At the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Event/229" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Genoa International Boat Show - 2024 - 64th">64th Genoa International Boat Show</a>, the ‘Yachting in Figures’ report produced by the Italian Marine Industry Association's Market Intelligence and Research Department highlighted the continued economic success of the Italian yachting industry, with a turnover of €8.33 billion in 2023. This marks an increase of 13.6 percent compared to the previous year.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/329235/image/large-b4589f26c4c7a93daac2ab5245ae8cd9.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/329235">The ‘Yachting in Figures’ report was created in partnership with the Edison Foundation and presented at the Boating Economic Forecast conference. It further underlines Italy's leading role in the global yacht building market, further solidifying its position as the leading exporter with a 19.3 percent share of global exports. Notably, the shipbuilding sector saw a 14.8 percent increase in turnover, approaching the upper limit of projected estimates.Exports significantly contributed to this growth, with shipbuilding production exports surpassing €4 billion in 2023 and showing continued upward trends into early 2024. Such a performance showcases Italy's prominent role in the superyacht segment, as well as its expanding presence in the markets for large inflatable boats and marine components.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/329244/image/large-5e36ec7d84648064b9983ac6b25e028b.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/329244">In 2023, the yachting industry impacted Italy's economic landscape through contributions to export growth, employment, and GDP. The sector employed 30,690 individuals, reflecting a seven percent increase from the previous year, and contributed more than €7 billion to the national GDP, up by 14.2 percent, compared to 2023.The industry is currently experiencing a normalisation in growth, amid challenges like elevated inventories of recreational boats and complex global economic conditions. However, the sector maintains a positive outlook. The significant impact of the Genoa International Boat Show is key in guiding the sector as it addresses the challenges of digitalisation and sustainability transitions.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/329243/image/large-d8323e98f47c36d635d1261900f5a5fc.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/329243">Enrica Del Grosso, Regional Director of the North-west Business Network at SACE, in her closing remarks, underscored the support provided by the Italian insurance-financial group in enhancing the competitiveness of companies within the sector amidst the ongoing transitions towards digitalisation and sustainability.

Italian yachting industry achieves 13% growth in 2023

Genoa International Boat Show 64th Edition  2024

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At the 64th Genoa International Boat Show, the Italian yachting industry highlighted its continued economic success.

Genoa International Boat Show: Italian yachting industry achieves record growth in 2023

<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4509" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="SuperYacht Times (Company)">SuperYacht Times</a> is pleased to announce the launch of <a href="https://www.superyachttimes.com/market-reports/the-state-of-yachting-2026" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="">The State of Yachting 2026</a>. Created in partnership with <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/7074" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Safe Harbor Marinas (Company)">Safe Harbor</a>, the annual report returns with its most comprehensive edition to date, offering an in-depth analysis of the global superyacht market and the trends shaping the industry’s future.Now in its 11th edition, The State of Yachting has established itself as one of the industry’s leading market intelligence reports, delivering detailed insights into new-build activity, brokerage sales, charter performance, refit developments and wider market movements.<a href="https://www.superyachttimes.com/yacht-news/state-of-yachting-2026" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="">Download</a><a href="https://www.superyachttimes.com/market-reports/the-state-of-yachting-2026" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="">&nbsp;The State of Yachting 2026: In partnership with Safe Harbor</a><img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/395089/image/large-78a9f670554bd483c155163124aae620.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/395089">Powered by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4509" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="SuperYacht Times (Company)">SuperYacht Times</a>’ proprietary intelligence platform SuperYacht iQ, the report combines extensive market data with expert analysis to provide a clear overview of the current state of the superyacht sector.Merijn de Waard, CEO of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4509" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="SuperYacht Times (Company)">SuperYacht Times</a>, commented: “We are delighted to partner with <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/7074" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Safe Harbor Marinas (Company)">Safe Harbor</a> for this year’s edition of The State of Yachting. As the industry continues to evolve globally, collaborating with a partner that shares our long-term vision for the future of yachting makes this year’s report particularly meaningful.”<iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/otOo0EY_AAs?&amp;wmode=opaque" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe> What to expect from The State of Yachting 2026This year’s edition explores some of the key developments influencing the market across 2025 and into 2026. Alongside detailed statistical breakdowns covering yacht sales, order books and fleet development, the report also examines shifting regional dynamics, evolving owner demographics and emerging trends across design, sustainability and charter operations.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/395091/image/large-c6d8eff9abb8dedaa11d2516fa0865de.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/395091">Commenting on this year’s edition, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4509" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="SuperYacht Times (Company)">SuperYacht Times</a> Head of Intelligence Ralph Dazert shared: “The superyacht industry continues to evolve at pace, driven by changing client expectations, technological innovation and the expansion of emerging markets. The State of Yachting 2026 provides a comprehensive overview of where the market stands today and where we see opportunities and challenges developing in the years ahead.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/395088/image/large-3c8341a20ba93b2b548cbee1a06711ed.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/395088">Report access<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4509" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="SuperYacht Times (Company)">SYT</a> Premium subscribers will be able to access and download the full report directly via the SuperYacht Times website. In partnership with <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/7074" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Safe Harbor Marinas (Company)">Safe Harbor</a>, this year’s report reflects a shared commitment to delivering meaningful industry insight and supporting informed decision-making across the global superyacht sector.<a href="https://www.superyachttimes.com/yacht-news/state-of-yachting-2026" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="">Download</a><a href="https://www.superyachttimes.com/market-reports/the-state-of-yachting-2026" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="">&nbsp;The State of Yachting 2026: In partnership with Safe Harbor</a>Want to know more about Premium Content? Subscribers can unlock access to The State of Yachting 2026, exclusive market reports, How To Build It, quarterly newspapers and additional premium intelligence content through a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.superyachttimes.com/users/sign_up?premium_content=true" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="">SuperYacht Times Premium subscription</a>.

The State of Yachting 2026 in partnership with Safe Harbor

The state of Yachting 2026, in partnership with Safe Harbour, is here!

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The State of Yachting 2026: In partnership with Safe Harbor

A new study commissioned by the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/2589" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Superyacht Builders Association (SYBAss) (Company)">Superyacht Builders Association (SYBAss)</a> and <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/6042" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="The Superyacht Life Foundation (Company)">The Superyacht Life Foundation (SYL)</a> has revealed that the global superyacht industry generated approximately €54 billion in total economic output in 2022.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/394792/image/large-c868cea6a77bcff39975852d62a13272.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/394792">Conducted by Deloitte and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Global Economic Impact of the Superyacht Industry study supports <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/2589" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Superyacht Builders Association (SYBAss) (Company)">SYBAss</a>’s new Superyacht Builders Advocacy Campaign. The initiative is designed to increase awareness of the role yacht builders play through employment, industrial innovation and long-term economic activity across coastal regions.According to the study, the industry generated €22 billion in direct expenditure, which in turn created a further €32 billion in indirect economic activity through global supply chains and tourism, operations, hospitality and maritime services.The study identified the new-build segment as the most economically catalytic segment of the industry, generating a multiplier effect of 2.8. This means that every €1 invested in building a yacht creates an additional €1.8 in economic value across the wider economy through suppliers, subcontractors, logistics, engineering, services and long-term operational activities.While downstream sectors such as charter, brokerage, marinas, tourism and hospitality generate significant recurring annual revenue, the study demonstrated that these activities fundamentally depend on the continued construction and renewal of the global fleet by builders and yacht owners.According to the study, new vessel construction alone accounts for 37 percent of the industry’s total economic impact, which equates to approximately €20 billion globally. It also found that new-build activity equates to long-term growth, as every newly delivered yacht expands the downstream operational economy for decades to come.The report also highlighted the growing importance of the refit and maintenance sector, which contributes an estimated €5.6 billion to the global economy, representing around 11 percent of the industry’s total impact. As the worldwide fleet continues to age and modernise, the study identifies refit activity as one of the sector’s strongest long-term growth opportunities.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/394795/image/large-e32a4e678897430977b68dfc646294fe.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/394795">Builders remain at the core of the industryThe study also identified the industrial significance of the upstream sector, which comprises both new-build and refit activity. This serves as the industry’s industrial core with a total direct economic impact of approximately €9.5 billion. Within this figure, new-build operations account for 76 percent of total shipyard turnover, equivalent to €7.2 billion, while refit activities contribute the remaining €2.3 billion.Despite the luxury image often associated with the finished product, the study describes yacht construction as fundamentally a blue-collar manufacturing industry. Each vessel requires years of coordinated work involving welders, engineers, electricians, naval architects, carpenters, painters, metal workers and project managers, alongside extensive supplier networks.Much of the workforce is trained through apprenticeships and specialist vocational programmes to meet the technical demands of modern superyacht construction.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/394794/image/large-56e78c18a3842227faecfb8072284cf3.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/394794">Long-term economic contribution of the global fleetAccording to the report, the global superyacht fleet now approaches 5,600 vessels, with each yacht contributing an average of €9 million annually to the economy. This figure is calculated through its operational lifetime with maintenance, crew employment, marina services, fuel supply, tourism expenditure and refit cycles all contributing towards the total.The study also noted that while numerous suppliers and contractors contribute to each project, long-term responsibility for the yacht ultimately remains with the shipyard whose name appears on the vessel throughout its lifespan. Therefore, builders carry disproportionate industrial, financial, operational and reputational responsibility relative to the broader ecosystem.“The global superyacht industry is not merely sustained by tourism, operations, and luxury services,” explained the study. “It is fundamentally made possible by the industrial capabilities, craftsmanship, investment and long-term commitment of yacht builders.”Over the next few months, the Superyacht Builders Advocacy Campaign will continue to share new insights, industry perspectives, and data-driven analysis. Through this initiative, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/2589" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Superyacht Builders Association (SYBAss) (Company)">SYBAss</a> aims to strengthen awareness of the sector’s industrial, economic, and social contribution while supporting greater recognition of the highly skilled workforce, innovation ecosystem, and long-term value creation.Founded in 2007, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/2589" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Superyacht Builders Association (SYBAss) (Company)">Superyacht Builders Association</a> represents leading superyacht builders worldwide and works to support collaboration, environmental innovation and evolving industry standards across the sector.(All images courtesy of SYBAss.)

