Maritimo secure sales partner in growing Korean marine market

Prominent Queensland offshore boat manufacturer, Maritimo Australia, has announced a new dealership agreement with a major Korean marine industry company, to tap into the enormous future potential of the luxury boat market in South Korea.

Minister for Trade John Mickel, who led a Queensland marine industry trade mission to attend the Korea International Boat Show in June 2008, said the establishment of this new dealership agreement illustrated the Queensland marine industry’s growing recognition of Korea’s reputation as an emerging global hot spot for high end boat sales.

“Maritimo has named the Hyundai Yacht Co as their authorised dealer for the region, following a visit to Queensland by senior company representatives late last year to test-run the company’s boats for the Korean market,” Mr Mickel said.

Hyundai Yacht Co was established in May 2008, developed from a business unit of Hyundai Life Boats Co. Ltd, which specialises in manufacturing life boats mainly to supply Hyundai Heavy Industries, the world’s number one shipbuilding company. Hyundai Life Boats Co Ltd became independent from the Hyundai Group in 2000.

“By all reports, Korean delegation members were impressed with the performance of Maritimo’s boats, as well as with the company’s Gold Coast facilities, sealing the dealership agreement,” Mr Mickel said.

“Gold Coast-based Maritimo Australia is no stranger to exporting its quality cruisers, with distributors in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa, as well as in Australia and New Zealand.

“I congratulate Maritimo on securing quality sales representation in this major emerging marine market, and with the help of Trade Queensland, I look forward to further strengthening Queensland’s marine industry profile and to kick-starting sales in Korea,” Mr Mickel said.

Maritimo’s sales and marketing manager, Peter Jenkins said that Hyundai Yacht Co. is one of the world’s largest ship and boat builders, producing an extensive range of life boats, fishing and patrol boats, ferries and recreational craft under the name of Sonata Yachts.

“Hyundai Yacht Co is headquartered in Seoul, and has a worldwide service network with offices or distributors in Australia, the United States, India, Spain, the Middle East, Holland, Japan and Vietnam,” Mr Jenkins said.

“Maritimo recognises that there is still a lot of work to be done to firmly establish the recreational marine industry in Korea, particularly in improving marine-related infrastructure, but a lot of this work is already in planning or under construction with Korean Government support, and we see great potential for future sales.

“With our Korean partners clearly impressed with our range of boats, we’re looking forward to a long and profitable relationship,” he said.

Minister Mickel’s office: Jane Rowe 3237 1125 or David Robertson 3227 8842

Maritimo: Peter Jenkins 5509 3611

19 January 2009