TESTIMONIALS
HERE ARE WHAT PEOPLE SAY ABOUT US:
Duthie Lidgard of Catalano Shipping NZ has been our agent for many years. I have known and worked with Duthie through some of the hardest times this boat has been through and I can honestly say that without his support and expert advice, we would have been in much harder times indeed.
Duthie’s track record speaks for itself. In a time where most agents were struggling to navigate the bureaucratic nightmare that is COVID-era government, Duthie really excelled and was responsible for much of the great success stories in the NZ maritime industry.
Having experienced a myriad of agents over the years, I can honestly say that Duthie is the best I have ever worked with. Nothing is too difficult or too much trouble and I have lost count of the times he has effortlessly pulled off the seemingly impossible.
Catalano shipping has solidly supported Clan VIII during a very challenging time where other agents would have abandoned all support. Being a global brand, Catalano Shipping were able to continue their support seamlessly as Clan VIII voyaged from New Zealand back to Europe.
I look forward to continuing my relationship with Duthie and Catalano Shipping long into the future.
Duthie and his Team at Catalano Shipping Services were invaluable before and during our time in New Zealand. We had planned to finish our 10-year refit to coincide with the start of the America’s Cup but Covid had other plans. Duthie helped navigate all the new and changing rules around the pandemic and helped to make us the first yacht to be allowed into New Zealand after the lockdown. From complex immigration applications to allow crew to rejoin the vessel to arranging isolation hotel bookings to the everyday ordering and delivering of parts, Duthie and his team did it all.
No job was too big or too small and always done expeditiously with a smile. It is nice to work with professionals that not only get the job done but are also fun to work with. I cannot say enough about Duthie and highly recommend him to anyone thinking about going to New Zealand. I look forward to working with him again on our next trip. Thanks for all the hard work team!
Your ability to clear inbound shipments quickly, and your ‘Kiwi Can-Do’ attitude, in particular, have been just a couple of the many reasons that I will be happy to recommend your services to any other Yachts which I hear are headed to New Zealand in the future. Thank you sincerely for all your help.
We have been using Duthie and his team as our yacht agent since 2014. Over the years we have cruised extensively throughout New Zealand, done two-yard periods and one major 5-month refit. We have relied heavily on their local knowledge, advice, logistics and contacts, and have never been disappointed.
I would recommend Duthie, to any yacht looking for fast, efficient and professional support while spending time in NZ.
“Duthie and his Team in New Zealand, are the most impressive agents I have dealt with in my yachting career. Throughout our six-month period in New Zealand, Duthie and Michelle became an invaluable part of our Halo family and we were overwhelmed with the level of service we received.
From the moment we arrived in Auckland, to the day we departed, they were constantly on hand for anything and everything we may need. From catching lines at 11 pm at night to organising guest itineraries, or simply recommending crew activities for the weekend, no task was too small, or no question left unanswered whilst we were in Auckland.
Throughout our busy yard period, all contractors were organised through Duthie, who scheduled the works perfectly, resulting in our yard work being completed to the highest standard and ahead of schedule. All uniform and related needs were sourced and completed swiftly through their sister company “Uniform Shelf” and customs clearance of all internationally shipped goods were handled so smoothly and quickly one forgot we were at the end of the world!
The team, would check in daily with HOD’s on every yacht and impressively knew the name of all our crew members – happy to hand their numbers out to all crew and made themselves available 24/7 (which they probably lived to regret!). I’m not sure how they had any sleep over summer, as they seemed to just appear at the dock at just the right time and tasks were handled with such
ease and swiftness, that they really could run masterclasses in the med for “Agent Operations”!
All in all, our experience with Duthie could not have been better. This was the option of all yachts in Silo Marina whilst we were in Auckland, as it is rare that agents of this calibre exist. Guys will certainly be missed – not only their work ethic but their personalities made them delightful people to deal with, so we feel we have gained additional friends in the process! Certainly, worth a trip to New Zealand just to have the pleasure of working with Duthie and the whole team directly.”