SYBAss and SYL study reveals economic impact of superyacht industry

A new study by SYBAss and SYL revealed that the global superyacht industry generated approximately €54 billion in total economic output in 2022.

New study highlights €54 billion economic output of global superyacht industry

SuperYacht Times is pleased to announced the release of the <a href="https://issuu.com/superyachttimes/docs/asia-pacific_superyacht_summit_report_2026" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="">Asia-Pacific Superyacht Report 2026</a>, which is now available as a free download. The report was produced for the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Event/325" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Asia-Pacific Superyacht Summit - 2026 - 3rd Edition">Asia-Pacific Superyacht Summit</a>, held in Kobe, Japan, on 7 and 8 May 2026.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/391630/image/large-35a5114e3ed8a25c76d38787ba96de16.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/391630">Now in its third edition, the <a href="https://issuu.com/superyachttimes/docs/asia-pacific_superyacht_summit_report_2026" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="">report</a> provides a data-led overview of the Asia-Pacific superyacht market, drawing on analysis from the SuperYacht Times Intelligence team, with data supplied by <a href="https://sytiq.superyachttimes.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="">SuperYacht iQ</a>.Using <a href="https://sytiq.superyachttimes.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="">SuperYacht iQ</a> and proprietary yacht-tracking data, the <a href="https://issuu.com/superyachttimes/docs/asia-pacific_superyacht_summit_report_2026" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="">report</a> examines the region’s fleet, cruising patterns and key areas of activity. It looks at how many superyachts are currently active in Asia-Pacific, where they are based, whether the regional fleet is growing, and which locations are emerging as important hotspots. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/25869/image/large-be0ca6ac405b4c42e4bdcf910c97ce4e.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/25869">SYT Strategy bespoke consultancyWould you like to increase your footprint in the Asia-Pacific superyacht market but are lacking the right data? The Intelligence team at SuperYacht Times performed extensive research specifically for the <a href="https://issuu.com/superyachttimes/docs/asia-pacific_superyacht_summit_report_2026" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="">Asia-Pacific Superyacht Report 2026</a> and we could do the same for your company too through <a href="https://www.sytstrategy.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="">SYT Strategy</a>. Interested? Get in touch with our Sales team via <a href="mailto:sales@superyachttimes.com" title="">sales@superyachttimes.com</a>

Asia-Pacific Superyacht Report 2026 available for download

SuperYacht Times is pleased to announced the release of the Asia-Pacific Superyacht Report 2026, which is now available as a free download.

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Following two successful editions in Hong Kong, the third <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Event/325" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Asia-Pacific Superyacht Summit - 2026 - 3rd Edition">Asia-Pacific Superyacht Summit</a> will take place at La Suite Kobe Oceans Garden in Kobe, Japan, on 7 and 8 May 2026.Ahead of the event, SuperYacht Times Research Analyst Adil Zaman and Head of Intelligence Ralph Dazert have examined regional superyacht movements and ownership patterns across the Asia-Pacific. Their findings will be presented in the Asia-Pacific Superyacht Report 2026, which is set to launch during the summit. This article offers a preview of some of the report’s key themes.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/391630/image/large-35a5114e3ed8a25c76d38787ba96de16.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/391630">Number of superyachts active in Asia-Pacific continues to growOne of the report’s clearest findings is the continued rise in superyacht activity across Asia-Pacific. Between January and December 2025, a total of 586 superyachts over 30-metres were active in the region, up from 530 in 2024 and 445 in 2023. The report also notes that these figures reflect yacht presence across a 12-month period, including vessels based in, visiting or transiting through the region.The regional fleet also remains slightly larger than the global average. According to the report, more than 20 percent of yachts active in Asia-Pacific exceed 50-metres, compared with 16 percent worldwide, pointing to a relatively strong concentration of larger vessels in the region.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/391626/image/large-4e09160384992ee2d4dbc58440984deb.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/391626">Ownership continues to expandThe report also points to a gradual increase in regional ownership. SuperYacht Times records more than 480 superyachts over 30-metres owned in Asia-Pacific countries, representing 7.7 percent of the global fleet. Australia accounts for the largest share, with 166 yachts, followed by Hong Kong with 92 and China with 59. Together, these figures suggest that while the region remains diverse in terms of activity and maturity, its ownership base is continuing to deepen.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/391627/image/large-4122936227aa6a92e960dc6a6282bbb3.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/391627">Infrastructure remains unevenWhile the report identifies clear momentum across the region, it also highlights the structural challenges that continue to shape the market. Marina development is progressing, but not uniformly. Relatively few marinas in Asia-Pacific are currently capable of accommodating yachts above 50-metres in practice, despite growing interest in attracting the segment. In many cases, the gap between ambition and operational capability remains significant.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/386825/image/large-217c26f8ba05559616786d2d3cd665fe.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/386825">Asia-Pacific Superyacht Report 2026All of this, and much more, will be featured in the Asia-Pacific Superyacht Report 2026, published during the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Event/325" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Asia-Pacific Superyacht Summit - 2026 - 3rd Edition">Asia-Pacific Superyacht Summit</a> in Kobe, Japan on 7 &amp; 8 May 2026. The report will be made available as a free digital download following the event.Stay tuned to our newsletter and website for the official release and join us as we explore how the Asia-Pacific region continues to shape the future of global yachting.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/386528/image/large-ac18974277bb47126ecdd41da712a4c7.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/386528">Asia-Pacific Superyacht Summit 2026Tickets are still available for the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Event/325" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Asia-Pacific Superyacht Summit - 2026 - 3rd Edition">Asia-Pacific Superyacht Summit 2026</a>, which will delve deeper into the report, alongside insights into the challenges and opportunities across the region.&nbsp;The <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Event/325" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Asia-Pacific Superyacht Summit - 2026 - 3rd Edition">event</a> will bring together industry leaders, yachting clients and key stakeholders, allowing for high-level networking with influential yachting professionals from the region. This will take place alongside keynote sessions and expert panel discussions, with the shared goal of positioning the Asia-Pacific region as a leading superyacht market and cruising destination. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/384775/image/large-410054e783a96845b5d4c94c95eff55c.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/384775">

Asia-Pacific Superyacht Report 2026 preview

A preview of the Asia-Pacific Superyacht Report 2026, examining regional yacht movements, ownership trends and infrastructure.

