british owned super yachts

10 of the most impressive superyachts owned by billionaires

From a sailing yacht owned by a russian billionaire industrialist to the luxury launch of the patek philippe ceo, here are the best billionaire-owned boats on the water….

Words: Jonathan Wells

There’s something about billionaires and big boats . Whether they’re superyachts or megayachts, men with money love to splash out on these sizeable sea-going giants. And that all began in 1954 — with the big dreams of Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis.

Onassis, keen to keep his luxury lifestyle afloat when at sea, bought Canadian anti-submarine frigate HMCS Stormont after World War II. He spent millions turning it into an opulent super yacht, named it after his daughter — and the Christina O kicked off a trend among tycoons. To this day, the world’s richest men remain locked in an arms race to build the biggest, fastest, most impressive superyacht of all. Here are 10 of our favourites…

Eclipse, owned by Roman Abramovich

Built by: Blohm+Voss of Hamburg, with interiors and exteriors designed by Terence Disdale. Launched in 2009, it cost $500 million (the equivalent of £623 million today).

Owned by: Russian businessman Roman Abramovich, the owner of private investment company Millhouse LLC and owner of Chelsea Football Club. His current net worth is $17.4 billion.

Key features: 162.5 metres in length / 9 decks / Top speed of 22 knots / Two swimming pools / Disco hall / Mini submarine / 2 helicopter pads / 24 guest cabins

Sailing Yacht A, owned by Andrey Melnichenko

Built by: Nobiskrug, a shipyard on the Eider River in Germany. The original idea came from Jacques Garcia, with interiors designed by Philippe Starck and a reported price tag of over $400 million.

Owned by: Russian billionaire industrialist Andrey Melnichenko, the main beneficiary of both the fertiliser producing EuroChem Group and the coal energy company SUEK. Though his current net worth is $18.7 billion, Sailing Yacht A was seized in Trieste on 12 March 2022 due to the EU’s sanctions on Russian businessmen.

Key features: 119 metres in length / 8 decks / Top speed of 21 knots / Freestanding carbon-fibre rotating masts / Underwater observation pod / 14 guests

Symphony, owned by Bernard Arnault

Built by: Feadship, the fabled shipyard headquartered in Haarlem in The Netherlands. With an exterior designed by Tim Heywood, it reportedly cost around $150 million to construct.

Owned by: French billionaire businessman and art collector Bernard Arnault. Chairman and chief executive of LVMH, the world’s largest luxury goods company, his current net worth is $145.8 billion.

Key features: 101.5 metres in length / 6 decks / Top speed of 22 knots / 6-metre glass-bottom swimming pool / Outdoor cinema / Sundeck Jacuzzi / 8 guest cabins

Faith, owned by Michael Latifi

Built by: Similarly to Symphony above, also Feadship. With exteriors designed by Beaulieu-based RWD, and interiors by Chahan Design, it cost a reported $200 million to construct in 2017.

Owned by: Until recently, Canadian billionaire and part-owner of the Aston Martin Formula 1 Team , Lawrence Stroll. Recently sold to Michael Latifi, father of F1 star Nicholas , a fellow Canadian businessman with a net worth of just under $2 billion.

Key features: 97 metres in length / 9 guest cabins / Glass-bottom swimming pool — with bar / Bell 429 helicopter

Amevi, owned by Lakshmi Mittal

Built by: The Oceanco shipyard, also in The Netherlands. With exterior design by Nuvolari & Lenard and interior design by Alberto Pinto, it launched in 2007 (and cost around $125 million to construct).

Owned by: Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal, chairman and CEO of Arcelor Mittal, the world’s largest steelmaking company. He owns 20% of Queen Park Rangers, and has a net worth of $18 billion.

Key features: 80 metres in length / 6 decks / Top speed of 18.5 knots / On-deck Jacuzzi / Helipad / Swimming Pool / Tender Garage / 8 guest cabins

Odessa II, owned by Len Blavatnik

Built by: Nobiskrug, the same German shipyard that built Sailing Yacht A . Both interior and exterior were created by Focus Yacht Design, and the yacht was launched in 2013 with a cost of $80 million.

Owned by: British businessman Sir Leonard Blavatnik. Founder of Access Industries — a multinational industrial group with current holdings in Warner Music Group, Spotify and the Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat — he is worth $39.9 billion.

Key features: 74 metres in length / 6 guest cabins / Top speed of 18 knots / Intimate beach club / Baby grand piano / Private master cabhin terrace / Outdoor cinema

Nautilus, owned by Thierry Stern

Built by: Italian shipyard Perini Navi in 2014. With interiors by Rémi Tessier and exterior design by Philippe Briand, Nautilus was estimated to cost around $90 million to construct.

Owned by: Patek Philippe CEO Thierry Stern. Alongside his Gulstream G650 private jet, Nautilus — named for the famous sports watch — is his most costly mode of transport. His current net worth is $3 billion.

Key features: 73 metres in length / 7 guest cabins / Top speed of 16.5 knots / Dedicated wellness deck / 3.5 metre resistance pool / Underfloor heating / Jet Skis

Silver Angel, owned by Richard Caring

Built by: Luxury Italian boatbuilder Benetti. Launched in 2009, the yacht’s interior has been designed by Argent Design and her exterior styling is by Stefano Natucci.

Owned by: Richard Caring, British businessman and multi-millionaire (his wealth peaked at £1.05 billion, so he still makes the cut). Chairman of Caprice Holdings, he owns The Ivy restaurants.

Key features: 64.5 metres in length / Cruising speed of 15 knots / 7 guest cabins / Lalique decor / 5 decks / Oval Jacuzzi pool / Sun deck bar / Aft deck dining table

Lady Beatrice, owned by Frederick Barclay

Built by: Feadship and Royal Van Lent in 1993. Exteriors were created by De Voogt Naval Architects, with interiors by Bannenberg Designs. She cost the equivalent of £63 million to build.

Owned by: Sir David Barclay and his late brother Sir Frederick. The ‘Barclay Brothers’ had joint business pursuits including The Spectator , The Telegraph and delivery company Yodel. Current net worth: £7 billion.

Key features: 60 metres in length / 18 knots maximum speed / Monaco home port / Named for the brothers’ mother, Beatrice Cecelia Taylor / 8 guest cabins

Space, owned by Laurence Graff

Built by: Space was the first in Feadship’s F45 Vantage series , styled by Sinot Exclusive Yacht Design and launched in 2007. She cost a reported $25 million to construct.

Owned by: Laurence Graff, English jeweller and billionaire businessman. As the founder of Graff Diamonds, he has a global business presence and a current net worth of $6.26 billion.

Key features: 45 metres in length / Top speed of 16 knots / Al fresco dining area / Sun deck Jacuzzi / Breakfast bar / Swimming platform / Steam room

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How the Spectacular Superyacht Scout is Making Waves

Named for one of her owners’ dogs, Scout is a base from which they can explore the world.

By Ellie Brade

In 2019, over 150 brand-new superyachts were delivered; one of the standout designs of the year was the 209-ft yacht Scout , built for owner James Berwind and his partner, Kevin Clark. Named for one of her owners’ beloved dogs, she is set to be a semi-permanent base from which they can explore the world — canine companions  and all.

The story of Scout begins with a simple napkin. “We started with a sketch on a napkin before interviewing any designers,” say Berwind and Clark. “Our wish list was to have a capable, comfortable explorer to travel the world, and we got a long-range ice-classed yacht with ample crew and guest areas, advanced systems for fuel efficiency, telecommunications and responsible waste management.” From the moment of that very first sketch, the couple was extremely hands on throughout every stage of the build, resulting in an incredibly personal yacht. “During the build we were involved 110%, in every aspect of the project,” they say.

Once they’d developed an initial concept for the yacht, a range of designers were approached, with UK-based H2 Yacht Design eventually being commissioned for both the exterior and interior design. “Jonny Horsfield was a fantastic collaborator; he and his team executed our vision impeccably,” say Berwind and Clark. The decision was made to build at Hakvoort Shipyard in the Netherlands; Scout is now the biggest yacht that the 100-year-old yard has built to date.

Scout ’s fun detailing and a quirky design approach, paired with a contemporary and practical layout, make the yacht eminently usable while still bursting with personality. “ Scout ’s design was influenced by Fritz Lang’s Metropolis , the interiors of Jules Verne’s Nautilus submarine, every James Bond villain’s lair, with a touch of Looney Tunes ,” say Berwind and Clark. “Everything about the interior focuses on the outside views with abundant windows and sliding glass walls.”

[See also: Yersin: The Eco Superyacht for Sustainable Explorers]

Her distinct exterior design pairs hardy explorer capabilities, striking lines and a hint of trawler influence. While this sounds slightly odd on paper, in real life it works in a stunning way. This is a yacht with her own style — inside and out — that turns heads wherever she goes. Distinctive design elements include a high freeboard, exposed tenders in the bow with cut-down bulwarks and integrated forward-sloping windows.

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Her gray hull and white superstructure are complemented by playful pops of yellow. “She is a very unique vessel that really captures the owners’ passion for being on the water and their fun outlook on yachting,” says Captain Kynan McDonald. “It’s been an exciting project to be a part of.”

On board the yacht, in addition to her owners, Scout is able to welcome up to eight guests in four cabins, each with its own nautical-inspired theme. The main deck is a focal guest space, with a beautiful main saloon that includes an LCD ceiling that mirrors the outside scenes. Complementing the main saloon is a large winter garden — a social hub that is perfect for year-round use, thanks to frameless glass panels that provide shelter when needed and retract when not in use, plus full air conditioning.

[See also: What Do We Know About Jeff Bezos and his Yacht?]

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The winter garden space features a cocktail bar for sharing fresh beverages and a dining table for 14; it’s no surprise that this is a favorite spot for hosting. Aft of the winter garden is an intimate C-shaped fire pit that’s ideal for gathering around as the sun sets, with atmospheric flames flickering in front of the horizon.

A beautiful private owner’s apartment is accessed via a library studded with nautical-themed artifacts. The apartment is a stylish retreat with multiple spaces including an observation lounge forward — this characterful space includes a hidden bar area within a globe structure, seating around stone-topped tables inset with constellations and a carbon fiber squid sculpture by British artist Alistair Gibson hanging from the ceiling. The owners’ full-beam bedroom suite has two large bathrooms, walk-in closets and frosted full-length windows to port and starboard.

The master suite leads out to what the owners affectionately call “Puppy Park,” a custom-designed garden area for their two dogs, Scout and Brio, to enjoy. With their pets set to be on board for long stretches of time, it was very important to design the boat with this specialist usage in mind. “The dogs have their own ‘yard,’ all materials on board are pet-friendly, and all access points, such as the gates, scuppers and door sensors, are ‘puppy proofed,’” say Berwind and Clark. This passion for animals also extended to the construction of the yacht itself. “As animal rights activists, we used no animal-based materials — no fur, no hide, no bone, etc. — on board.”

Above the main deck, the bridge deck is home to the modern bridge, which has sophisticated operating systems and comfortable seating for those wanting to watch the captain at work. This deck also features another very personal space — dubbed the ‘greenhouse’ — which has been designed around the owners’ passion for gardening, and includes its own potting shed, sink and gardening equipment.

Outdoors, a favorite spot has proved to be the vast, multipurpose sundeck. “We live up there with our guests and dogs, and we also love the open fore to aft space,” say Berwind and Clark. The sundeck is an impressive open space, even by superyacht standards, with features including an inviting Jacuzzi and sweeping views across the ocean.

[See also: How Much Does a Yacht Cost to Build?]

[See also: Top 10 Explorer Yachts in the World]

A helipad on the foredeck allows guests to arrive and depart in style by chopper, while an impressive crane ensures easy deployment of the vessel’s two 26-ft tenders. A packed lineup of toys and water equipment ensures that Scout ’s guests can enjoy their ocean playground no matter where they cruise. The yacht’s custom limousine tender, built by Cockwells, has been finished in the same color scheme as Scout and can carry up to 10 guests while reaching a thrilling top speed of 37 knots.

