katrina flooded New Orleans. Trinity Yachts sent out a press release on Monday, saying that the shipyard had suffered minimal damage. "We have been blessed with very little damage to the main shipyard except for a couple of missing roof panels from one of the older sheds," said Felix Sabates, Trinity owner, in a statement. Sabates said the recently launched yachts Zoom Zoom Zoom, Lady Florence and M/Y Leda are "safe and sound." Sabates told IBI that three yachts in the water suffered a few scuffs, but no structural damage, and that four yachts inside the sheds suffered no damage. "We have to be the luckiest people on the face of the planet," he said. "There is some water damage and mud to clean up, but other than that, very little damage." But Sabates wasn't sure when the yard, which employs over 500 people, would be open again for business. Local authorities in New Orleans have told the community that they must evacuate, and Sabates said that they are waiting for news. "We could be back in business in 60 days when they let us back in," he said. Sabates said that the new Baton Rouge headquarters should be open by Wednesday. The company has set up a website called www.trinityyachtsemergencycommandpost.com to keep employees informed about the progress of the cleanup. Sabates said that Trinity would be displaying at the Monaco and Ft Lauderdale boat shows. A spokesman for Donovan Marine, considered the country's second largest distributor, said that their Louisiana facility was "okay." The spokesman said that the warehouse was not flooded, but that there is currently no power in the building. Donovan's mainframe computer was moved last week to a secure location in Baton Rouge, however, and "all branches are currently on-line." The spokesman said that the company has been running according to an emergency plan, but that he expects the main office to be "up and running" in about a week. In the meantime, US Army Corps of Engineers personnel have repaired the broken levees, and have started to pump the flood waters back into Lake Ponchartrain. Rescuers have discovered corpses all over the city as they continue to evacuate flood survivors. The death toll could rise as high as 10,000, according to local officials. The US Coast Guard continues to airlift residents out of the city in what is the largest rescue operation in its history. Many more are being rescued by small boats. To date, over 9,000 have been airlifted out by helicopter, and tens of thousands more have been evacuated by bus. Mayor Ray Nagin told the Associated Press it could take three weeks to clear the flood waters, and another eight weeks before power is restored. "I've gone from anger to despair to having turned the corner," he told the AP.
(6 September 2005)
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