Asia-Pacific Superyacht Report 2026 to unveil latest regional insights

Norwegian shipyard <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/8744" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Green Yard Kleven (Company)">Green Yard Kleven</a> is known for its vast experience of offshore engineering, as well as for building large, 100-metre-plus expedition vessels. In recent years, the yard has been focused on building commercial vessels, but has recently reshifted its focus back onto the explorer market. The yard is preparing to return to the superyacht space by building global expedition yachts and support vessels.SuperYacht Times&nbsp;spoke with <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/8744" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Green Yard Kleven (Company)">Green Yard Kleven</a>’s Sales Manager, Sigvald Håkonsholm who recently joined the team in order to help navigate <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/8744" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Green Yard Kleven (Company)">Green Yard Kleven</a>’s presence in the superyacht sector. Bringing vast experience from ship building in different levels in the Norwegian maritime cluster, the move underlines <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/8744" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Green Yard Kleven (Company)">Green Yard Kleven</a>’s commercial and strategic commitment to the international yachting segment and their ambition to deliver technically advanced, purpose-built vessels for discerning owners seeking true exploration capability.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/388850/image/large-6be51c79dce19d8cac36bd0948be6043.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/388850">A Norwegian build<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/8744" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Green Yard Kleven (Company)">Green Yard</a> consists of two shipyards in Norway, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/8744" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Green Yard Kleven (Company)">Green Yard Kleven</a> and <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/8744" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Green Yard Kleven (Company)">Green Yard</a> Feda, and specialises in new-builds, conversions, maintenance, and recycling of vessels. Previous superyachts built by the yard include the 107.4-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/4946" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Andromeda107.4m (352'4&quot;)Kleven Maritime AS2016">Andromeda</a> and the 116-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/5796" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Multiverse116.0m (380'7&quot;)Kleven Maritime AS2018">Multiverse</a>, previously named <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/5796" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Multiverse116.0m (380'7&quot;)Kleven Maritime AS2018">Ulysses</a>. The yard has a history of building large, robust vessels capable of operating in some of the world’s most challenging environments. Besides superyachts, the yard has previously also built expedition-style luxury cruise vessels, including the 140-metre Roald Amundsen and the 140-metre Fridtjof Nansen.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/200563/image/large-de64dc9226d637e7c68c7e51424c916e.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/200563">”In response to strong market demand, we have decided to strengthen our position in the yacht market, as the need for this is clearly evident.” says Sigvald. Adding that he feels “privileged to get the possibilities to develop stunning projects together with our clients, partners and a strong team at <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/8744" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Green Yard Kleven (Company)">Green Yard Kleven</a>.”With a history of building extensive vessels, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/8744" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Green Yard Kleven (Company)">Green Yard Kleven</a> is shifting its focus &nbsp;primarily to large expedition yachts and yacht support vessels from approximately 80-metres and upwards. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/388851/image/large-797d690d1ca7a399538a8a5ca59679fc.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/388851">Market experience meets technical know-howIn recent years, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/8744" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Green Yard Kleven (Company)">Green Yard Kleven</a> has been heavily involved in the offshore energy vessel market, completing both newbuild projects and complex conversions. Experience with these complex technologies, mixed with their own in-house technical expertise, and the yard’s earlier experience building expedition yachts and cruise vessels, strengthens the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/8744" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Green Yard Kleven (Company)">Green Yard Kleven</a>’s position as a capable partner for owners seeking large, purpose-built expedition vessels.<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/8744" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Green Yard Kleven (Company)">Green Yard Kleven</a>’s way of shipbuilding, with robotic welding and other effective methods adapted from commercial ship construction, allow for efficient hull production while ensuring high capacity. Focusing on the superyacht segment, the yard at <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/8744" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Green Yard Kleven (Company)">Green Yard Kleven</a> has a few available slots for both new-build expedition yachts, yacht support vessels, and conversion projects, offering attractive delivery timelines.Many of the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/8744" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Green Yard Kleven (Company)">Kleven</a> yachts, whether from their commercial line or their explorer superyachts, tread into challenging waters. In order to ensure safety, reliability and operational capability in their worldwide cruising ground, the yard has established its own technical yacht platform. The technology is based on proven solutions from the offshore sector, in line with yacht and cruise customer demands. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/388848/image/large-fc8800ab90a98a7aa42b13e4a7e95c1a.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/388848">Green Yard’s green strideAn integral part of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/8744" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Green Yard Kleven (Company)">Green Yard Kleven</a>’s strategy is sustainability, and the team prides themselves in ensuring every project is made by safe and reputable hands. “Our ships are built to the highest standards, using sustainable materials, responsible suppliers and we lay a strong focus on social standards and HSEQ,” notes Sigvald. “We maintain a clear focus on reducing our carbon footprint and emissions, both in production and in the vessels themselves.”Another way <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/8744" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Green Yard Kleven (Company)">Green Yard Kleven</a> strives to avoid waste is through conversion: conversion projects offer a significant potential in the reuse of hulls and equipment. Owners can obtain an up-to-date vessel with a significantly lower footprint, reduced cost, and shorter delivery time resulting in improved overall sustainability for their in-build project.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/388847/image/large-53637cddb558797c9a8fb70ba8c93672.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/388847">A well-rounded yardWhen having a vessel in-build, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/8744" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Green Yard Kleven (Company)">Green Yard Kleven</a> is more than happy to work with leading international yacht designers, but also has the tools in-house to manage all interior and exterior yacht design. Furthermore, the shipyard maintains close cooperation with established yacht equipment and interior suppliers to ensure each project reflects the vision of the owner while maintaining the yard’s construction standards.“We see strong opportunities in the expedition yacht and yacht support vessel segment, where operational capability, reliability, and robust engineering are essential”, shares Hans Jørgen Fedog, CEO, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/8744" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Green Yard Kleven (Company)">Green Yard</a> Group. “The yard has a long history of building vessels designed for demanding environments. I believe this experience will be highly appreciated in the market.”Known for its robust engineering with quality craftsmanship, timely deliveries and supporting the full lifecycle of a vessel through its sustainable shipyard services, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/8744" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Green Yard Kleven (Company)">Green Yard Kleven</a> is positioning themselves as a contender Northern European expedition yacht builder.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/222757/image/large-8ea995858d63549855939d2037d2ea3e.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/222757">Green Yard Kleven concepts in collaboration with Opalinski Design House.

Green Yard Kleven strengthens its position in the expedition yacht market

Green Yard Kleven focuses to expand its presence in the expedition yacht market

Green Yard Kleven returns to the expedition yacht market

According to Reuters, exhibitions group <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5342" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Informa (Company)">Informa</a> is exploring the potential of selling a stake in its portfolio of Monaco-based events, which includes the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1429" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Monaco Yacht Show (Company)">Monaco Yacht Show</a>. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/365289/image/large-ad8f48599746d816f12e47e0c22f47eb.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/365289">The assets form part of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5342" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Informa (Company)">Informa</a>’s Luxury &amp; Lifestyle division, which also includes <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/344" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Boat International (Company)">Boat International</a> Publishing Group, the Palm Beach International Boat Show, the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, as well as Art Monte-Carlo and Art Miami.&nbsp;This portfolio generates approximately $200 million in annual revenue and according to Reuters, a stake sale could also generate around $200 million. There is currently no certainty that the transaction will take place and talks are still ongoing.The company is reportedly working with an investment bank to gauge interest in the package, with potential buyers thought to include sovereign wealth funds. <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5342" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Informa (Company)">Informa</a>, which is valued at nearly $14 billion, saw its shares fall 11% on Monday before recovering.&nbsp;SuperYacht Times has reached out to <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5342" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Informa (Company)">Informa</a> for further comment and will continue to update this story should further developments be made.&nbsp;

Informa stake sale in Monaco Yacht Show 

Informa is exploring the potential of selling a stake in its portfolio of Monaco-based events, which includes the Monaco Yacht Show.