While the average superyacht is used for just six weeks a year, Scout will buck the trend, with her owners hoping to spend up to seven months of the year on board: It will be a true home away from home. “We plan to use Scout as our primary home for the next several years and hope to travel extensively wherever, whenever, with safety as a primary concern,” say Berwind and Clark.

“Bucket list locations include the British Isles, the Far East and Hawaii .” With her ice-classed hull, very little of the world will be off limits, and there is no doubt that her owners are set to enjoy cruising on board just as much as they enjoyed the build process. Scout truly embodies the endless possibilities of custom yacht building where, if you can dream it, it can be made a reality.

Images: Jeff Brown — Breed Media

[See also: The Best Luxury Yacht Builders in the World]

Ellie Brade

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The 8 Best New British Yachts on the Water, From Sunseeker to Fairline

Quality among the top u.k. builders is always a given. it's the range of yacht designs that may surprise you..

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As an island, boats have always been the lifeblood of Great Britain. And many British yacht builders continue to uphold the country’s proud naval and maritime traditions. While there are a handful of superyacht builders, the UK isn’t known for eye-wateringly huge megayachts or avant-garde design—though that has changed as its largest international brands compete with the style-obsessed Ferretti Group and Azimut brands.

But what you do find with the Brits is well engineered vessels with a high level of attention to detail in both the interior and exterior design. From semi-custom motoryacht builders like Princess and Sunseeker to the rarefied realm of a highly sought-after Pascoe limousine, there’s something here for nearly every yachtsman.

And thanks to enduring popularity, there is nearly always a British-built sailboat from the Oyster yard, somewhere just over the horizon. In fact, whether you’re cruising the waters of the Caribbean, New England, or the South of France, you’ll find U.K. brands along with the highest luxury offerings from Italy and Northern Europe.

Here are seven of Britain’s finest, newest, and most noteworthy vessels on the water.

Project Fox, Pendennis Shipyard

This 114-foot explorer yacht, overseen by project manager Burgess and in build at the Pendennis shipyard in Falmouth, was designed around the owner’s wishes. It has a rugged exterior that will be paired with a bright, contemporary interior by QLondon Design. The owner told Robb Report that he plans to cruise off-grid to remote areas like Norway for heli-skiing with his family and friends (thus necessitating five large staterooms). But he also wanted family-friendly features like a sun terrace, wine lobby, open-air barbecue, and DJ station. Of course, the real breakthrough here: The open stern, measuring more than 1,100 square feet can carry a large complement of toys and tenders, but also scientific equipment (the interior has space for a modular lab) for when the yacht is hosting research scientists. “Flexible cabins and connectivity are key,” said the owner.

The ubiquitous model of the Pearl lineup, the 72 received a creative new interior design earlier this year with the addition of a stateroom that gives it two master suites. The U.K. yard has always been high on haute design, offering different palettes by British interior designer Kelly Hoppen, but this double-master suite idea is a first for this size of motoryacht. The yard has recently won awards for the naval architecture of its 95, which approaches superyacht status, and it will be launching a new 85-foot flybridge next year.

Fairline Targa 40

Fairline is also among England’s internationally renowned yacht brands, famous for seaworthy hulls and top-tier creature comforts. It hasn’t built yachts as large as competitors Princess and Sunseeker but has been equally creative with the design. The new Targa 40’s cockpit is a case in point. It has an enticing exterior layout, with the cockpit featuring a foldout terrace to starboard and a U-shaped dining settee to port facing the rest of the deck, not to mention the two sun lounges on the stern. The 40 is effectively a dayboat, but with two staterooms, it also works as a family weekender. There’s a master in the forepeak and guest cabin amidships which is best suited for children. The galley below decks is also very functional. Top speed for the Targa is 36 knots with the optional Volvo Penta D6-380 upgrades.

Princess Y80

Along with Sunseeker, Princess Yachts is the other heavyweight of British yacht building. These cruisers and motoryachts have proven to be perennial favorites on both sides of the Atlantic. The Y80 debuting at this year’s Cannes Yachting Festival looks to continue the tradition. The Y80 brings to the table an “infinity cockpit” with a glass transom and modular furniture for multiple setups. It also has a flybridge that spans about two-thirds of the yacht’s nearly 84-foot length, effectively creating a legitimate third deck. The Y80’s owner’s stateroom is amidships and full beam, while it has a VIP in the forepeak. Two other guest cabins are to port and starboard. The Y80 has an impressive top speed of 30 knots, but at 10 knots the range is an even more impressive 1,000 nautical miles.

Cockwells Duchy Sport

The 37-foot Duchy Sport from the Cockwells’ yard in Cornwall, famous internationally for its custom tenders, is designed for watersports enthusiasts. This Sport offers multiple towing points for waterskiing, wakeboarding, wakesurfing and tubing, with interior space for nine guests. Bow and cockpit sunpads will be popular spots for tanning, while a Bimini covers the amidships. Standout features include a wetbar, retractable swim ladder, bowthruster with joystick control, and of course ample water-toy stowage. The Duchy Sport comes with twin 370 hp Yanmar 8LVs which can get it up to a top speed of 42 knots—a speed befitting of this model’s name. Cockwells is also building a new Duchy 60, a stylized motoryacht that should rival Downeast offerings from U.S. builders Hinckley and Malaysian builder Grand Banks.

The Oyster 495 is a 52-foot, 8-inch sailing yacht that entered the U.S. market earlier this year. A new design from the keel up, the U.K. builder was thinking global circumnavigation, or at least serious offshore cruising, from the onset. The yacht is also meant to be able to be singlehanded by a capable sailor. The plumb bow and teak decks imbue the 495 with a definite saltiness with performance and aesthetics. The cabin is noteworthy for being both ergonomic and well-lit. Reported top speeds for the 495 crest the 10-knot mark under sail, while a 100 hp Yanmar diesel pushes it along happily at 9.5 knots.

Sunseeker Superhawk 55

Sunseeker is one of England’s brands that has a global following. For good reason. The Poole builder has a range of vessels that extend from 38 to 161 feet. Sunseeker is known for good oceangoing performance and creative design. The Superhawk 55 is a reimagining of the Superhawks that enjoyed popularity with performance enthusiasts in the 1990s and Aughts before being discontinued in 2009. Sunseeker introduced the Superhawk 38 in 2020, which had echoes of its go-fast past. This 55, however, is more of a performance cruiser than a day boat. With twin Volvo Penta IPS950s the new Superhawk has a very respectable top end of 38 knots and a feature even Miami Vice hot-boat aficionados will appreciate—slow-speed maneuverability offered by pod propulsion. An aggressively raked profile complemented by stiletto-sharp hullside windows augment the Superhawk’s sporty vibe.

Pascoe E-Limousine Electric Tender

Pascoe tenders reside in the garages of some of the world’s biggest and most glamorous superyachts, thanks to the yard’s dedication to customization. The E-Limousine is the builder’s first fully electric vessel, the result of six years of R&D. Top speed is reported to be an impressive 40 knots, with a range of 60 nautical miles at a fast cruise of 20 knots. The builder says not only is this boat greener than a traditional tender but will also offer a smoother, quieter ride thanks to the construction used to mitigate vibration.

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Made in England: why the world’s best superyachts are being crafted in the UK

By Dominique Afacan | 11 June 2018 | Cars & Yachts , Wealth

While the UK may appear an unlikely hub for superyachts, Tempus explores why the industry is booming here at home

While Britain may not be the first place that springs to mind when we picture superyachts and sailing holidays, here’s the thing – while the notoriously rainy country may not boast the best climate or cruising grounds, it builds yachts like they’re going out of fashion. And they’re quite good at it, as it turns out. The UK superyacht market employs almost 5,000 people and last year created a whopping £615m in turnover.

Anthony Sheriff, CEO of Plymouth-based  Princess Yachts , thinks England’s naval history might have something do with it. “Our 30m yachts are built on the same patch of land where Sir Francis Drake took the British naval fleet off to conquer the Spanish and the French,” he says. “The mock-ups of our boats are built in the ropery that was used by the British Navy. So even our day-to-day business of making new and innovative boats is steeped in the past. We can’t turn left or right without running into our naval history.” Princess now has a pretty powerful fleet of its own; it expects to build nearly 300 yachts this year alone – and it’s also set to release a sexy new line of high-speed all-carbon-fibre boats developed in collaboration with BAR Technologies – part of the British team in the America’s Cup.

Down the road in Poole lies Sunseeker. Once famed for its compact and speedy performance boats, its yachts have been steadily growing in length in recent years, responding to an audience for whom size matters more and more. Formula 1 star Eddie Jordan is one of the company’s high profile repeat owners who sold his beloved Sunseeker Blush last year. The 47m yacht has room for 12 guests and 10 crew as well as a spa pool, fold-down balconies and floor-to-ceiling windows. It’s perhaps the perfect show boat to demonstrate the potential of this British brand, which will be sponsoring the Fifa World Cup in Russia later this year.

Related: The winners of the World Superyacht Awards have been revealed

And it’s not just fancy motoryachts that the UK is good a making – its top manufacturers can do mammoth sailing yachts, too. Just ask Pendennis, the Cornwall-based shipbuilders currently celebrating its 30th anniversary. This spring, the company will launch a 42m sailing yacht – it’s also busy refitting a 1915 classic schooner, Mariette. Mike Carr, the company’s CEO, believes Britain’s success owes much to superior craftsmanship. “British craftsmanship and design is at the forefront of our industry, being recognised on a global level,” he says.

Interestingly, many of the world’s most celebrated craftsmen, yacht designers and naval architects are based in Britain, too. There’s Bannenberg & Rowell, responsible for the pale timber and carbon fibre interior of 65m Galactica Star and the slick exteriors of 70m Feadship, Joy. There’s Tim Heywood, a veritable celebrity in the superyachting world, responsible for the elegant lines of 115m Pelorus. And of course, there’s Andrew Winch, who designs jets and houses alongside groundbreaking superyachts such as Cloud 9. The list goes on.

While many of the key designers are based in or around London, the shipbuilders tend to gather along the South Coast. Carr believes the location of Pendennis in Falmouth could actually be a draw for the company’s high net worth clients. “This beautiful corner of England can provide anonymity and relaxation,” he says. “The high standards of luxury accommodation supported by Michelin starred or award-winning local restaurants mean that we are more than able to cater to the expectations of discerning superyacht owners.”

Read the full article inside the latest issue of Tempus Magazine, out now

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Inside the superyacht boom

Since the pandemic began, the majority of us have experienced the sensation that our worlds are getting smaller, confined as we have been to sofas, screens and staycations. The very idea of wonton globe-trotting seems almost inconceivable, at least without an accompanying mountain of anxiety and paperwork.

Not so, however, for the one per cent, who have fuelled explosive growth in one particular niche of the travel industry: superyachts. For the wealthiest among us, a floating home offers a retreat from rules, fast-spreading variants and other people (the private jet industry has also seen a similar boom). There were more than 1000 superyachts sold in 2021, a record-breaking number with a surge among first-time buyers particularly. Not for nothing, the number of billionaires reported by Forbes simultaneously hit an all-time high.

David Beckham has recently got in on the action, having just purchased his first yacht for £5 million, a relatively modest fee, which he helped to design after allegedly taking inspiration from trips on Elton John ’s boat. 

It’s not just an unprecedented rise in ownership that’s shaking up the yacht industry. Now, clients are looking for an entirely new experience, distinct from the kind of traditional charter you might have seen on Hulu’s hit reality show Below Deck , which follows crew, or “yachties”, as they do a season of charters on cookie-cutter white, wood-panelled boats. No longer is it enough to languish in the warm waters of the Med, with only an extensive private staff, jet skis and inflatables at your disposal. Today, the hottest toy among the elite is an explorer yacht, a sturdy, militaristic-looking boat designed to cope with everything from wild seas and long distances to carving through expanses of Antarctic ice.  Just look at Cassius the explorer, which launched on Christmas Day and is a wildly impressive 62-metre conversion befitting of a Bond villain. A collaboration between C-Quest Yachts, Swedish naval architect Dennis Ingemansson and the London-based interior designers Njord by Bergman Design House , Cassius is a state-of-the-art beast repurposed from an old Shelf Express supply vessel. Flourishes range from the medical spa, cinema and helipad, to Vitamin-C enriched water running through the plumbing, snowmobiles and a moon pool for a submarine.