Informa considers selling stake in luxury events including Monaco Yacht Show 

The brokerage market has spent the past twelve months navigating a familiar paradox: demand at the top end remains resilient but suitable supply, particularly above the 60 metre mark, is increasingly difficult to source. Against that backdrop, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/124" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Edmiston (Company)">Edmiston</a>’s leadership team describes a year defined less by any single headline transaction and more by a deliberate, repeatable approach: intensive market intelligence, decisive execution and a willingness to create opportunities beyond the public listings.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/381825/image/large-2a64e82a62f9c7d97fa47d0e35ba505a.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/381825">Speaking to SuperYacht Times, Jamie Edmiston and Alex Koersvelt point to a combination of strategy and structure, from technology investment to a culture designed to move quickly, as the levers behind a standout year. In 2025, the firm sold 44 yachts over 30 metres, with transactions exceeding €3bn in aggregate value. More notably, it accounted for 57 percent of all global sales in the 65 metre-plus segment, selling 7 of the 9 largest transactions during the year.While the numbers are significant, the leadership is clear that performance has been shaped as much by how the firm operates as by what it sold, particularly in a market where product availability remains the defining constraint.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/381829/image/large-2de8c96c1f44d294693f3a687047e89a.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/381829">Performance in a market shaped by scarcityAt the very top of the market, the fundamentals remain uncomplicated. As Jamie Edmiston puts it, confidence continues to be driven by supply and demand, a growing pool of ultra-high-net-worth buyers chasing a relatively small number of credible yachts, particularly above 80 metres. In that environment, the implication for brokerage houses is clear: quality assets, priced correctly, should transact, while older or less competitive yachts require realistic positioning to avoid stagnation.Koersvelt adds a further layer to the supply story: the market is developing increasingly clear dividing lines between generations of yachts. Design and lifestyle expectations have shifted markedly since the mid-2010s, beach clubs, volume, wellness and a more open, resort-led feel now carry real weight and the next decade is likely to introduce another separation as buyers focus more closely on reduced environmental impact and progressive propulsion and energy systems.The result is a stratified resale landscape. Price stability remains strongest for newer, high-quality tonnage and, in select segments, modest appreciation has been visible. That context helps explain why <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/124" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Edmiston (Company)">Edmiston</a> sold more yachts than any other brokerage in 2025 and why those yachts transacted, on average, at roughly twice the speed of the wider market.For brokerage teams, this bifurcation changes the playbook. It raises the value of accurate, current intelligence on what constitutes best in class within a given segment and increases the premium on speed, both in presenting the right yachts and in converting interest into signed agreements before momentum fades.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/381827/image/large-d068b0625be738380b432dbee49cd1f7.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/381827">‘Market making’One of the clearest themes from the discussion is the firm’s emphasis on creating transactions rather than waiting for listings to do the work.Koersvelt points to deals such as <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/9151" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Lasata65.7m (215'7&quot;)Rossinavi2023">Alchemy</a> and <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/11888" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Wingman80.1m (262'10&quot;)Damen Shipyards2022">U81</a> as examples where the yachts were not openly for sale, yet opportunities were engineered by widening the search beyond the visible marketplace. In practice, this approach relies on extensive relationship networks, a firm grasp of ownership intent and an ability to move quickly once a viable opening appears.In a year where <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/124" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Edmiston (Company)">Edmiston</a> accounted for more than half of all global sales above 65 metres, that capability proved decisive. Limited public inventory means brokerage performance increasingly hinges on how effectively a house can convert ‘unavailable’ into ‘available’ discreetly, credibly and at speed.This also speaks to the broader competitive landscape. Many transactions never make it to completion and, as Koersvelt notes, market visibility often captures announcements rather than the volume of deals that collapse. Brokerage houses that can manage complexity, keep principals aligned and revive transactions thought to be lost are better positioned to outperform in a market where ‘nearly done’ is increasingly common.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/381824/image/large-2347c55957364665aab3adf491ba49e4.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/381824"><a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/8907" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Breakthrough118.8m (389'9&quot;)Feadship2025">Breakthrough</a>While the firm is keen not to reduce the year to a single moment, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/8907" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Breakthrough118.8m (389'9&quot;)Feadship2025">Breakthrough</a> provides a useful lens on top-end market confidence and deal execution.<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/124" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Edmiston (Company)">Edmiston</a> describes the yacht as personally significant: the firm was involved from the earliest sketches through to delivery, reflecting not only the complexity of the build but also the owner’s commitment to pushing boundaries. The subsequent resale, completed shortly before the Monaco Yacht Show, became one of the defining transactions of the year and contributed to the firm selling seven of the nine largest yachts to change hands globally in 2025.What matters is not just the scale of the deal but what it represents: a buyer and seller prepared to act decisively at the peak of the season, in a market where the best yachts trade quickly, quietly and often off-market.Technology as an enablerIn a brokerage world still heavily defined by relationships, Edmiston’s comments on technology are notable for their positioning. Systems, he argues, are there to augment judgement, not replace it.The firm has made multi-year investments in infrastructure designed to deliver real-time, highly accurate intelligence for brokers and charter teams. The logic is straightforward: better tools enable faster decisions, sharper pricing advice and more targeted marketing – all of which matter when supply is thin and competition for the right client is intense.For the wider sector, this reflects a broader trend among leading houses. Relationships bring opportunities to the table, but internal capability and execution increasingly determine whether those opportunities convert, particularly at the very top of the market.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/301678/image/large-ce3f096ce5a3b39788d5f09e6cd7e99a.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/301678">Culture, agility and the private-company advantageAnother recurring theme is the perceived advantage of operating as a privately owned business. Koersvelt argues that it allows for longer-term decision-making without the pressure of quarterly optics, while Edmiston emphasises speed and accessibility – the ability for client-facing brokers to pull senior expertise into negotiations without friction.Koersvelt and Edmiston both point to collaboration as a critical factor, particularly in a sector where individual drive can sometimes undermine teamwork. The leadership view is that a supportive internal culture, combined with empowerment in decision-making, improves conversion rates, especially in complex, time-sensitive negotiations where deals can stall for reasons unrelated to the yacht itself.This combination of agility and alignment helps explain how the firm maintained momentum in a year defined by limited supply, selling more yachts than any other broker despite fewer assets being openly available.Charter as a growth engineCharter features in the discussion not simply as a parallel business line but as part of the ecosystem that feeds ownership demand. Edmiston describes charter as “addictive”, once clients experience it, many do not return to villas or hotels, while Koersvelt highlights the importance of maintaining fleet quality in a market where large-yacht availability remains constrained.The firm continues to add high-specification tonnage to its charter offering, including the 87-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/11565" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Vento87.0m (285'5&quot;)Turquoise Yachts2026">Vento</a> and a newly launched 72-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/374" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Sanlorenzo (Company)">Sanlorenzo</a> flagship, reflecting the ongoing shift towards experience-led charter platforms.More broadly, the charter-to-owner pathway remains a meaningful contributor to market confidence. As charter introduces new audiences to the yachting lifestyle, it continues to seed future ownership demand, particularly among families and next-generation principals.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/289966/image/large-7adde5ae7f30c7dfc35582e87d0f59e9.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/289966">The challenge for 2026If there is one point the leadership returns to repeatedly, it is supply. <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/124" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Edmiston (Company)">Edmiston</a> characterises the coming year’s central challenge as product availability rather than demand. In other words, the limiting factor for high-performing brokerage houses may be less about persuading buyers and more about locating the right yacht to sell, whether on-market or off-market.That dynamic is likely to shape strategies across the sector. Houses with the strongest intelligence, deepest networks and the discipline to give candid pricing advice may be best placed to maintain performance, particularly as generational differences in design, technology and environmental credentials continue to redefine what buyers consider worth owning.

Edmiston top 2025 brokerage

Speaking to SuperYacht Times, Jamie Edmiston and Alex Koersvelt share their view on Edmiston's success.

Brokerage in focus: How one brokerage translated a tight supply market into a standout year

The <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1429" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Monaco Yacht Show (Company)">Monaco Yacht Show</a> continues to be the premier event in the superyacht industry’s annual calendar. Once again, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4509" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="SuperYacht Times (Company)">SuperYacht Times</a> and its subscription service, <a href="https://sytiq.superyachttimes.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="">SuperYacht iQ</a>, are official Media and Intelligence Partner for <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1429" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Monaco Yacht Show (Company)">Monaco Yacht Show</a>. &nbsp;<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/372227/image/large-71ca5a047994bd2b41210f7b26e5fecf.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/372227">Since 2019, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4509" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="SuperYacht Times (Company)">SuperYacht Times</a> has partnered with the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Event/271" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Monaco Yacht Show - 2025">Monaco Yacht Show</a> to release the <a href="https://issuu.com/superyachttimes/docs/monaco_yacht_show_market_report_2025" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="">Monaco Yacht Show Market Report.</a> &nbsp;<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/372228/image/large-1f4536a71cc41c6f2edd35e57d70e065.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/372228">The newly published <a href="https://issuu.com/superyachttimes/docs/monaco_yacht_show_market_report_2025" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="">Monaco Yacht Show Market Report 2025</a> provides insight into this year’s <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Event/271" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Monaco Yacht Show - 2025">Monaco Yacht Show</a> fleet, an in-depth look at the 2025 new-build and second-hand superyacht markets, along with key insights into the latest trends and developments in the sector.<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4509" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="SuperYacht Times (Company)"><img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/372230/image/large-a7735fcdffe79e7706074ec77f6fe58e.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/372230">SuperYacht Times</a> looks forward to welcoming you at stand, DS97 on Darse Sur, and at MYS Conference Hall, above the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Article/64270" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Full programme for Monaco Yacht Summit 2025 unveiled (2025-09-18 13:00:00 +0200)">Yacht Design &amp; Innovation Hub for our panel discussions</a>.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/372224/image/large-db93d6baaf899168c82dfb7338fb9999.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/372224">

Download the Monaco Yacht Show Market Report 2025

Download the Monaco Yacht Show Market Report 2025 for free. 

Download the Monaco Yacht Show Market Report 2025 for free now!

David Westwood, Managing Director of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4547" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="TWW Yachts (Company)">TWW Yachts</a>, shares an insight into the realities behind the superyacht market’s much-discussed slowdown, how <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4547" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="TWW Yachts (Company)">TWW</a> is bucking the trend with a strategic digital focus and what to expect in the coming charter and show seasons.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/264905/image/large-ba114c596bb9a8f15ca87f6095e4c8f2.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/264905">There's been plenty of talk about a slowdown in the superyacht sector. How does that compare with what you're seeing on the ground?I had real concerns at the end of 2024 that the momentum post-pandemic couldn’t possibly continue. The industry was running hot; sales in brokerage and new build were high, shipyards were under immense pressure due to full order books and delivery slots and we faced shortages across the board for good product, along with operational constraints, especially in the crewing sector, especially in crewing. A slowdown wasn’t just inevitable, in some ways it was needed.There was global uncertainty too: the US election, the Ukraine war and, more recently, instability in the Middle East. Typically, in an American election year, clients pause on speculation and sit tight. But interestingly, after the election result, we saw a steep uptake from December through February in both brokerage and charter. The US, which historically makes up over half of most firms’ sales, came back strongly.And has that recovery held into 2025? Not entirely. From March onwards, instability globally – tariffs, wars, shifting policies in Asia and the Far East has caused the momentum to dip again. The Middle East, which is a key charter market for us, softened slightly, and Asia was hesitant too, particularly in areas like Hong Kong and Singapore.What’s been fascinating for us at <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4547" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="TWW Yachts (Company)">TWW</a> is that, while others are still talking about a slowdown, our figures are encouraging and have generally risen. We've seen a distinct rise in lead generation and, more importantly, a marked increase in conversions – particularly from our historical client database. Clients who’d previously stayed on the fence for two or three years are now engaging with intent. There’s also been real momentum in newer regions, with active conversations and transactions in markets such as Turkey, Uzbekistan, Mexico and Australia. We’ve seen a notable uplift in activity from those emerging territories, and a broader appetite for charter and brokerage alike.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/369119/image/large-bd5cdcfcfb6f166dbe4bcdfb56f35058.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/369119">Why do you think that is?&nbsp;I put it down to our digital-first approach. We made a conscious decision in the early 2020s to break from traditional formats and go all in on digital. We invested heavily in SEO &nbsp;and a large in-house marketing department, which has created a dynamic content strategy, delivered quickly. While others competed in the same space in the same way, we aimed to stand apart.Ultimately, while the market might be flattening in some segments, the demand is still there, it’s just a case of reaching clients the right way, with the right product, at the right moment.Which segment of the market do you think has been hit hardest?Although this isn’t my main area of expertise, it appears that the production segment has been hit fairly hard. A lot of shipyards pushed ahead post-COVID, expecting the momentum to continue, but sales didn’t match that optimism. There’s been a build-up of stock, especially in the US and dealers have struggled to shift it. It’s a riskier environment. However, we’re now seeing those inventories softening and the stock beginning to move, particularly with the US market picking back up.There’s also been a slight ‘factory reset’ on pricing and discounting, which more realistically reflects the reality of the market. And while we still operate in the production market, we’ve tightened our criteria. <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4547" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="TWW Yachts (Company)">TWW’s</a> sweet spot is really the 35 to 75-metre segment, where we continue to thrive.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/369118/image/large-82ab91d0f9e1ad6ecbc9b591991c44af.jpeg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/369118" style="background-color: initial; font-size: 0.85rem;">You also mentioned the charter market – how is 2025 shaping up?Strong overall. We had a significant wave of bookings between December and February and then another surge from May onwards. That cycle is fairly typical with spring holidays diverting attention, but overall, we’ve written a lot of charters this year and are happy with the results to date.Interestingly, it’s the newer boats that are being booked early. Yachts over five to ten years old are proving more difficult to fill in our core range, while the larger yachts, 75 metres and up, are facing leaner calendars than usual. That market has been slower to recover.That said, crew is everything. We have older yachts in our fleet with over 11 weeks of charter booked because of phenomenal crews. Repeat business plays a huge role, and loyalty to captains and heads of departments outweigh age in some cases.As we look ahead to the autumn show season, how are things shaping up?The shows are full – both Cannes and Monaco. I love Cannes: it’s interactive, relaxed and productive - a great place to showcase product. We’re bringing three yachts this year: the 55-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/54" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Heesen Yachts (Company)">Heesen</a> <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1549" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="After You55.0m (180'5&quot;)Heesen Yachts2011">After You</a>, the 37-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1756" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Tansu Yachts (Company)">Tansu</a> <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/3414" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Preference 1936.4m (119'5&quot;)Tansu Yachts2011">Preference</a> 19 and <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/9334" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="M Forever33.0m (108'3&quot;)Custom Line2021">M Forever</a> the 33-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/112" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Custom Line (Company)">Custom Line</a>.Monaco is busier and more intense, but also hugely exciting. We’re particularly proud to be bringing the brand new and recently delivered <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/11078" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="After You60.2m (197'6&quot;)Damen Yachting2025">After You</a>, a 60-metre explorer from <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1821" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Damen Yachting (Company)">Damen Yachting</a> and her support vessel <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12677" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Emotional53.25m (174'8&quot;)Damen Yachting2025">Emotional</a>. They’re not for sale, but they’re going on a global voyage starting in Norway and heading through Greenland and the Northwest Passage and both are available for charter, the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/54" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Heesen Yachts (Company)">Heesen</a> <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1549" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="After You55.0m (180'5&quot;)Heesen Yachts2011">After You</a> and <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/853" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Emerald50.4m (165'4&quot;)Feadship1990">Emerald</a>, the 51-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/29" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Feadship (Company)">Feadship</a> will also be available for inspection.This article was first published in issue 54 of the SuperYacht Times newspaper, available for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.superyachttimes.com/newspaper/newspaper-issue-54" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="">download here</a>.

David Westwood on the shifting superyacht market

David Westwood on the shifting superyacht market, digital strategy and emerging charter trends

As the superyacht brokerage market moves through the third quarter of 2025, our Head of Intelligence, Ralph Dazert, takes a closer look at the much-talked-about downturn of the market, focusing on the new-build segment while also taking a quick snapshot of the used yacht market. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/205866/image/large-9e77ac14b51b37bd7308b59535ec24a2.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/205866">New-build sales: still behind but catching up &nbsp;The new-build market started 2025 in a jittery mood, with uncertainty about the US market and the Trump Administration’s policy of import tariffs, coupled with a downward trend in the European market, worrying brokers and shipyards alike. &nbsp;The market for GRP yachts built to a model (dominant up to about 45-metres) has definitely taken some hits, with some well-known manufacturers like <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/354" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Sunseeker (Company)">Sunseeker</a> and <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1912" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Princess Yachts (Company)">Princess</a> in particular announcing staff reductions. Meanwhile, as of early August 2025, the share prices of the Italian builders <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/374" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Sanlorenzo (Company)">Sanlorenzo</a> and <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5565" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="The Italian Sea Group (Company)">The Italian Sea Group</a> had also taken hits over the past twelve months (-15% and -35% respectively year-on-year since early August 2024), as did the shares of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4696" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Alexander Marine USA (Company)">Alexander Marine</a>, the mother company of the Taiwanese builder <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1394" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Ocean Alexander (Company)">Ocean Alexander</a> (-30% ), while the US yachting giant <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1312" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="MarineMax (Company)">MarineMax</a> (a large player in the sales of GRP-hulled boats and yachts up to 40-metres, among other activities) saw its share price decline by -22% since early August 2024. &nbsp;<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/233014/image/large-859455f9fc8cd7009c71f9afe386ee4c.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/233014">We noticed that the major builders of GRP yachts generally have more new-builds and dealer stock boats available than they did a year ago, meaning they have capital tied up in those boats for more extended periods of time. &nbsp;All that makes for pretty grim reading, but what do the numbers look like? They are definitely behind on the same period in 2024, about 10% down, from 111 sales for the year up to 31 July 2024, to 100 for the year up to 31 July 2025. &nbsp;But, those are just high-level numbers, so let’s take a closer look: &nbsp;<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/369732/image/large-05acb7e14007169a5ee0284f3ba49a83.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/369732">New superyacht sales are following two divergent paths: sales of yachts up to 50-metres are down by 12% in numbers of yachts sold, while sales over 50-metres are stable. Interestingly, the decline between 30 and 40-metres can be attributed entirely to sailing yachts, which are down by six units year-on-year after experiencing something of a boom in 2024, as explained in our market column in SuperYacht Times issue 53. &nbsp;With attractive build slots for new sailing yachts currently in short supply, that segment has slowed down again. Even though sales numbers for motor yachts in the 30 to 40-metre segment appear to be stable, something has definitely changed in that market, as the share of stock sales (yachts completed on speculation and sold afterwards) has almost doubled compared to a year ago, from seven to 12 sales. &nbsp;<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/232981/image/large-38c7f2ac13511369dc2615663dbd18d4.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/232981">Clearly, new yachts in this segment are taking longer to sell than they did before. Additionally, sales of projects started for the client have decreased by almost half compared to 2024, from 32 to 18 sales. Meanwhile, sales of projects started on speculation have increased slightly, from 12 to 16.The decline between 40 and 50-metres is mainly caused by lower sales of yachts up to 45-metres, which dropped by five units, while the number of sales above 45-metres (which are mainly steel-hulled yachts) has dropped by just one unit compared to the same period of 2024. &nbsp;Sales between 50 and 60-metres have held steady, while sales between 60 and 80-metres were up by one unit, as market activity in the larger segments is buzzing and appears to be largely unaffected by global economic and political turmoil. &nbsp;However, there is an important side note to be made here: we are hearing from several shipyards all over Europe that clients are taking longer and longer to sign on the dotted line and are actively playing out shipyards against each other more than before. &nbsp;<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/235065/image/large-f66538822a46ab8fbc088b0df32647fe.jpeg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/235065">Reportedly, clients at the top end of the market are baulking at Northern European price levels, as they perceive the new-build market as having weakened in their favour, so they are playing it hard. Meanwhile, yards in the top segment have little room to manoeuvre on the price. The order backlogs at the different players on the top end also vary, ranging from fully booked to yards that could use some extra capacity and are prepared to negotiate on price. &nbsp;At the moment, sales of newbuilds over 80-metres are still behind by one project. Still, the rather significant amount of large new-build projects under negotiation that we are tracking suggests that this new-build segment might notch up quite a few extra sales before the end of the year, making it a better year than 2024, which in itself was already a big improvement on 2023.&nbsp;So what about used yachts? &nbsp;The used yacht market warrants its own extensive study due to its sheer size and importance to the brokerage market overall. Still, for lack of space, we will leave you with a summary for the moment: the demand for used yachts over 30-metres appears to be stable compared to 2024 in terms of numbers of yachts sold, with 200 used yachts sold as of 31 July 2025, compared to 199 for the same period of the preceding year. &nbsp;<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/233018/image/large-e530854b2f7981037879fc171adcbd1c.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/233018">The total gross tonnage (GT) sold is actually up by 8% to 93,500 GT, indicating that the average used yacht sold so far in 2025 is larger than in 2024. The total value of yachts sold so far in 2025 is hard to estimate, as we have already counted no less than 17 off-market deals so far in 2025 (including some huge yachts). Still, it is well over 3 billion euros, which is not dissimilar to our estimate for the same period for 2024. &nbsp;On paper, that is not all bad, but we are only in early August at the time of writing. As a final note, sales of used yachts appear to be following a slightly different pattern compared to those of new yachts, with the number of yachts sold between 30 and 40-metres down compared to last year, while sales between 40 and 50-metres slid after two positive years in 2023 and 2024. Sales over 50-metres are up, entirely due to a strong increase between 50 and 60-metres. &nbsp;<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/369733/image/large-87ed2000a90cf58ad228f52c52bb381d.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/369733">ConclusionWhile the new-build market up to about 45-metres is very challenging at the moment, the larger segment is trending upward. In contrast, the used yacht market appears to be holding steady and exhibits similar divergent paths in sales numbers to the new yacht market, with total sales of yachts up to 50-metres down compared to last year, while sales of the larger superyachts over 50-metres are up. We are very curious to see how the rest of the year will play out for the market, with the important third quarter and its key yacht shows coming up.This article was first published in issue 54 of the SuperYacht Times newspaper, available for <a href="https://www.superyachttimes.com/newspaper/newspaper-issue-54" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="">download here</a>.