Cassius's eco-credentials were essential for enticing billionaire buyers. “There is a sustainable revolution going on among the extremely wealthy,” says Marie Soliman, who, as the co-founder and Creative Director at Njord, oversaw every last detail of the interiors, from the ombre effect, carbon-zero, traditionally charred Oscar Ono timber flooring, to the shimmering, ultra-sustainable bamboo used for the bespoke hand-made dining table. “When we started out in interior design, everyone wanted the most expensive sofa. Now no one asks for that. They ask, ‘Where is the timber from? How did you source that marble? Which factory produced this fabric?’ Sourcing and sustainability are becoming central to opulence." Given the amount of money and materials the building of boats actually takes, recycling old boats is a practical move, too. 

Before and after of Cassius, which was repurposed from a retired shelf express vessel

Alongside this new focus on provenance is, of course, a rampant appetite for all things wellness. “Luxury isn’t marble and gold anymore,” adds Albin Berglund, Managing Director and Soliman’s co-founder at Njord, alongside Sarah Colbon. “It’s sustainability, but it’s also the air that you're breathing on your yacht or in the home. It’s having filtered air coming through the ventilation, it’s filtered water in your shower. On Cassius, the Vitamin C enriched water does wonders for your skin and hair health. The in-built sound system throughout is as suited to meditation as to partying, and the spa offers cryotherapy alongside the usual Swedish massage.” The bathrooms are even fitted with special Japanese tiles that purify the air. 

Yachts are notorious gas guzzlers, which is why tackling emissions has also become a major focus within the industry. Diesel-electric hybrid technologies are now being used on many superyachts, as well as initiatives like wind assist and, soon, even solar cloth sails. The most famous sailing yacht in the world, Black Pearl, boats an electric generator powered by the sails that makes it capable of crossing the Atlantic without burning any fuel. Elsewhere, new boats are being designed to be more structurally streamlined in order to increase fuel efficiency, and for existing boats, carbon offsetting has become a focus, as yacht management companies and owners alike look to meet ambitious sustainability strategies. 

When designing the interiors of Cassius, the team at Njord had a specific imagined owner in mind. “I spoke a lot with leading adventurer Henry Cookson to get his advice,” says Soliman. “He’s the perfect client and was able to provide insight into all the ways that Cassius would be used, from whale watching trips and bear-spotting in Alaska, to spearfishing and free-diving trips, never mind the amount of ice he has to break when venturing into in chartered waters. When we started designing we did so around his life. How would he use the pool? What kind of storage is needed, for snow scooters and other toys? What times will the excursions take place?”

Cookson, known for guiding Prince Harry’s Walking With The Wounded charity expedition to the North Pole, is one of the most revered figures in elite travel, with access to otherwise impossible to reach parts of the world. His company, Cookson Adventures, offers experiences that – almost – edge into money-can’t-buy territory, be that world-first wildlife encounters or riding with cowboys with Colombia, servicing royals, celebrities and billionaires with the utmost discretion. He has led arctic expeditions via explorer yacht and, as an ambassador for Njord, helped the team reframe everything from the lighting to the kind of crew area required (on Cassius, deckhands double up as diving instructors or ice fishing experts, for example, and will likely live on board for long periods of time). With Cookson’s guidance, the Njord team designed the interiors with the intention of bringing the natural world outside, inside, so that its residents always feel a part of the landscape. The unusually huge windows show off sunsets, snowy mountain peaks, vast expanses of ice and bring a huge amount of light. “Interior design isn’t a cushion or a sofa, it’s the light, the ventilation, how the space breathes,” she says. “When people say interior design they think ‘okay she’s bringing some throws and maybe add some handles’, but actually, it’s everything. The hues, the colours, how sunlight impacts each different room from sunrise to darkness. Some of the best yachts have had millions of pounds spent on them, yet you go in and it feels almost like a retail unit. The light wasn’t thought through… When people spend time in our designs, whether on land or a yacht, they feel happier, more attractive. The light is complimenting them differently in each room, be that the living area, the gym or the dressing room.”

While the Njord team are not at liberty to disclose which private individual has bought Cassius, they say they have seen a shift in who the average yacht owner is today. “The whole world is changing and rich people are getting younger,” says Berglund. “Where ten years ago, it was a largely middle-aged consumer base, now almost all the yacht owners we meet are younger people, from Silicon Valley or working in tech, video games, cryptocurrency, real estate and the music industry, as well as royals.”

One such client is the American businessman who owns Galaxy along with his partner, one of the other two boats Njord currently has on its books besides Cassius. Designed after the owners’ favourite festival, it is described as a “floating Burning Man”. Inspired by the festival’s community and their incredible love for life and entertainment, Galaxy is the couples’ dream home, featuring an array of digital art, not to mention a “Thinker” statue by world-famous contemporary artist Joseph Klibansky. The main deck on board is the first-ever designed private member’s club on board a superyacht, although it won't be for public use.

“Most owners would charter a vessel like this to offset costs, as millions of pounds of running costs are the norm, but when you truly fall in love with the lifestyle of living onboard, and your yacht becomes your permanent residence, then why would you want or need to? Money is not the decider,” says Colbon, who as the most well-connected woman in yachting, is working with the owner and his team on first-of-its-kind branding that will go beyond the physical design, and bring their vision to life in the most magical of ways.

For the main deck, which includes a dance floor that fits up to 100 people, the Njord team commissioned film industry legend, landscape artist Dylan Cole, to create an other-worldy theme much like the one he designed for Avatar (he also worked on Maleficent , Alice in Wonderland and the Lord of the Rings Trilogy ). There’s a projector on the ceiling and even a hidden ET for guests to find, like a ‘ Where’s Wally? ’. The trippy space theme extends throughout the vessel, with guest cabins based on different planets (Mars, Venus and so on) and a master bedroom designed to feel like the whole galaxy. Complete with its own star-gazing platform, behind the masterbed is a starlight made from dark fabric with penetrating lights. Dim the overheard light, and the star signs of the owner and his partner stand out from the night sky scene. “Like an art sketch, Galaxy will never be done, done,” says Soliman, “It’s changing and evolving as we do phase after phase and each season she looks different. Galaxy is in Europe in summer and Caribbean in winter, so a totally different setting, with the interiors following that setting.”

Njord’s third vessel, Eden, is also a different world unto itself, only here, the brief was tailored to the domestic. Even bigger and more expensive than either Cassius or Galaxy, Eden is a proper floating home that was designed for the extremely private owner, his wife and children to live on full time, with health and wellness at the forefront. Details include an infinity pool, floor to ceiling windows and a £1m piano, made bespoke from liquid bronze poured into an egg-shaped mould, not to mention a large gym and meditation space. For Soliman, the most difficult thing so far has been the bathtub, which has been in the works for six months already. “The client wants it to be made entirely from quartz because it’s so good for the skin and health, so we had to find the specific stone for it to be carved from, as she soaks herself everyday to suck bad energy out. They have also requested the Vitamin C filter to be inbuilt, so it will be millions of pounds just to get that bathtub right. The whole reinforcement to take the load of the stone itself is a project on it’s own.”

Eden’s owner was Njord’s very first client and is the reason the business exists at all. Back in early 2021, Soliman and Berglund were focussed entirely on their award-winning interior design firm, Bergman Interiors, servicing high net worth individuals’ on-land homes and the hospitality sector (Bergman is behind one of GQ ’s favourite gyms, the Anthony Joshua-backed BXR ). When the pandemic hit, the pair, who are a married couple as well as being business partners, felt the impact immediately, as projects were paused and suppliers disrupted. “I almost had a nervous breakdown, I thought all the money we invested from our savings would be lost,” says Soliman.

“Then, in the summer, a client whose homes we had done both in London and overseas asked if we could refurbish his yacht. He said, ‘You know how I live, what I eat, how I train, you even know how I like my underwear folded, you learned it all when doing my other places. I used to love my yacht, it’s the family toy we used to use every weekend, but now we’ve been on it for six months straight, the lighting doesn’t work, I don't like the storage and what’s happening in the master bedroom? I need your help’. We said we’d look into it.”  As luck would have it, a few weeks later, Soliman and Berglund found themselves on a Zoom interview panel alongside Colbon, a Manchester-based yacht industry veteran with the ultimate big black book of contacts. After successfully pitching Colbon, Njord, which takes its name from the Norse god of wind and waters, was born.

Njord exists as one of three arms under the newly configured Bergman Design House (formerly Bergman Interiors), which has been split up so that each subsidiary can focus on a niche area in design. Where Njord is all about yachts, Soliman and Berglund’s Bergman Design and Bergman Residences focus on land projects, be that hotels or private homes, from an Aston Martin-inspired mews house all the way to proper palaces with palm trees and tigers. Then there’s also the newly minted Zen Whispers, a hospitality-focussed venture in the Middle East.

The couple, who met at Hirsch Bedner Associates, started the business out of their living room, but now have offices around the world as well as their West London headquarters, with large-scale projects on the go in Chicago, New York and Vancouver. Here in the UK, they are currently working with hotel The Other House and on the Formula One Residences at Silverstone, which look set to be finished next year. For Njord too, things are only set to get busier, thanks to the superyacht boom, but also the Instagram-first reputation the team have already created for the brand. “The next year will be really interesting,” says Colbon. “We’ve never sold so many yachts and everyone is panic buying now.” Looking ahead, Soliman, Berglund and Colborn also want to incorporate Bergman’s hotel know-how with crossing over into cruise ships. “Floating tourist destinations or hotels are set to be the next big thing, as well as floating apartments. Sunrise in Gibraltar is a good example, and in the Middle East they are building floating homes,” Colbon continues. “We’re here to service the new generation of owners. This isn’t about the retirees from Florida who just want to sit in a Caribbean pond. This is about young money, silicon valley, and quick wealth like Bitcoin. Since Covid, everyone wants to be on water, everyone wants to have that freedom. We’re a part of that.”

bergmandesignhouse.com/njord  

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United Kingdom

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256 New and Used Superyachts

SUR Marine ST 290 Classic Limited edition

Hamble-le-Rice (United Kingdom)

OFFERED BY:

New to the Market this 2022 SUR Marine ST290 limited edition with only 20hrs since new. Custmer selling due to his Larger boat being sold. CAN BE VEIW...

London (United Kingdom)

Ventura UK Limited

[English] The Riva Aquariva is the spiritual heir to that most famous of the classic wooden Rivas, the Aquarama and captures the essence of the grand tradition of Riva style, tr...

ACM Elite 31

Guernsey (United Kingdom)

Clarke & Carter Yacht Brokers

Accommodation The accommodation offers six berths across two cabins with a convertible dinette. V berth in forward cabin with cushion infill with storage lockers on both sides and hanging loc...

Princess 35M Avalon

Plymouth, (United Kingdom)

SARL Princess Yachts Monaco

Acury MYT 13

ACURY YACHT powered by ACTINAVIS

ACURY MYT 13 LOA: 42' 8" (13.00m) Beam: 10' 6" (3.20m) Max Draft: 2' 0" (0.60m) Hull Material: Carbon Composite Hull Config: Planing Speed Cruising 25 knots Max 55 knots Location: Unite...

Posillipo Technema 80

$1,660,245 *

The 2008 Posillipo Technema 80 is an impressive 27.30 meter long vessel that is available for sale in Greece. She is powered by twin MTU 2,000 HP engines while she cruises at 22...

Southampton (United Kingdom)

Sunseeker Brokerage

Extremely rare to the market, there is very little in this segment, which offers such a perfect blend of spacious living accommodation and great seakeeping. This beautiful Pear...

Sunseeker San Remo 485

Lymington (United Kingdom)

Supplied by us to the previous and current owners, “SMART MOVE" has always been based on the UK South Coast. The San Remo was awarded “Best Sportscruiser of the year” in 2014 a...

Princess 430

Ipswich (United Kingdom)

Burton Waters Marina Limited

Princess 430 Flybridge 1998is fitted with twin Volvo Penta TAMD63P 370HP diesel engines on shaft drive. The vessel offers 6 berths in two cabins and two heads. The Princess 430 Flybridge has a ...