Superyacht market insight Q3 2025

Is the market slowing down? Ralph Dazert takes a look at current superyacht trends.

Is the superyacht brokerage market slowing down in 2025?

<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/29" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Feadship (Company)">Feadship</a> has launched the 89-metre Project 828 <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12427" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Milky Way89.0m (291'12&quot;)Feadship2026">Milky Way</a> from its Royal Van Lent shipyard in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396324/image/large-d7c701ac79a9f785ee73706e82a68384.jpeg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396324">The custom superyacht features exterior design by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/30" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="De Voogt Naval Architects (Company)">Studio De Voogt</a>, with interiors by British design studio <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/61" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="RWD (Company)">RWD</a>. Technical support for the project was provided by OCCAM. <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12427" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Milky Way89.0m (291'12&quot;)Feadship2026">Project 828</a> was sold in 2023 and has since remained under construction in the Netherlands.The launch follows an earlier construction milestone in May 2025, when the yacht was seen out of the shed for the first time as her hull was launched from the NMC hull fabrication facility in Nieuw-Lekkerland.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396325/image/large-258dd0e051c8879b02bf26f5a2e5d236.jpeg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396325">According to <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/29" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Feadship (Company)">Feadship</a>, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12427" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Milky Way89.0m (291'12&quot;)Feadship2026">Project 828</a>’s purposely long bow was developed to optimise exterior deck spaces, pushing the yacht’s volume aft and creating a profile defined by strong horizontal lines, a striking vertical bow and long structural deck lines.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396323/image/large-f71c6523299ec8b45784e401bab8b1b4.jpeg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396323"><a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12427" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Milky Way89.0m (291'12&quot;)Feadship2026">Milky Way</a>'s interior, designed by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/61" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="RWD (Company)">RWD</a>, has been developed to complement the exterior, with soft, flowing lines intended to create a cohesive spatial experience throughout the guest and owner areas.

89m Feadship project 828 Milky Way launched in Amsterdam

The 89m Feadship superyacht Feadship 828, Project Milky Way,  has been launched. 

<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4385" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Bering Yachts (Company)">Bering Yachts</a> has unveiled the interior concept for its 33-metre explorer yacht <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4385" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Bering Yachts (Company)">Bering</a> 110, developed in collaboration with <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4720" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Red Yacht Design (Company)">Red Yacht Design</a>. The reveal offers a first look inside the model, with the first hull currently under construction.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/372249/image/large-9ffc2bdc420009249ec1e58cf2df10ec.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/372249">Conceived as a crossover yacht, the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/16391" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Bering 110/0133.3m (109'3&quot;)Bering Yachts2027">Bering 110</a> aims to combine explorer yacht capabilities with the volume and comfort more commonly associated with larger vessels. While her steel hull and projected range of more than 5,000 nautical miles highlight her exploration credentials, her interior design takes a more restrained direction.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396259/image/large-f625f19ab89d937510477f384352590f.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396259"><img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396260/image/large-a2b92ec224adb00b9d7dd82abc89d6e7.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396260">According to <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4720" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Red Yacht Design (Company)">Red Yacht Design</a>, the model’s interiors draw inspiration from Far Eastern principles of simplicity, balance and precision. The main saloon has been conceived as a continuous living space where the lounge, dining area and window seating flow naturally into one another. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396261/image/large-cc4e5a6cd3ef0e8648071aa84ed8aa4c.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396261">Warm wood panelling, soft neutral tones, raw marble surfaces and placed burgundy accents are meticulously layered, while a curved sofa serves as the focal point of the lounge. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396263/image/large-0399d48b166deffd4f40f4913f613896.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396263">Moreover, textured stone and bronze-toned detailing are combined with carefully layered lighting, while a sculptural staircase frames her darker finishes.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396262/image/large-ce40fe1687e59360a3005f217a6e43f4.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396262" style="box-sizing: inherit; border: 0px; font-family: &quot;Open Sans&quot;, sans-serif; position: relative; max-width: 100%; margin: 1rem 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 13.6px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396270/image/large-ad0ab9b178534091e4385f873d3d1d9c.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396270">Full-height wooden windows let in abundant natural light and the surrounding sea views. Cana Gokhan of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4720" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Red Yacht Design (Company)">Red Yacht Design</a> further remarks,“The details are clean and deliberate, with subtle nods to the discipline of calligraphy.” <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396266/image/large-e4501624263e2141f062a608fa7b3791.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396266">Her interiors are imagined as a space where guests can genuinely unwind. Rather than displaying traditional superyacht opulence, the yacht’s design prioritises stillness, comfort and liveability.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396267/image/large-b4c50c8988ec45e5ee044bbec49a62ac.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396267" style="box-sizing: inherit; border: 0px; font-family: &quot;Open Sans&quot;, sans-serif; position: relative; max-width: 100%; margin: 1rem 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 13.6px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396264/image/large-8b953afd3227d4243379a0203dd395a2.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396264">The layout remains closely aligned with <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4385" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Bering Yachts (Company)">Bering</a>'s explorer identity. Her asymmetrical main saloon benefits from generous width and circulation. The owner's suite, additional guest accommodations and crew areas have been configured for extended stays onboard.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396269/image/large-0acb9673d1b760945dfd2d9b0b56ca8f.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396269" style="box-sizing: inherit; border: 0px; font-family: &quot;Open Sans&quot;, sans-serif; position: relative; max-width: 100%; margin: 1rem 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 13.6px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">&nbsp;Dedicated storage with ample space for necessary supplies and equipment have also been incorporated to support long-range cruising and self-sufficiency at sea.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396268/image/large-ab189de88814a2399080943d53faafd3.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396268" style="box-sizing: inherit; border: 0px; font-family: &quot;Open Sans&quot;, sans-serif; position: relative; max-width: 100%; margin: 1rem 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 13.6px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396265/image/large-9161f81cc4dbee429d677289fd44aba4.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396265">The <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/16391" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Bering 110/0133.3m (109'3&quot;)Bering Yachts2027">Bering 110</a> forms part of the shipyard's growing Superyacht Division, with additional interior details expected to be revealed as the project progresses. According to <a href="https://sytiq.superyachttimes.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="">SuperYacht iQ</a>,<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4385" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Bering Yachts (Company)">&nbsp;Bering</a> has several yachts in-build including the 49.68-metre Bering 165 yacht, and the first hull of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/16391" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Bering 110/0133.3m (109'3&quot;)Bering Yachts2027">Bering 110</a>.&nbsp;

 Bering unveils interior concept for in-build 33m explorer yacht Bering 110

Bering has unveiled the interior concept for its in-build 33-metre explorer yacht Bering 110, developed in collaboration with Red Yacht Design. 