Sunseeker Rapallo 36

Farndon Marina (United Kingdom)

Farndon Marina

AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF THIS STUNNING CLASSIC SUNSEEKER Silver Sovereign has been lovingly and sympathetically updated. The 36 Rapallo is a fantastic boat. Ideal for the family thanks t...

Sunseeker SUPERHAWK 55

$2,122,514 *

Poole (United Kingdom)

Peerless performance, exceptional agility and electrifying interiors, the striking new Superhawk 55 is the latest luxury performance model delivering the ultimate open-top boat...

Sunseeker Predator 60 EVO

$1,905,663 *

Swanwick (United Kingdom)

"JAZZBOX" is a truly unique opportunity, fresh to the brokerage market and ready to enjoy adventures with her next owner. She is an immaculate example of the award-winning Suns...

Princess X80

Princess Motor Yacht Sales

NEW 2024 PRINCESS X80 MOTOR YACHT - AVAILABLE NOW OPEN TO PART EXCHANGE • PRINCESS TECHNICAL ORIENTATION INCLUDED Twin MAN Vx 1900 mhp each) diesel engines • 5 stateroom lay...

Princess 266

Troon Yacht Haven (United Kingdom)

Network Yacht Brokers

Remarks : The Princess 266 sports cruiser has exceptional seakeeping, a comfortable and capable boat. Very spacious below decks with four berths and separate heads compartment. Warm air heating ...

Princess X95

Characterised by beautifully sculpted surfaces and long flowing lines, the X95 defines a striking design language for this new Class. Both her flybridge and main deck cover almost the full lengt...

Princess S78

Distinctively cool whilst propelling you to an exhilarating 39 knots, the all-new S78 is the flagship of the Princess S Class. Her sportbridge inspires relaxation with a range of exclusive furni...

Princess V53 HT

Dartmouth (berth possibly available) (United Kingdom)

Solent Motor Yachts Ltd

A fantastic opportunity to purchase a superb 2009 Princess V53 hard top fitted with the preferred larger Volvo Penta Dhp engines with only 575hrs and white hull that has been l...

Sunseeker Predator 65

$3,403,908 *

The new Predator 65 benefits from the latest Volvo Penta IPS-1350 offering enhanced performance, comfort, efficiency and manoeuvrability. Complete with joystick control and 35...

$1,958,233 *

Dartmouth (United Kingdom)

“STINGRAY” was delivered in July 2021 to her experienced Sunseeker owners. With the only light use since delivery she has been used for cruising the West Country of the UK. T...

Azimut Flybridge 50 TTop

$1,511,322 *

Hamble River Boat Yard (United Kingdom)

This has to be the highest specified Azimut Flybridge 50 TTop in Europe that is available for this season.... Perfectly suited for the UK or Mediterranean climates with full...

Princess 414

This is an attractive Princess 414 that is a truly spacious aft cabin flybridge cruiser with economical engines that has been maintained to a high standard and regularly servic...

Princess 330

Gillingham Marina, Kent (United Kingdom)

Remarks : 1989 Princess 330 for sale in Kent. This 1989 Princess 330 has been well maintained. She has twin Volvo Penta TAM 41A diesel engines (last serviced Feb 2023) with a bow thruster making...

Princess 49

Princess Brokerage International

OPEN TO PART EXCHANGE • PRINCESS TECHNICAL ORIENTATION INCLUDED PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIRTUAL TOUR AVAILABLE Twin Volvo IPShp) with joystick control • 3 cabins accommo...

Princess 415

Rochester (United Kingdom)

Remarks : 1988 PrincessFor Sale in Kent. This Princess 415 motor cruiser was built in 1988 and is a clean example of this very popular cruiser. The boat has been well maintained and looked aft...

One Marine UK

. Additional Extras Aft Shower Battery Charger Bow Sun Pad Cushions Bow Thruster Compass Electric Anchor Windless Electric Toilets Fenders Baskets Flybridge Table Furuno GPS Plotter ...

Azimut Atlantis 45

Bates Wharf Marine Sales Ltd

Athletic splendour with a chic design appeal, the Atlantis 45 is optimized for peak performance, top comfort and effortless elegance. Well-organized living spaces create a libe...

Sunseeker Portofino XPS 25

Hamworthy (United Kingdom)

Waterside Boat Sales Ltd

Sunseeker Portofino XPS 25 This is a one of a kind for a classic Sunseeker which has been re-powered with an inboard Steyr 236 turbo diesel. She was previously used as the Steyr display vesse...

Sunseeker Predator 55 EVO

$1,511,388 *

A fantastic opportunity to get afloat this season on this versatile and well-appointed example of the rare Predator 55 Evo. La Vida Loca has been a privately owned, professio...

* Price displayed is based on today's currency conversion rate of the listed sales price.

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Take a look at 22 Superyachts that have visited the UK in 2022

The number of Superyachts that visited the UK in 2022 is a record breaking figure. Despite the United Kingdom and Ireland being non-traditional cruising destinations, over the past year they’ve proven to be quite the yachting hotspots. MGMT’s Chief Operating Officer, Mark Upton, says “throughout Winter 2021 and the past year, MGMT yacht agency have received a significant increase in inquiries from yachts whose owners want to explore the West coast of Scotland and the Outer Hebrides, to those wanting to cruise down the sunny Southwest coast, and London.”

As a result of the success of 2022, the UK has established itself as a global Superyacht hub, and 2023 will see the UK continue to rise in popularity.

Take a look at 22 Superyachts that have visited the UK in 2022:

1. m/y stardust.

Motor Yacht Stardust was spotted docked at Canary Wharf, London, in August 2022. The 62.5m motor yacht was built by  Amels in the Netherlands at their Vlissingen shipyard and designed by Tim Heywood. Her top speed is 16 knots. 

2. Boardwalk

The 76.5m Motor Yacht Boardwalk blessed her presence on the London Thames in July 2022. She 76.5m. She was built by Feadship in the Netherlands, with an interior styled by design house Amy Halffman. The luxury Superyacht includes an array of onboard entertainment features, such as a beauty salon and a top-of-the-range gym. 

3. Slipstream

CMN built the 60m long Superyacht Slipstream back in 2009. Andrew Winch designed her exterior and interior. On board M/Y Slipstream is six luxurious staterooms to accommodate up to 14 crew members and 12 guests.

4. M/Y Global

In 2007, Lurssen Yachts built the 67m M/Y Global. The luxury vessel features a design by Espen Øino and accommodate 12 guests and 18 crew members.

46.5m Motor Yacht Rahal was built in 2003 by Feadship at their Netherlands shipyard. The Superyachts exterior and interior design were by Terence Disdale Design, while her architecture was by De Voogt Naval Architects. She can accommodate up to 12 guests and 12 crew members.

6. M/Y Moon Sand

Motor yacht Moon Sand made her mark on the London Thames earlier this year. Fairly new to the yachting scene, Lurssen Yachts built the 55.5m vessel in their Germany facility in 2021. The interior of Moon Sand was designed by the English design house Bannenberg & Rowell. She accommodates up to 12 guests in 6 luxurious suites and holds up to 16 crew members.

READ MORE: Q&A With Bannenberg & Rowell Designs, Dickie Bannenberg

7. S/Y Hevea

Hevea is a Sailing Yacht with a length of 31.42m. She was built in 2012 by Southern Wind and features an exterior and interior design by Nauta Yachts S.r.l, while her architectural design is by Farr Yacht Design. The luxury Sailing Yacht can carry up to 8 guests and accommodate up to 5 crew members.

8. M/Y Sherpa

The magnificent Sherpa is a 73.6m Motor Yacht built by Feadship in the Netherlands and delivered in 2018. M/Y Sherpa can accommodate up to 13 guests in 7 staterooms, with 22 crew members.

9. M/Y Bravo Eugenia

With four nominations and two wins in 2019, Motor Yacht Bravo Eugenia has proven to be a major star in the Superyacht world. The luxury yacht was the winner of the ‘La Belle Classe Explorer Awards’ and ‘The World Yacht Trophies 2019’. She was also a finalist in the Asai Boating award 2019 and the International Superyacht Society Awards 2019.

In winter 2021/2022, she was spotted moored on the London Thames. At a length of 109m and with a gross tonnage of 3,418t, Bravo Eugenia caught the eyes of many in the city. She has a  hybrid engine which means she consumes 30% less fuel than other motor yachts similar to her size. The 109m Motor Yacht can accommodate 30 crew and 14 guests, in 7 suites.

READ MORE: 5 Bravo Eugenia Facts: Who Is Her Owner? What Does She Cost?

10. M/Y Pioneer

46.48m M/Y Pioneer was built in the USA by Palmer Johnson and delivered in 1996. The Superyacht was designed by Vripack, who also designed her naval architecture. Meanwhile, her interior was designed by Axel Vervoordt. She can accommodate up to 10 guests in 5 staterooms, with 9 crew members.

11. M/Y Echo

The 26m M/Y Echo is the Support vessel for M/Y Nebula. The Superyacht was built in Italy by Tecnomar and delivered in 2003. Luca Dini designed her stylish interior. She can accommodate up to 8 guests, with 2 crew members.

12. M/Y Phoenix

The 40.8m Motor Yacht Phoenix has been captured cruising around different locations in the UK throughout 2022. The yacht was built by Benetti Yachts and delivered in 2021. M/Y Phoenix can accommodate up to 10 guests, in 5 suites and carry up to 9 crew members.

13. M/Y Gallant Lady

The luxury 51.2m Motor Yacht Gallant Lady was built in 2007 by Dutch Shipyard Feadship. De Voogt Naval Architects designed the exterior of the yacht, while John Munford designed her interior. She can accommodate up to 10 guests in 5 cabins, and carry 12 crew members.

14. M/Y Lady May

46.22m M/Y Lady May was built by Feadship and delivered in 2014. The exterior and naval architecture for Lady May was designed by Dubois Naval Architects Ltd, while her interior was penned by RWD. She can accommodate 8 crew members and 10 guests.

15. M/Y Avanti

The 74m Superyacht Avanti was spotted in the port city of Portsmouth, on the UK’s South Coast during the Summer of 2022. M/Y Avanti’s builder is Amels, Netherlands, who delivered Superyacht Avanti in 2022. She’s designed to accommodate up to 12 guests in 6 suites, two of which are VIP cabins and can carry up to 19 crew members

16. M/Y Nebula

Amongst the 22 Superyachts that have visited the UK in 2022 is the 68.3n M/Y Nebula. She was built by Astilleros Armon from Spain, who delivered her in 2022. Her exterior and interior were designed by Kirsten Schwalgien Design, while her naval architecture was designed by Incat Crowther. Nebula can accommodate 8 guests and 10 crew members.

READ MORE: Visiting Scotland by Superyacht in 2022? – Discover James Watt Dock

17. M/Y Elysian

66m Superyacht Elysian Visited Scotland in 2022 and docked in James Watt Dock Marina. M/Y Elysian was built by Lurssen in their german shipyard, who worked with the British design house, Reymond Langton to design her interior. She can accommodate up to 12 guests in 6 suites and carries up to 17 crew onboard.

18. M/Y Gitana

The 48m Motor Yacht Gitana was built by Feadship in the Netherlands and delivered in 1997. Her interior was styled by design house John Munford and her exterior were designed by Guido de Groot Design. The luxury Superyacht can accommodate up to 10 guests in 5 suites and carries up to 9 crew.

19. M/Y Bella Vita

Bella Vita is a 60m motor yacht built by the German shipyard, Lurssen. Her interior styling was completed by Glade Johnson Design. M/Y Bella Vita can accommodate up to 12 guests in 6 cabins and 15 crew.

In spring 2022, Motor Yacht A2 arrived at West India Dock in London, UK.  The classic Motor Yacht was built by Feadship in 1983 and underwent a refit at Pendennis Shipyard , Cornwall, in 2012.  47m Superyacht A2 accommodates 12 guests in 6 suites, one being a VIP cabin, and carries up to 9 crew members. 

21. M/Y Marala

58m 1997  M/Y Marala visited the UK in 2021, and completed a refit at Pendennis Shipyard, before being delivered to her owner in 2022.  The 58m Motor Yacht was built by Camper and Nicholsons in Southampton, UK. She can carry up to 18 crew members, and 13 guests.

READ MORE:   Sea Trials and Refits: The Latest News From Pendennis Shipyard

22. S/Y EOS

92.93m Sailing Yacht Eos was built by Lurssen Yachts in Germany at their Bremen shipyard in 2006. The S/Y’s interior is styled by the design house Francois Catroux. She can carry a whopping number of 21 crew and 16 guests.

MGMT provides yacht agency services to Superyachts visiting the UK and Ireland. For inquiries regarding bringing your Superyacht to the UK in 2023, please contact info@mgmtyacht.com. 

Verity Hodges

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£1bn boat boom: How the superyacht market exploded in 2021

Any whispers of an economic downturn post pandemic appears yet hit to the ocean waves as statistics show 2021 is set to go down in history as the biggest year ever for superyacht sales.

More than 208 vessels were sold on the brokerage market so far in 2021, compared to just 131 by this same period last year totalling an astonishing £1,012,841,035, according to data from BOAT International , the global authority in superyachting.

BOAT International Business Editor Nic Robinson said: ‘This boom started in around July last year and the market has been red hot since then. Boats are selling in unprecedented numbers, as people seek to escape lockdowns and travel restrictions by buying a yacht. We’re also seeing lots of first-time buyers coming into the market, and boats being sold sight unseen, which is almost unheard of.’

With luxury resorts off limits and international air travel proving unreliable, it is easy to see why some high net worth individuals would plump for their own floating resorts with 7* levels of extravagance for a period of self-isolation.

The three most expensive yachts to be sold on the market totalled £112 million. Solo, the most costly of the lot with a price tag of just over £54 million was sold in April and featured its own beach club and wellness hub comprising a glass-walled gym, sauna and hammam spa. There was even a Melik aquarium designed to keep the water still while the boat moved.

For the wealthy few with deep enough pockets who are still contemplating their own exclusive hideaway, the most expensive superyacht currently on the market is 126-metre explorer yacht Octopus, which was owned by the late Paul Allen. With its two helipads, a 10-person submarine and an underwater observation lounge, 26 guests can sleep on the boat with a crew of 63. It is a drop in the ocean at £202,185,000.

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Nearly half of the world's superyachts belong to Americans and Britons

While they’re usually associated with Russian oligarchs and Middle Eastern royalty, nearly half of the world’s superyachts are owned by wealthy Americans and Britons.

According to a new study by London-based yacht management firm Camper & Nicholsons and London-based Wealth-X, which analyses the spending habits of the super-rich, a third of super yacht owners are from the USA , followed by British owners with an 11% share.

In third place, Italy is home to 5% of all owners, followed by Australia (4%) and Russia (3%).

The report found that the average value of a superyacht over 30 metres (98ft) has dropped to $10million from around $16million in 2011. The average length is 41 metres (134ft).

The largest superyacht in the world, the Azzam, owned by United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, is 180.6 metres (592.5ft).

While the Mediterranean and Caribbean are traditional superyacht destinations, owners are increasingly looking to visit exotic places such as the Galapagos Islands, Asia or Antarctica, meaning the demand for ice-breaking hulls and long-range capabilities is on the up.

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Yachts owned by celebrities

Please tell me the VIP you are, and I’ll let you know the yacht you own!

Sportsmen, musicians, and songwriters, not to mention wealthy entrepreneurs and prominent personalities. What unites them with each other? Fame, glory, and yes, wealth, you may think. Well, also, but not only! One of the hallmarks of a VIP worthy of this name is how he spends his holidays: aboard a superyacht, of course!

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Why do all VIPs want to own a yacht?

This type of boat is aimed only at a specific clientele, the super-rich, but what drives them to buy these luxurious giants of the sea, in addition to their enormous economic potential? Firstly, a much more earthly aspect counts as confidentiality. What better place than your yacht to seek privacy away from photographers and paparazzi?

Anchored off the coast of beautiful bays or luxurious marinas, the boat becomes the most discreet place to spend intimate moments in tranquility or organize exclusive private parties with tens or hundreds of guests.

Related:  VIPs and yachts: a love story!

Which categories do the VIP owners of superyachts belong to?

The category that seems to dominate regarding the number of owners is certainly that of sportsmen. Footballers, players, and fighters are among the most classic vessel owners, as are tennis players and NBA stars.

Movie stars and singers are no less, while a few well-known successful entrepreneurs love to sail with their giants of the sea.

What type of superyacht is bought by celebrities?

Spacious, ultra-luxury but also extravagant or even vintage and retro.

These characteristics seem to unite the most sought-after superyachts on the market, which are owned by VIPs worldwide.

As it is easy to guess, those who don’t need to spare expenses to make their houseboat as precious and technological as possible can reach extremes such as the famous and superb History Supreme and Eclipse, valued at billions of dollars and owned by Arab sheiks, tycoons, and Russians.

However, there is no shortage of distinctions. Some gladly opt for vintage sailing ships or even unlikely very particular boats.

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Our top selection of yachts owned by celebrities

So, are you curious about the best and most extravagant superyachts owned by stars and celebrities? Here is the list of the most deserving:

Viva la Vida

Yacht owned by multiple football champion Tom Brady

The new Viva a Vida has been designed to combine the luxurious design of a superyacht with the technical innovations that make builder Wajer stand out in the industry. An automatic roof and electrically adjustable deck layout are innovative features and a hybrid system to protect the hull from contact with other boats or docks.

Made for extended family trips to the Bahamas, Brady’s Wajer 77 is all about spaciousness and enjoying the outdoors as much as possible, unlike other famous superyachts, which are more about extravagant interiors and lavish details.

Inside, the cabins are built with a height of over 7 feet (2.15 to 2.35 meters). Outside, the circular seating, the front sundeck, and the cozy large sofas at the back create the perfect atmosphere for a holiday trip.

There is also a back dining room where the Brady family and their friends can enjoy dinner while enjoying the beautiful view. The room has enough space to accommodate nine people.

Designed to be very quiet, thanks to special seals and thick doors, all cabins, including the 5-meter expansive owner’s suite, the Junior suite with double bed, and the guest cabin with two beds, are equipped with private bathrooms. There is no lack of premium amenities, including the kitchen and bar.

Tecnomar for Lamborghini 63

Yacht owned by MMA fighter Conor Mcgregor

To celebrate the history of Lamborghini , the Italian brand and The Italian Sea Group presented the yacht Tecnomar for Lamborghini 63: the boat, built with the contribution of the car manufacturer, is a high-tech product that can be customized in many ways on the aesthetic plan. Powered by two 2000 HP MAN V12 engines, the Tecnomar For Lamborghini 63 can reach 60 knots. The boat makes extensive use of carbon fiber materials, is about 19 meters (63 feet) long, weighs 24 tons, and is distinguished by several exclusive elements, from the design to the hexagonal motifs, passing through the LED daytime running lights shaped of a Y and the special liveries of the Lamborghini Ad Personam program. Inside, the Carbon Skin finishes are proposed for the bridge, and the start buttons of the two engines are identical to those of the Lamborghini brand cars.

Yacht owned by former soccer player David Beckham

Strengthened by the legacy of the centuries-old Italian nautical tradition, the Ferretti Group is a world leader in designing, constructing, and selling luxury yachts.

28.31 meters long, Seven has five cabins, thus accommodating up to ten people simultaneously, plus four crew members. She is powered by two engines capable of unleashing an output of 2,400 horsepower each and can travel at a cruising speed of 22 knots. The maximum speed, on the other hand, is 30 knots. The Zuccon International Project designed this star yacht. Some changes to the boat, born in 2016, were made on the recommendation of Beckham himself, who wanted to personalize and make his jewel of the sea even more exclusive.

Great White

Yacht owned by tennis player Rafael Nadal

The 80 Sunreef Power Great White can accommodate up to 8 guests thanks to its comfortable 4-cabin layout. Her starboard hull houses the owner’s suite, one of the yacht’s guest cabins, and the crew quarters.

The master stateroom, equipped with ample living space, features a walk-in closet, sofa, drop-down ceiling TV over the double bed, and a private hideaway balcony. The port hull can accommodate two more spacious guest cabins and the catamaran’s galley.

The Great White’s propulsion derives from twin 1,200 hp engines that allow a maximum speed of 23 knots and a cruising speed of 16.

Related:   The most expensive yachts in the world in 2022

Necker Belle

Superyacht once owned by entrepreneur Richard Branson

Richard Branson, the prolific British billionaire and mastermind behind the Virgin brand, owned the 32-meter catamaran Necker Belle until 2018, which later sold for an asking price of $ 3,000,000.

Launched in 2003 by CMN, the catamaran is 32 meters long and has 4 cabins for up to 10 guests. Stretching over a beam of 14 meters, the yacht was completely refitted in 2009. Caterpillar engines power her, and she can reach a top speed of 20 knots.

Lately part of Branson’s Virgin Limited Edition collection , Necker Belle was available for charter starting at $ 60,000 per week, among other assets such as his private island of Necker in the British Virgin Islands.

Not-to-be-missed:  Flying Fox – The mega-yacht owned by Jeff Bezos

The yacht once owned by Eric Clapton

British musician Eric Clapton recently auctioned his luxury yacht, “Va Bene”, offering it at a Hollywood memorabilia sale in Los Angeles.

The auction took place on November 28, 2020, and the yacht was offered an auction base of 7 to 10 million dollars. She is a 47.5-meter-long luxury boat purchased by Clapton in 2005 and completely refurbished three years later.

The 1992-built yacht, which can accommodate 14 guests in six cabins, was already on sale in 2018 on a shipping broker’s website, priced at around $12 million, but remained unsold.

Yacht owned by songwriter Billy Joel

The extraordinary 57-foot yacht Vendetta, designed by naval architect Doug Zurn, was built in 2005 for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame musician Billy Joel.

Vendetta is designed in classic 1920s yacht style and boasts ample cockpit space and a luxurious interior. She presents a classic design with modern mechanics, electronics, services, and great power.

She can accommodate a maximum of 12 passengers and boasts a considerably lower weight than other yachts in her class. She can also reach speeds approaching 50 knots on a composite hull constructed of Kevlar.

Vendetta recently completed a refit that lasted two and a half years and was completed in 2019.

Related:  Beyoncé and Jay-Z aboard one of the most expensive charter yachts in the world

Yacht owned by fashion designer Giorgio Armani

One of the most luxurious and elegant yachts in the world, built in the Codecasa shipyards, a brand much appreciated by Italian VIPs, is 65 meters long and painted in military green.

Armani has personally taken care of the interiors in his essential and exquisite style, and it is also used as a photographic set for fashion shoots.

Launched in 2008, this vast yacht, which has replaced Mariù, Giorgio Armani ‘s previous yacht, surpasses its predecessor in both size and luxury. She is 65 meters long, compared to Mariù’s 51.

Main is an architectural and engineering masterpiece created by the Viareggio shipyard. The stylist’s essential contribution is that, despite the luxury of his floating villa, he has transformed the interiors into pure essentiality.

She has 7 guest cabins, including one owner’s suite, and 8 cabins for the crew. Two 2448 HP caterpillar engines power her and reach a top speed of 18 knots.

Giga yacht owned by Mark Zuckerberg 

Stretching 118 meters in length and boasting a price tag of $300 million, rumors are swirling that the luxurious yacht dubbed “Launchpad” belongs to none other than Mark Zuckerberg. Sporting a crew of 48, this opulent vessel even features a basketball court positioned at its bow. Recently sighted at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, it’s rumored that this yacht was initially commissioned by Dutch shipyards Feadship for Russian oligarch Potanin, the second wealthiest individual in Russia.

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The top 25 largest yachts in the world

Every year, shipyards from around the world push the boundaries of superyacht design to deliver bigger and better yachts. The Samuda-built El Mahrousa may have carried the title unchallenged for a remarkable 119 years, but in the 21st century, she has descended down the pecking order to make room for even larger and longer yachts. German shipyard Lürssen currently holds a near monopoly in the construction of supersized superyachts, having delivered 13 of the world’s top 25. But the list is ever-changing with the 158 metre Blue breaking into the top five in 2022. These yachts, all measuring over 100 metres, are impressive not only for their hull length but for what they carry above and below deck. From submarines and helicopters to swimming pools , cinemas and science labs, the onboard features of these superyachts show them to be truly ground-breaking pieces of engineering. Read on to discover our official list of the largest, privately owned yachts in the world.