<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/201" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="ISA Yachts (Company)">ISA Yachts</a> has announced that the keel of the third 43.7-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/17023" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="ISA Unica 45M/0343.7m (143'4&quot;)ISA Yachts2029">ISA Unica 45M</a> yacht has been laid from the shipyard in Ancona, Italy, marking the start of her construction. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396273/image/large-966918cdfe1cdf289affc294bd4fded0.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396273">The sale of the third displacement yacht was announced in April 2026 to a client from the United States, with delivery scheduled for 2029. Developed by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1197" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Team for Design - Enrico Gobbi (Company)">Enrico Gobbi of TEAM for Design</a> in collaboration with the shipyard’s technical department, the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/17023" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="ISA Unica 45M/0343.7m (143'4&quot;)ISA Yachts2029">ISA Unica 45M</a> yacht features a steel hull and aluminium superstructure.&nbsp;Distinguished by fluid, perfectly balanced lines that create a sleek silhouette, the ISA Unica 45M yacht combines generous interior volume with extended outdoor spaces and large glazed sections.Read:&nbsp;<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Article/65857" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Third ISA UNICA 45M Steel superyacht sold with 2029 delivery date (2026-04-14 20:30:00 +0200)">Third ISA UNICA 45M Steel superyacht sold with 2029 delivery date</a><img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396272/image/large-8336c72513a1f53dfad504c1679588b9.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396272">Spanning 430 GT, the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/17023" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="ISA Unica 45M/0343.7m (143'4&quot;)ISA Yachts2029">ISA Unica 45M</a> yacht can accommodate up to 12 guests across a six stateroom configuration, with her owner’s suite positioned aft on the upper deck. The suite includes a private lounge, desk area, walk-in wardrobe and ensuite bathroom.Further guest accommodation includes a VIP suite on the main deck with large side windows, a walk-in wardrobe and an ensuite with a separate shower, while the remaining guest accommodation can be found on the lower deck, comprising two further VIP suites and two twin suites.&nbsp;Moving outside, the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/17023" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="ISA Unica 45M/0343.7m (143'4&quot;)ISA Yachts2029">ISA Unica 45M</a> yacht boasts a stern layout spanning three levels. Descending towards the water, the space includes sunpads, a pool and an infinity cockpit, all of which are enclosed by a glass balustrade.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396271/image/large-796abe1179971e5145e9e562c63fbc12.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396271">Her main deck includes a gym, while dining spaces will be arranged both indoors on the main deck and outside on the upper deck, each accommodating up to 12 guests for formal dinners.Other key features include her upper deck which features a forward lounge and sunpad area, while her 16-metre fly deck incorporates additional lounging and dining spaces, a bar and a circular Jacuzzi.In terms of performance, the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/17023" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="ISA Unica 45M/0343.7m (143'4&quot;)ISA Yachts2029">ISA Unica 45M</a> yacht is powered by twin <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1408" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Caterpillar Inc (Company)">Caterpillar</a> engines, giving her a top speed of 15 knots and a cruising speed of 14 knots.

Keel of third ISA Unica 45m yacht laid

ISA Yachts has announced that the keel of the third 43.7-metre ISA Unica 45M yacht has been laid from the shipyard in Ancona, Italy.

Third ISA Unica 45M motor yacht keel laid

Dutch design studio <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/15" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Vripack (Company)">Vripack</a> has revealed new renderings of in-build 69-metre sailing yacht <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12410" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Project Zero68.85m (225'11&quot;)Vitters Shipyard2026">Project Zero</a> ahead of her launch this summer, offering a closer look at her design philosophy, custom interiors, and renewable energy systems.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396254/image/large-94d02d1ae28bc065a048800a6e2d96e3.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396254">Developed in collaboration with <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/230" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Dykstra Naval Architects (Company)">Dykstra Naval Architects</a>, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12410" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Project Zero68.85m (225'11&quot;)Vitters Shipyard2026">Project Zero</a> has spent six years in development. Rather than purely focusing on reducing energy consumption, the yacht is reported to be the first of her class to be designed around energy generation. This radical approach allows the yacht to run for up to two weeks on purely renewable sources, without relying on fossil fuels.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396253/image/large-7447c42b77f8a8f7bc690af39433370f.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396253"><a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12410" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Project Zero68.85m (225'11&quot;)Vitters Shipyard2026">Project Zero</a> has been designed to honour the owners' appreciation for traditional sailing yachts while introducing a host of bespoke design solutions. Outside, custom elements can be found throughout, from the spoon bow and matte-finished deck hardware to the sculpted stern cap and hand-painted transom finished in a wood-effect treatment. Her notable metallic blue hull is further distinguished by a feather-inspired boot stripe, a reference to the black-browed albatross that served as a major inspiration for her design.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396256/image/large-a8857968400b95119871dc187c9832f9.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396256">Looking inside, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12410" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Project Zero68.85m (225'11&quot;)Vitters Shipyard2026">Project Zero</a> embraces a holistic interior concept centred on natural materials, craftsmanship and owner-focused living. <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/15" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Vripack (Company)">Vripack</a>’s interior rejects highly polished finishes in favour of tactile textures and organic materials to embody nature. Smoked European oak, reclaimed bark-based materials, leathered stone and hand-selected veneers are featured prominently throughout. Natural knots, cracks and grain variations have been deliberately preserved rather than concealed.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396255/image/large-213cb67058fc8448969608065d402377.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396255">A unifying design language runs throughout the entire yacht. The designers have employed curved architectural forms, shaping joinery, furniture, structural glazing, and lighting. They further remark that all elements either begin or end in a full radius, creating a sense of continuity between the spaces.The owners' choices can be seen throughout <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12410" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Project Zero68.85m (225'11&quot;)Vitters Shipyard2026">Project Zero</a>’s design. Her main saloon features a flexible dining table designed to double as a puzzle and craft table, reflecting the owners' hobbies during extended periods onboard. Elsewhere, modular cockpit furniture can be swiftly reconfigured into either lounge or dining arrangements. Meanwhile, electrically operated cockpit windows enable guests to enclose exterior spaces at the touch of a button.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396257/image/large-90f1c0052c3eb53d6f1ebf5adf3d6cce.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396257">Accommodation onboard includes four staterooms. Each stateroom is personalised around places of significance to the owners, all taking inspiration from destinations from Italy to French Polynesia. The owner’s suite is arranged around the mizzen mast, which has been wrapped in a bespoke artwork by American sculptor Sienna Martz. Moreover, this area benefits from a dedicated study to support long periods of working remotely while cruising.Further customisation extends behind the scenes, where the traditional full-beam engine room has been eliminated to make room for a concealed service corridor, enabling the crew to move discreetly throughout the yacht while maintaining guest privacy.According to <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/15" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Vripack (Company)">Vripack</a>, the yacht combines hydro-generation through regenerative turbine propellers with more than 100-square-metres of photovoltaic thermal panels integrated into her biminis. These panels generate electrical and thermal energy to power onboard systems, heating and cooling.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396258/image/large-478db106ff098d1896050a1003af3d87.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396258">The yacht's sailing performance has also been refined thanks to a collaboration with Emirates Team New Zealand. Through advanced computational fluid dynamics testing, they developed a distinctive topside curvature that reportedly improves sailing speed by 2.5 percent while simultaneously increasing the vessel's electric power generation by approximately eight percent.Currently under construction at <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/34" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Vitters Shipyard (Company)">Vitters Shipyard</a>, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12410" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Project Zero68.85m (225'11&quot;)Vitters Shipyard2026">Project Zero</a> is scheduled for launch in summer 2026.

First look: Vripack unveils interior concept of 69m ‘fossil-free’ sailing yacht Project Zero 

Interior concept of 69m sailing yacht Zero, an all-electric project by Vripack and Dykstra Naval Architects currently under construction at Vitters.