1. Azzam | 180.6m

In October 2013, Lürssen delivered the largest privately owned superyacht in the world in the form Azzam . Originally, she was designed to be 145 metres, but in the process of optimisation grew to 180 metres. Other stunning facts about Azzam’s impressive design include her staggering 13,000 GT and accommodation for 36 guests and as many as 80 crew members. The behemoth was reportedly built for Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan of Abu Dhabi’s royal family, for use as a dayboat to reach his favourite diving grounds. The main saloon alone encompasses nearly 522m² and has a relaxed French Empire style and mother of pearl finishes, designed by Christophe Leoni . On board features include a gym, pool and a special ‘golf training room’.

Exteriors have been penned by Nauta Yacht Design , and the technical engineering was directed by Mubarak Saad al Ahbabi for the owner. The yacht has an impressive speed for her size owing to her innovative water-jet propulsion system (two fixed jets, two directional), which catapults her along at a staggering 31.5-plus knots. At 17.5 metres longer than Roman Abramovich’s Eclipse , this boat takes the prestigious title of the world’s largest yacht. The all-white superyacht has held her title unchallenged for nearly seven years, but this reign will come to an end with the expected delivery of 183 metre REV .

• Builder: Lurssen
• Country of build: Germany
• Delivery year: 2013
• Length Overall: 180.61 m
• Gross Tonnage 13136 t

More about this yacht

More stories, 2. eclipse | 162.5m.

After five years of intensive design, development and construction, Eclipse left the Blohm + Voss yard in December 2010. She carried the title of world’s largest superyacht for just three years before being usurped by Azzam . Managed by Blue Ocean Yacht Management, Eclipse features a diesel-electric propulsion system with generators powering rotating Azipod drives, dramatic exterior styling and a stunning interior design by London-based Terence Disdale Design , which has been responsible for all aspects of aesthetic design and layout, including the superstructure design, deck layouts, interior design and construction supervision. Eclipse was voted Motor Yacht of the Year at the World Superyacht Awards in 2011 and Motor Yacht of the Decade at the 10th World Superyacht Awards in 2015.

Her accommodation includes an owner’s deck of 56 metres in length and facilities for up to 92 crew. Her interior boasts hundreds of custom finishes exclusively developed especially for this project, while her deck areas include a 16 metre swimming pool which can be transformed into a dance floor. The yacht can also accommodate three helicopters, one on each of the two helipads and the third in a storage hangar below the fore deck.

• Builder: Blohm & Voss
• Delivery year: 2010
• Length Overall: 162.5 m
• Gross Tonnage 13564 t

3. Dubai | 162m

Dubai was originally commissioned by Prince Jefri of Brunei with exterior styling and interior design by Andrew Winch . The Blohm & Voss project was suspended in 1998 with just the bare hull and partially complete superstructure. It was eventually sold to the Dubai government, and responsibility passed to Kostis Antonopoulos of Platinum Yachts , which prepared a new in-house interior design completed in 2006.

The aptly named Dubai is the royal yacht of Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum of Dubai. The accommodation, styled by Nakheel Interiors , is designed for 24 guests and comprises an owner’s suite, five VIP suites and six guest suites, all with open balconies. Special features include a 21.3m-wide atrium, a swimming pool, barbecue area, cinema, disco, a landing platform for a Blackhawk helicopter, a gymnasium, and a garage for the yacht’s submarine and a vast array of water toys. Full certification was obtained from Lloyds Register of Shipping in October 2006 and she has since made several voyages. She can reach a maximum speed of 25 knots.

• Builder: Platinum
• Country of build: United Arab Emirates
• Delivery year: 2006
• Length Overall: 162 m
• Gross Tonnage 12488 t

4. Blue | 158m

Taking her place at number four in the list of the world’s longest yachts, Lürssen’s Blue is so voluminous that she beats all the longer boats in terms of gross tonnage. Built for a Middle Eastern owner, she is exceeded for internal space only by those behemoths Dilbar (15,917GT) and Al Said (15,850GT). Terence Disdale has penned classic exterior lines with a sharply raked bow and gentle curves to the deep overhangs of the decks. The main helipad is positioned on the bow, with a smaller one aft. Other exterior features include a pool under cover on the main deck aft, a bathing platform at the stern and twin balconies flanking the owner’s cabin forward. Blue ’s interior is designed to be timeless and rich in “feminine elegance”, a deliberate contrast to the exterior. 

Blue is equipped with a diesel-electric hybrid propulsion system that was developed in-house. An electric Azimuth pod drive can manoeuvre the boat alone or in conjunction with the twin propeller shafts. To reduce noise, vibration and NOx levels, Blue has a state-of-the-art exhaust treatment system. The boat is also equipped with new membrane technology that means her treated waste water achieves drinking water quality.

• Delivery year: 2022
• Length Overall: 160.6 m
• Beam: 22.5 m
• Gross Tonnage 14785 t

5. Dilbar | 156m

With a total interior volume of over 15,000 GT, Dilbar is the largest yacht in the world by gross tonnage, if not by length. She was built in steel and aluminium by Lürssen to a design by Espen Øino . In 2016, she was delivered in the Mediterranean for her owner, the Uzbekistani billionaire Alisher Usmanov. She replaced Usmanov’s previous yacht of the same name, which has since been renamed Ona . She is usually spotted cruising around the South of France, northern Spain and sometimes Cyprus.

Record-breaking features on board this SOLAS-class superyacht include her 180 cubic metre swimming pool and her 30,000KW electric diesel power plant. Her interiors, styled by Winch Design, can accommodate up to 24 guests served by nearly 100 crew members. She also has two helipads, 3,800 square metres of living space amd an expansive garden complete with a specially developed variety of grass that tolerates salt air, according to its creator Axel Massmann. Dilbar has a single colour for her exterior, a buttery cream shade, that makes her instantly recognisable at sea and can reach a top speed of 21 knots.

• Delivery year: 2016
• Length Overall: 156 m
• Beam: 23.5 m
• Gross Tonnage 15917 t

6. Al Said | 155m

This Lloyd’s-classed vessel, known as Project Sunflower during construction, was delivered by Lürssen’s Vegesack yard to her owner, Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said of Oman, in March 2008. Measuring an impressive 155 metres, Al Said is the principle vessel of the Oman Royal Yacht Squadron. Designed by Espen Øino with the looks of a classic cruise liner, she sails under the Omani flag and her home port is Muttrah Harbour in Muscat. 

This Germanischer Lloyd-classed, 15,850GT yacht can reach a top speed of 25 knots and is reported to have a crew capacity of 150. Her panelled interiors, designed in a traditional style by Jonathan Quinn Barnett , offers huge entertaining spaces and accommodation for 65 guests. Her pièce de résistance is the on-board concert hall that can accommodate a 50-strong orchestra, but across her six decks she also has a helipad and a cinema.

• Delivery year: 2008
• Length Overall: 155 m
• Gross Tonnage 15850 t

7. El Mahrousa | 150.6m

El Mahrousa was first delivered by the Samuda Brothers shipyard in 1865. She held on to the title of longest yacht in the world for over a century before finally being usurped by the delivery of Prince Abdulaziz in the 1980s. She was originally built for the Ottoman governor of Egypt, Khedive Ismail, receive visiting dignitaries. and was present at the opening ceremony of the Suez Canal in 1869, when she was used to receive visiting dignitaries. She was lengthened by 12.1 metres in 1872, when her paddle wheels were removed, and by a further 5.2 metres in 1905. Her last major rebuild was in 1950.

Significant moments in her lifetime include her participation in 1976 as the Egyptian representative at the Bicentennial Fleet Review in New York harbour. She slipped into disrepair after this while being used as a museum ship. In 1992, a major effort was put into making her seaworthy enough to travel to Italy for the Christopher Columbus Fleet Review. She now serves as the Egyptian Presidential Yacht but is seldom seen in public. She is usually berthed in Alexandria, where she is cared for by the Egyptian Navy, which lists her as a training ship. Powered by three Parsons steam turbines, she can achieve a top speed of 16 knots.

• Builder: Samuda
• Country of build: United Kingdom
• Delivery year: 1865
• Length Overall: 150.57 m
• Beam: 12.98 m
• Gross Tonnage 4560 t

8. A+ | 147.3m

Formerly known as Topaz , the Tim Heywood -designed A+ was launched by Lürssen in 2012 and uniquely features Heywood’s signature illuminated on her superstructure. Although she flies a Cayman flag, her owner is a member of the UAE elite – reportedly Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan, who also owns the UK’s Manchester City football club.

Having previously been chartered twice by Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio, the 147.25 metre superyacht features a helicopter landing pad located at the bow and her interiors have been designed by Terence Disdale – but not much else is known about this superyacht, as many of her details are still shrouded in secrecy.

• Delivery year: 2012
• Length Overall: 147.25 m
• Beam: 21.5 m
• Gross Tonnage 12532 t

9. Prince Abdulaziz | 147m

The 5,200-tonne Prince Abdulaziz was delivered by Danish shipyard Helsingor Vaerft in 1984 to her first owner, King Fahd of Saudi Arabia. Since then, she has continued to serve the Saudi royal family and is berthed beside the king’s palace in Jeddah. She has been refitted three times; in 1987, 1996 and in 2005.

Prince Abdulaziz was built at a reported cost of $184m to a design by Maierform . Her interior, designed by the late David Hicks , blends ancient and modern. One notable feature is the large lobby, said to be designed to mimic that of the Titanic . She includes a hospital, a mosque and a cinema, and there are also rumours of surface-to-air missiles and an underwater surveillance system on board. The mega yacht can accommodate as many as 64 guests and is manned by a crew of 65.

• Builder: Helsingor Vaerft
• Country of build: Denmark
• Delivery year: 1984
• Length Overall: 147 m
• Beam: 18.3 m
• Gross Tonnage 8233 t

10. Opera | 146.4m

Reportedly built for a senior Emirati royal, Opera 's size and gross tonnage catapult her directly into the ranks of the world's 10 biggest private yachts. The 146.4-metre yacht certainly has some of the hallmarks of a Middle Eastern boat, with deep overhangs between decks and lots of enclosed deck space hinting at use in an aggressive climate. Pictures taken during a maiden voyage from Bremen to Portsmouth last summer showed lots of floor-to-ceiling glass across six guest decks, as well as two helicopter landing spots and a beach club whose twin staircases must climb two decks to reach a 10-metre, stone-lined pool aft of the main deck. The pool rises to form a dance floor.

Lürssen has kept the project shrouded in secrecy, but designer Terence Disdale confirmed that interior facilities include a cinema and an extensive spa and wellness centre, plus other features that are being kept under wraps. He also mentioned an upper lounge with a 110-inch television and bay windows.

• Delivery year: 2023
• Length Overall: 146.35 m
• Gross Tonnage 12518 t

11. OK | 146m

This unusual vessel spent decades plying the seas as a float-on yacht carrier for DYT Yacht Transport with the unglamorous moniker Super Servant 3 – and it is this carrying ability that caught the owner’s eye.

40 years after its original launch by Japan’s Oshima Shipbuilding , the yacht emerged from a root-and-branch refit at Karmarine in Turkey. The exterior has been smartened up, with a new matt-black paint job, gold-tinted glazing, teak decking at the bow, stern and sides and an expanse of artificial grass on the submersible aft deck – an idea of the owner’s, to enliven the guest cabins’ view. There are reports that this space doubles as a tennis court and, at 32 metres by 100 metres, there would certainly be the room for it.

With a strengthened hull, the boat’s original role as a yacht carrier has been enhanced. Pumping ballast into tanks under the aft deck allows the platform to lower so that the owner’s 46-metre ketch can be floated aboard and secured. There’s also a 40-tonne crane for positioning other toys – reportedly up to 70 of them, from launches and cars to a seaplane.

Under the direction of Bozca Design , Karmarine has stripped out and rebuilt the accommodation area at the front of the yacht. There are cabins for up to 20 guests, a glazed sundeck spa pool, a "botanical" garden and an outdoor cinema. The lift between decks runs through a glass tower outside the superstructure. 

• Builder: Oshima Shipbuilding
• Country of build: Japan
• Delivery year: 1982
• Length Overall: 146 m
• Beam: 32.01 m
• Gross Tonnage 11296 t

12. Sailing Yacht A | 142.8m

This Philippe Starck -designed vessel is the second superyacht commissioned by Russian businessman Andrey Melnichenko, after his first Motor Yacht A . She was built in Germany by the Nobiskrug yard and delivered in February 2017.

A sail-assisted yacht like no other, Sailing Yacht A comprises eight decks, and her rotating curved carbon fibre masts tower to 100 metres. She is made to set 3,747 square metres of sail and is manned by crew of 54. She sports an underwater viewing pod (moulded into the keel) and balconies enclosed by the largest pieces of curved glass ever. There are 24 shell doors in her hull, and she has a diesel-electric power plant controlled by computer. Records claimed by the Starck superyacht include the world's tallest carbon masts, with the tallest standing at 100 metres above sea level.

• Builder: Nobiskrug
• Delivery year: 2017
• Length Overall: 142.81 m
• Beam: 24.88 m
• Gross Tonnage 12700 t

16. Scheherazade | 140m

Another titan by Lürssen , Scheherazade carries the same name as the enigmatic story-teller of the Middle Eastern epic One Thousand and One nights . She hit the water in July 2019 and offers phenomenal volumes at 10,167 GT. Her Espen Øino exterior features a four-deck aluminium superstructure with elegant tapering roofs and an eclectic range of coloured LED exterior lighting. She also has two large helipads – one at the bow and one on the upper deck – plus a prominent beach club aft. 

There is very little information regarding her interior by François Zuretti , but if the work of the French design house on 106-metre Amadea is anything to go by, it is imperious and sophisticated. With the owner known to be a Middle Eastern billionaire, this yacht is designed with warmer climates in mind. Temperatures in excess of 45 degrees Celsius are quite normal in the region during the summer months, so Scheherazade has relatively little exterior space for a yacht of this size. There is limited covered deck space at the aft end of the main and upper decks, but it is well enclosed by glass sides for cooling. Even the sundeck is completely shaded by a hardtop, which all helps to give her an astonishing internal volume.

• Delivery year: 2020
• Length Overall: 141.96 m
• Beam: 23.3 m
• Gross Tonnage 10167 t

13. Nord | 142m

Nord started life as Project Redwood, then Opus. Everyone involved in her design and build has remained tight-lipped about the details, but build manager Rob Moran shared some exclusive insight with BOAT International .

First up, she has an Ice Class hull for real exploration. Her aluminium superstructure runs to four decks, contained within the dramatic sweep of a black-painted arch – a key part of the vision of designers Nuvolari Lenard . Not one but two helipads are in evidence, while a vast beach club and tender garage gives  "space to store a plethora of toys including 16 tenders, a submarine and an ROV", according to Moran. The largest tender reportedly measures 15 metres, and there is a watersports and dive centre on the lower deck. Nord has a generous touch-and-go helipad at its heavily flared aircraft carrier bow, but there is also a much bigger space aft up on the bridge deck that offers landing, parking and bunkering for the owner’s helicopter, as well as an entire hangar for protection during longer passages. 

Also visible to onlookers was the exceptional 25-metre-long swimming pool on the main deck aft, plus a spa pool on the upper deck. Her interior is reported to include a gym, spa, sauna and a whole deck devoted to the owner.

• Delivery year: 2021
• Length Overall: 141.6 m
• Beam: 19.5 m
• Gross Tonnage 10154 t

14. Yas | 141m

Delivered in 1978 by De Schelde as a navy frigate, Yas was rebuilt in 2013 by Abu Dhabi MAR. Previously known under the project name Swift 141, she was completely modified with new machinery and electronic systems and outfitted with a luxurious interior. It has been suggested that her owner is a member of the Emirati royal family.

She has been designed inside and out by Pierrejean Design Studio of Paris . The unique superstructure of Yas is built in advanced composites and glass and was supposedly inspired by the profile shape of a dolphin. She is reportedly able to accommodate 60 guests and 56 crew, and on-board features include a heli-pad and al fresco dining spaces aft, and a Jacuzzi on her top deck. Her beach club Jacuzzi is complemented by a waterfall feature and a spiral staircase connects her the multiple decks. Powered by twin MTU diesels, Yas has a top speed of 26 knots.

• Builder: De Schelde
• Country of build: Netherlands
• Length Overall: 141 m
• Beam: 14.6 m
• Gross Tonnage 5002 t

15. Ocean Victory | 140m

Ocean Victory was completed at Fincantieri’s Muggiano yard in Italy after launching in April 2014. This seven-deck yacht is based on a design by Espen Øino and her interior is by Alberto Pinto and Laura Sessa . She has internal seawater dockage for a 14-metre tender and six pools of up to 8 metres in length. There’s a certified helideck and a hangar to store the aircraft, while inside Ocean Victory boasts an underwater observation room and more than 300 square metres of spa facilities. She is SOLAS-classed and is the largest yacht ever built in Italy. 

In 2016, the superyacht world was shocked and saddened to hear of the death of one of Ocean Victory’ s crew members, who suffered critical leg injuries while setting the anchor off the coast of Mu Ko Similan National Park in Thailand. Little else is known about this top-secret yacht, which is kept much under wraps and away from prying eyes.

• Builder: Fincantieri
• Country of build: Italy
• Delivery year: 2014
• Length Overall: 140 m
• Gross Tonnage 8506 t

17. Solaris | 140M

The 140-metre expedition yacht Solaris was launched in the city of Bremerhaven in February 2021 as the flagship model of German shipyard Lloyd Werft . She is the debut project of Australian designer Marc Newson , who has given her a dramatic grey and white superstructure which features a unique fashion plate which wraps around the mast and connects both sides of the hull. Spanning eight decks in total, Solaris has been constructed in aluminium and steel and offers a 26-metre beam. Little information has been shared about her interiors, but her exterior is equipped with a large helipad, a sun deck and a spacious beach club aft.

Turning to the technical elements, Solaris is reportedly outfitted with a power and energy management system from ABB and features two Azipods powered by nine megawatts – the most powerful propulsion system of its kind to ever be installed on a yacht. She runs on a total of eight MTU diesel engines, providing 19,040hp. Little else is known about the superyacht, on which construction first began in 2018.

• Builder: Lloyd Werft
• Length Overall: 139.7 m
• Gross Tonnage 11247 t

18. Al Salamah | 139.3m

Built by the consortium of Howaldtswerke Deutsche Werft (HDW) in Kiel and the Lürssen shipyard in Germany, Al Salamah is often referred to as "Mipos", the code name used during the construction of this most secret of yachts. Mipos was short for "Mission Possible" – a statement proved correct by her delivery in 1999.

She has a length of 139.3 metres, a massive beam of 23.5 metres, and is reported to have a top speed of 21.5 knots. Both the interior design and the exterior styling are by the London-based Terence Disdale Design . Al Salamah was owned by the late Sultan bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia, who also owned 147 metre Prince Abdulaziz . She was refitted by Lürssen in 2007 and is rumoured to carry a hospital room with an underwater treadmill for physical therapy on board.

• Delivery year: 1999
• Length Overall: 139.29 m
• Gross Tonnage 12234 t

19. Luminance | 138.8m

Espen Øino is repsonsible for this giant yacht's crisp exterior lines. Despite a traditional raked bow, she looks bang up to date with a gleaming hull and superstructure that counterpoise dark blue and silver to create a masculine look. Øino has played with the profile of the overhangs to give the illusion of reverse sheer amidships. The effect is especially striking when viewing the yacht from beam-on. Her twin helicopter pads – one on the foredeck and another high up aft – will make her capable of ambitious explorer programmes. She also boasts a large beach club and an infinity pool, with a private spa pool area on the foredeck of what may be an owner's deck.

Luminance was expected in 2023, but delivery has fallen back a fraction. It is a mammoth project, whose true length has only just been confirmed at 138.8 metres. Her Ukranian owner, mining and financial services mogul Rinat Akhmetov, told The New York Times last year that he was mulling the boat's sale following Russia's invasion of his homeland, but it's not known whether he followed through.

• Delivery year: 2024
• Length Overall: 138.8 m
• Gross Tonnage 8999 t

20. Rising Sun | 138m

Rising Sun was built for Larry Ellison, co-founder and CEO of Oracle. She's the last yacht that ever came from designer Jon Bannenberg’s drawing board, with interiors styled by   Laura Seccombe . Rising Sun ’s naval architecture experimented with an extensive use of structural glass for a clean and stripped-down profile.

In 2006, Ellison sold half ownership to media mogul David Geffen, who bought the remaining half in 2010. Rising Sun is reported to have cost more than $290,000,000 and was extended by 18 metres in-build to ensure she was larger than the 126.2-metre Octopus , belonging to Microsoft’s co-founder, Paul Allen. Her 8,000 square metres of living space can accommodate 45 crew members, and includes a wine cellar and basketball court, plus accommodation for 16. One of her tenders, a catamaran, carries the yacht’s 4x4 vehicle ashore.

• Delivery year: 2004
• Length Overall: 138 m
• Gross Tonnage 7841 t

21. Flying Fox | 136m

Formerly Project Shu, PYC-compliant Flying Fox was built by Lürssen for a serial charter yacht owner and completed her sea trials off the coast of Germany in May 2019. The 136-metre, six-deck yacht towers 32 metres above the waterline – as tall as three London buses balanced end on end. Her elegant, well-balanced profile by Espen Øino conceals an extraordinarily voluminous interior by Mark Berryman , including a double-height atrium that forms the main deck lobby. There are 11 cabins for 36 guests, all with private sea-view terraces, and expansive outdoor living spaces, such as a 12-metre swimming pool transversing the main deck aft, swim platforms and two helipads. The 400-square-metre spa is the stand-out feature. It has heated limestone floors, a Hammam, massage and beauty treatment rooms and the first cryosauna ever installed on a yacht, with a main chamber that reaches a chilly -110C. There’s also an on-board hospital.

One of the most expensive superyachts in the world available for charter , Flying Fox is crewed by an experienced team of 54. She boasts a toybox stuffed with jet skis and other Seabobs, hoverboards, room for a submarine and and nine different tenders. Plus, she even has her own dive centre and kite surf store on board.

• Delivery year: 2019
• Length Overall: 136 m
• Beam: 20.5 m
• Gross Tonnage 9100 t

Yachts for charter

22. savarona | 135.9m.

Built by Blohm + Voss for American bridge cable heiress Emily Roebling Cadwalader in 1931, Savarona was sold in 1938 to the Turkish government and became the presidential yacht of Kemal Atatürk. In 1989, Kahraman Sadikoglu obtained a 50-year lease and, with investors, spent $35,000,000 on the refit of this classic superyacht, including a library suite dedicated to the memory of Atatürk and furnished with his personal artefacts. In 2010, after an alleged scandal, the Turkish government cancelled the lease and resumed ownership. In 2014, she was refurbished and now serves as the state yacht of Turkey. 

Savarona was, for a time, offered on the market for superyacht charters around Istanbul, although she is no longer available to the public. Key features onboard this superyacht include a marble-finished Turkish hammam bath that spans the entire 16-metre beam, a swimming pool, a gold-trimmed grand staircase and a private cinema. She is named after a type of black swan found in the Indian Ocean region.

• Delivery year: 1931
• Length Overall: 135.94 m
• Beam: 16.12 m
• Gross Tonnage 4701 t

23. Crescent | 135.5m

Crescent , formerly Project Thunder, has what the yard called a "traditionally-styled" interior by Zuretti , exterior design by Espen Øino and naval architecture by Lürssen . Øino went to great lengths to maximise what he calls the "vision lines" from the interior and the decks – especially from the centreline, which on such a beamy boat is a long way from the sides – by having full height windows and keeping the bulwarks as low as possible.

She has a steel hull and aluminium superstructure and was built to DNV GL standards. Her striking black hull is matched with a silver superstructure that has distinctive wing stations amidships. Just forward of the wing stations are three-deck windows, providing spectacular views for her 18-strong guest list.

• Delivery year: 2018
• Length Overall: 135.5 m
• Gross Tonnage 9194 t

24. Serene | 133.9m

Built for a Russian owner, Serene was the first superyacht delivered by Italian yard Fincantieri . She can accommodate up to 24 guests and 52 crew, and boasts 4,500 square metres of interior space designed by Reymond Langton .

Serene has seven decks, two helipads and a hangar, carries a custom submarine certified to 100m depth and has underwater viewing ports in her Nemo room. A "snow room" can make up to four inches of snow, while the impressive spiral staircase rises through six decks and is lit by a large skylight. Serene won Best Motor Yacht of 3,000GT and Above at the 2012 World Superyacht Awards. Powered by a diesel engine, Serene can reach a top speed of 20 knots and has a maximum cruising range of 6000 nautical miles.

• Delivery year: 2011
• Length Overall: 133.9 m
• Beam: 18.6 m
• Gross Tonnage 8231 t

25. Al Mirqab | 133m

Al Mirqab was built by Peterswerft - Kusch for Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani – the former prime minister of Qatar. Her exterior design is by Tim Heywood and her interiors were styled by Winch Design . She is propelled by five generators that power two electric motors driving conventional shafts and a centrally positioned azimuthing electric pod drive. A grand staircase floats through four floors and surrounds suspended glass artwork by Dale Chihuly. 

Al Mirqab won Motor Yacht of the Year at the World Superyacht Awards 2009 and Best Interior Design among motor yachts. She can accommodate 60 guests and is manned by an equal number of crew.

• Builder: Peterswerft - Kusch
• Length Overall: 133.2 m
• Gross Tonnage 5000 t

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Five bodies found inside superyacht that sank off Sicily

PORTICELLO, Sicily — Divers recovered four bodies Wednesday from inside a superyacht that sank in a sudden storm off Sicily , Salvatore Cocina, director of the island's Civil Protection Agency, confirmed to NBC News.

Cocina later confirmed to Sky News that a fifth body had been found and was being brought to shore. One passenger remains missing.

The identities of the bodies were not immediately released. Their recovery follows a dayslong search in the deep waters off Italy where British tech tycoon Mike Lynch  and several others were believed to be trapped in the hull. Fifteen of the 22 people aboard survived.

The rest had been missing since early Monday, when the Bayesian was caught in the storm anchored off the coast of Porticello, a village near the Sicilian capital city, Palermo.

The body of the ship’s cook, identified as Recaldo Thomas, a Canadian Antiguan national, was recovered Monday. 

On Wednesday, NBC News witnessed what appeared to be at least three body bags being lifted from fire department boats after they pulled into port at Porticello. It was unclear whose bodies they were. Some were later transferred to ambulances and driven away from the dock.

Lynch’s 18-year-old daughter, Hannah; Morgan Stanley International Chairman Jonathan Bloomer and his wife, Judy; and Clifford Chance lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife, Neda, are also missing. 

The Bayesian is owned by a firm linked to Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, who was among the survivors rescued by a nearby vessel after they got into a lifeboat.

Built by the Italian shipbuilder Perini Navi in 2008, the U.K.-registered yacht could carry 12 guests and a crew of up to 10, according to online specialist boating sites. Its nearly 250-foot mast is the tallest aluminum sailing mast in the world, according to CharterWorld Luxury Yacht Charters.  

Regularly described in U.K. media as “Britain’s Bill Gates,” Lynch was  acquitted of fraud by a San Francisco jury this year, stemming from the sale of his software company Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard for $11 billion in 2011.

The Mediterranean sailing vacation was designed to be a celebration for Lynch, who brought Bloomer, who testified in his defense, and Morvillo, one of his U.S. lawyers, on the trip.

Lynch's co-defendant Stephen Chamberlain was not aboard the Bayesian, but in what appears to be a tragic coincidence, a  car struck and killed  him Saturday as he was jogging in a village about 68 miles north of London, local police said.

Claudio Lavanga and Claudia Rizzo reported from Porticello. Henry Austin reported from London.

Claudio Lavanga is Rome-based foreign correspondent for NBC News.

Claudia Rizzo is an Italy based journalist.

Henry Austin is a senior editor for NBC News Digital based in London.

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Lynch Yacht Sinking Off Sicily Proves as Baffling as It Is Tragic

As bodies were recovered, the authorities and experts wondered how a $40 million, stable and secure vessel could have sunk so quickly.

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By Emma Bubola and Michael J. de la Merced

Emma Bubola reported from Porticello, Italy, and Michael J. de la Merced from London.

Two months after being cleared in a bruising legal battle over fraud charges, the British tech mogul Mike Lynch celebrated his freedom with a cruise. He invited his family, friends and part of his legal team on board his luxury sailing yacht, a majestic 180-foot vessel named Bayesian after the mathematical theorem around which he had built his empire.

On Sunday night, after a tour of the Gulf of Naples, including Capri, and volcanic islands in the Eolian archipelago, the boat anchored half a mile off the Sicilian coast in Porticello, Italy. It chose a stretch of water favored by the Phoenicians thousands of years ago for its protection from the mistral wind and, in more recent times, by the yachts of tech billionaires. The boat was lit “like a Christmas tree,” local residents said, standing out against the full moon.

But about 4 a.m., calamity unfolded. A violent and fast storm hit the area with some of the strongest winds locals said they had ever felt. Fabio Cefalù, a fisherman, said he saw a flare pierce the darkness shortly after 4.

Minutes later, the yacht was underwater. Only dozens of cushions from the boat’s deck and a gigantic radar from its mast floated on the surface of the sea, fishermen said.

In all, 22 people were on board, 15 of whom were rescued. Six bodies — five passengers and the ship’s cook — had been recovered by Thursday afternoon, including that of Mr. Lynch, an Italian government official said, adding that the search was continuing for his daughter.

It was a tragic and mystifying turn of events for Mr. Lynch, 59, who had spent years seeking to clear his name and was finally inaugurating a new chapter in his life. Experts wondered how a $40 million yacht, so robust and stable could have been sunk by a storm near a port within minutes.

“It drives me insane,” said Giovanni Costantino, the chief executive of the Italian Sea Group, which in 2022 bought the company, Perini, that made the Bayesian. “Following all the proper procedures, that boat is unsinkable.”

The aura of misfortune only deepened when it emerged that Stephen Chamberlain, 52, a former vice president of finance for Mr. Lynch’s former company and a co-defendant in the fraud case, was killed two days earlier, when he was hit by a car while jogging near his house in England.

Since June, the two men had been in a jubilant mood. A jury in San Francisco had acquitted both on fraud charges that could have sent them to prison for two decades. There were hugs and tears, and they and their legal teams went for a celebratory dinner party at a restaurant in the city, said Gary S. Lincenberg, a lawyer for Mr. Chamberlain.

The sea excursion was meant as a thank-you by Mr. Lynch to those who had helped him in his legal travails. Among the guests was Christopher J. Morvillo, 59, a scion of a prominent New York family of lawyers who had represented Mr. Lynch for 12 years. He and his wife, Neda, 57, were among the missing.

So, too, was Jonathan Bloomer, 70, a veteran British insurance executive who chaired Morgan Stanley International and the insurer Hiscox.

The body of the ship’s cook, Recaldo Thomas, was recovered. All the other crew members survived. Among them was Leo Eppel, 19, of South Africa, who was on his first yacht voyage working as a deck steward, said a friend, who asked not to be identified.

Since the sinking, the recovery effort and investigation have turned the tiny port town of Porticello, a quiet enclave where older men sit bare-chested on balconies, into what feels like the set of a movie.

Helicopters have flown overhead. Ambulances have sped by with the sirens blaring. The Coast Guard has patrolled the waters off shore, within sight of a cordoned-off dock that had been turned into an emergency headquarters.

On Wednesday afternoon, a church bell tolled after the first body bag was loaded into an ambulance, a crowd watching in silence.

The survivors were sheltering in a sprawling resort near Porticello, with a view of the shipwreck spot, and had so far declined to comment.

Attilio Di Diodato, director of the Italian Air Force’s Center for Aerospace Meteorology and Climatology, said that the yacht had most likely been hit by a fierce “down burst” — when air generated within a thunderstorm descends rapidly — or by a waterspout , similar to a tornado over water.

He added that his agency had put out rough-sea warnings the previous evening, alerting sailors about storms and strong winds. Locals said the winds “felt like an earthquake.”

Mr. Costantino, the boat executive, said the yacht had been specifically designed for having a tall mast — the second-tallest aluminum mast in the world. He said the Bayesian was an extremely safe and secure boat that could list even to 75 degrees without capsizing.

But he said that if some of the hatches on the side and in the stern, or some of the deck doors, had been open, the boat could have taken on water and sunk. Standard procedure in such storms, he said, is to switch on the engine, lift the anchor and turn the boat into the wind, lowering the keel for extra stability, closing doors and gathering the guests in the main hall inside the deck.

12 guests occupied the yacht’s six cabins. There were also 10 crew members.

Open hatches, doors and cabin windows could have let in water during a storm, according to the manufacturer.

Open hatches, doors and

cabin windows could

have let in water

during a storm,

according to the

manufacturer.

Source: Superyacht Times, YachtCharterFleet, MarineTraffic

By Veronica Penney

The New York Times attempted to reach the captain, James Cutfield, who had survived, for comment through social media, his brother and the management company of the yacht (which did not hire the crew), but did not make contact.

So far none of the surviving crew members have made a public statement about what happened that night.

Fabio Genco, the director of Palermo’s emergency services, who treated some of the survivors, said that the victims had recounted feeling as if the boat was being lifted, then suddenly dropped, with objects from the cabins falling on them.

The Italian Coast Guard said it had deployed a remotely operated vehicle that can prowl underwater for up to seven hours at a depth of more than 980 feet and record videos and images that they hoped would help them reconstruct the dynamics of the sinking. Such devices were used during the search and rescue operations of the Titan vessel that is believed to have imploded last summer near the wreckage of the Titanic.

After rescuers broke inside the yacht, they struggled to navigate the ropes and many pieces of furniture cluttering the vessel, said Luca Cari, a spokesman for Italy’s national firefighter corps.

Finally, as of Thursday morning, they had managed to retrieve all but one of the missing bodies, and hopes of finding the missing person alive were thin. “Can a human being be underwater for two days?” Mr. Cari asked.

What was certain was that Mr. Lynch’s death was yet another cruel twist of fate for a man who had spent years seeking to clear his name.

He earned a fortune in technology and was nicknamed Britain’s Bill Gates. But for more than a decade, he had been treated as anything but a respected tech leader.

He was accused by Hewlett-Packard, the American technological pioneer that had bought his software company, Autonomy, for $11 billion, of misleading it about his company’s worth. (Hewlett-Packard wrote down the value of the transaction by about $8.8 billion, and critics called it one of the worst deals of all time .) He had been increasingly shunned by the British establishment that he sought to break into after growing up working-class outside London.

He was extradited to San Francisco to face criminal charges, and confined to house arrest and 24-hour surveillance on his dime. In a townhouse in the Pacific Heights neighborhood — with security people he jokingly told associates were his “roommates” — he spent his mornings talking with researchers whom he funded personally on new applications for artificial intelligence. Afterward, he devoted hours to discussing legal strategy with his team.

Despite his persistent claims of innocence, even those close to Mr. Lynch had believed his odds of victory were slim. Autonomy’s chief financial officer, Sushovan Hussain, was convicted in 2018 of similar fraud charges and spent five years in prison.

During Mr. Lynch’s house arrest, his brother and mother died. His wife, Angela Bacares, frequently flew over from England, and she became a constant presence in the San Francisco courtroom during the trial.

After he was finally acquitted, Mr. Lynch had his eye on the future. “I am looking forward to returning to the U.K. and getting back to what I love most: my family and innovating in my field,” he said.

Elisabetta Povoledo contributed reporting from Pallanza, Italy.

Emma Bubola is a Times reporter based in Rome. More about Emma Bubola

Michael J. de la Merced has covered global business and finance news for The Times since 2006. More about Michael J. de la Merced