Recently spotted anchored off St Tropez by the SuperYacht Times team the 96-metre superyacht <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1711" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Vava II96.0m (314'12&quot;)Devonport2012">Vava II</a> remains the largest modern private superyacht ever built in the United Kingdom. Constructed by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/96" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Devonport (Company)">Devonport Yachts</a> in Plymouth and delivered in 2012, SuperYacht Times takes a look at 10 things you didn’t know about the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/96" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Devonport (Company)">Devonport</a> flagship.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/395647/image/large-c8c0480475b32d2822ac3b4050fd16cb.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/395647">1. She has been under the same ownership since deliveryCommissioned in 2007 by a Swiss-Italian family and delivered in 2012, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1711" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Vava II96.0m (314'12&quot;)Devonport2012">Vava II</a> has remained within the family’s ownership for over a decade. Known as the former Project-55, she was launched on 10 September 2011 and christened <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1711" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Vava II96.0m (314'12&quot;)Devonport2012">Vava II</a>, with her sea trials commencing in October 2011.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/395636/image/large-784dda4f94be2bf21fab944a36c68946.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/395636">2. She was built at a former naval shipyardFounded in 1989, by the Babcock International Group, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/96" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Devonport (Company)">Devonport Yachts</a> was based in Plymouth, Devon and was part of a tradition of boat building at the Devonport Royal Docks, which have been building and supporting The British Royal Navy for over three hundred years. Blending military-grade engineering with superyacht luxury, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/96" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Devonport (Company)">Devonport Yachts</a> put the UK on the map for large motor yacht designs. On 23 February 2010, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/96" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Devonport (Company)">Devonport Yachts</a> was acquired by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/209" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Pendennis Shipyard Ltd (Company)">Pendennis</a>, with the two companies joining forces to expand the offering at <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/209" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Pendennis Shipyard Ltd (Company)">Pendennis</a>’ base in Falmouth.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/395648/image/large-5c060da19ac4dc275b02e1e9083a83ba.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/395648">3. The owner gifted his last superyacht to his motherThe name Vava has been used by the family on previous yachts, with <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1711" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Vava II96.0m (314'12&quot;)Devonport2012">Vava II</a> succeeding an earlier vessel bearing the same name. The previous 47.3-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/29" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Feadship (Company)">Feadship</a> superyacht <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1064" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Vava47.3m (155'2&quot;)Feadship1996">Vava</a> was delivered in 1996, with the brief that her owner should enjoy the most peaceful long-distance cruising possible. The yacht was allegedly gifted to his mother when <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1711" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Vava II96.0m (314'12&quot;)Devonport2012">Vava II</a>I was delivered. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/395638/image/large-690e352299b20df7f4a808579a964981.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/395638">4. Her owner won sailing's most famous trophyHer Swiss-Italian owner who as well as being listed as one of the top 100 wealthiest people in the world by Forbes magazine in 2013, is also a keen yachtsman and sailor. After founding the yachting syndicate Team Alinghi in 2000, her owner entered and won the renowned America’s Cup in 2003, bringing the Cup to Europe for the first time.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/395644/image/large-8e6e948f928e48edf31db24a2923fcf6.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/395644">5. Her designers fought off competition to be chosen&nbsp;<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1711" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Vava II96.0m (314'12&quot;)Devonport2012">Vava II</a> features exterior design by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/61" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="RWD (Company)">RWD</a>, while her interior was penned by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/533" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Rémi Tessier (Company)">Rémi Tessier</a>, with naval architecture by her builder Devonport. In an interview with SuperYacht Times in 2016, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/61" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="RWD (Company)">RWD</a> Founder Justin Redman explained that it was an incredible opportunity to win the commission over other designers. “We felt we won it because we developed not only a very unique looking profile for her owner, but one which incorporated key influences which he had brought to the table from sailboat racing,” he explained.&nbsp;You can read the full interview <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Article/46674" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Insight: A behind-the-scenes look at Redman Whitely Dixon (2016-03-08 12:00:00 +0100)">here</a>. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/395643/image/large-c90cf5553c0191d6762a7293bea6cb81.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/395643">6. She can accommodate a high number of guestsBuilt to SOLAS-36 passenger ship standards, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1711" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Vava II96.0m (314'12&quot;)Devonport2012">Vava II</a> set a new standard in the charter market for 2012 following her delivery. <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1711" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Vava II96.0m (314'12&quot;)Devonport2012">Vava II</a> can comfortably accommodate up to 36 guests across an impressive 18 staterooms. Her master suite boasts an open-plan layout, while her full-beam VIP suite rivals other luxury yachts. She can also sleep a crew of 34. &nbsp;<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/395633/image/large-d1c97626edc7f61f7ed6e51652d62cfb.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/395633">7. She features one of the largest beach clubs of her generationWhen <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1711" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Vava II96.0m (314'12&quot;)Devonport2012">Vava II</a> was launched, expansive beach clubs were still relatively uncommon on large yachts. <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1711" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Vava II96.0m (314'12&quot;)Devonport2012">Vava II</a> boasted a substantial waterside leisure area that helped set the standard for the indoor-outdoor lifestyle spaces that have since become commonplace across the superyacht sector. Other key features include an aft deck swimming pool, a main deck saloon with a sliding glass wall and a helideck, which was recently spotted with an Airbus H125 landing onboard. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/395637/image/large-45075d272b12450df93265d130e80084.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/395637">8. She has participated in scientific missions Although often spotted in the Mediterranean, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1711" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Vava II96.0m (314'12&quot;)Devonport2012">Vava II</a> was designed with global exploration in mind. She has been deployed for three research expeditions by scientists from the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and other research universities from around the world. Her substantial fuel capacity, advanced engineering systems and robust construction allow her to undertake extended voyages far beyond the traditional summer cruising grounds frequented by many large yachts. Over the years she has travelled as far as Antarctica and Polynesia and has participated in scientific missions in the Indian Ocean.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/395645/image/large-9a7d3fd9d75bd6b12e895fb6df0b9175.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/395645">9. She helped put British superyacht construction back in the spotlightThe delivery of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1711" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Vava II96.0m (314'12&quot;)Devonport2012">Vava II</a> attracted significant international attention and demonstrated that Britain could still compete in the upper size segments of superyacht construction. More than a decade later, she remains a lasting symbol of British engineering, design and craftsmanship.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/395639/image/large-ce7d1bb5e1194e11f710c58e1226e024.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/395639">10. She remains the largest modern superyacht built in the UK<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1711" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Vava II96.0m (314'12&quot;)Devonport2012">Vava II</a> still remains the largest modern superyacht ever constructed in the UK. The second largest modern superyacht is the 82-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/96" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Devonport (Company)">Devonport</a> yacht <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/307" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Pure82.0m (269'0&quot;)Devonport2008">Pure</a>, which was launched in 2008 and recently underwent an extensive refit at the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/86" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amico & Co. s.r.l. (Company)">Amico &amp; Co</a> facility in Genova Italy.

UK’s largest modern superyacht Vava II

SuperYacht Times takes a look at 10 things you didn’t know about the Devonport flagship, Vava II. 

Vava II: 10 things you didn't know about the UK's largest superyacht

<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1821" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Damen Yachting (Company)">Damen Yachting&nbsp;</a>has announced that the 60.2-metre Xplorer 60 yacht <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/11078" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="After You60.2m (197'6&quot;)Damen Yachting2025">After You</a> and her 53.25-metre support vessel <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12677" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Emotional53.25m (174'8&quot;)Damen Yachting2025">Emotional</a> have departed the builder's main shipyard in Vlissingen, the Netherlands. This departure follows a period of refit, service and optimisation works. According to AIS data, both vessels are currently en route to Reykjavik, Iceland.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396232/image/large-abd42b77a1b431f487ab944294f2e03e.jpeg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396232">The yard commented the works were customised to the owner's specific operational needs while preparing the fleet for extensive cruising and exploration in remote regions.Delivered in 2025, both vessels were conceived for long-range autonomy and expedition-style cruising. The pair were acquired by the same owner through <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4547" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="TWW Yachts (Company)">TWW Yachts</a>, who oversaw their integration into a single exploration-focused fleet.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396229/image/large-f729916d9bf110968c318dc15a60c062.jpeg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396229"><a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/11078" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="After You60.2m (197'6&quot;)Damen Yachting2025">After You</a> features naval architecture developed in-house by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1821" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Damen Yachting (Company)">Damen Yachting</a>, with exterior design by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/37" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Azure Yacht Design & Naval Architecture (Company)">Azure Yacht Design &amp; Naval Architecture</a> and interiors by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/161" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="H2 Yacht Design (Company)">H2 Yacht Design</a>. Her onboard amenities include a wellness deck equipped with a Jacuzzi, bar and sauna, a convertible tender hangar that transforms into a lounge and karaoke bar, and a forward observation lounge designed for wildlife and weather watching.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396230/image/large-5aa256db87522afed8b9fe78dbef7a37.jpeg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396230">Meanwhile, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12677" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Emotional53.25m (174'8&quot;)Damen Yachting2025">Emotional</a> was designed inside and out by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1821" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Damen Yachting (Company)">Damen Yachting</a>. The support vessel carries a range of expedition equipment, including tenders, a submarine and watersports gear. This allows the mothership to remain dedicated to guest accommodation and entertainment.In terms of performance, both yachts are powered by twin <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1409" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="MTU (Company)">MTU</a> engines. <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/11078" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="After You60.2m (197'6&quot;)Damen Yachting2025">After You</a> has a cruising speed of 11.5 knots and a top speed of 14.5 knots, while <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12677" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Emotional53.25m (174'8&quot;)Damen Yachting2025">Emotional</a> cruises at 12 knots and can reach a maximum speed of 19 knots. Together, the two vessels provide the capabilities of a much larger expedition yacht while retaining the flexibility and operational advantages of a dual-vessel setup.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396231/image/large-b80cda5f786823cbca02643d696ec9a9.jpeg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396231">“It is always rewarding to welcome our yachts back to Vlissingen,” said Head of Refit &amp; Services at <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1821" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Damen Yachting (Company)">Damen Yachting</a> Michel Coens. “Their return reflects the trust placed in our team, our facilities and the way we work together with the Owner’s team, the Crew and our own specialists. Seeing After You and Emotional depart again ready for their next journey is something we can be proud of.”&nbsp;Photos provided courtesy of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1821" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Damen Yachting (Company)">Damen Yachting</a>.

After You and Emotional depart Damen Yachting following refit

The 60.2-metre Xplorer 60 yacht After You and her 53.25-metre support vessel Emotional have departed the builder's main shipyard in Vlissingen.


Xplorer 60 yacht After You and support vessel Emotional depart Damen Yachting after refit

For owner Paul Andrews, the search for the right yacht was a journey that spanned more than a decade. However, when he first came across the 25.6-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/121" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Palmer Johnson Yachts (Company)">Palmer Johnson</a> sailing yacht <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12413" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Firebird25.6m (83'12&quot;)Palmer Johnson Yachts1967">Firebird</a> online, something about her caught his attention. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/394762/image/large-d54e9461baa90d5794ad964df495e456.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/394762">“I first saw her in a video while I was searching for yachts,” he explained. “She was located in Thailand at the time, which was quite literally on the other side of the world from me, but her presence immediately stood out.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/394534/image/large-bfddc47ecaf6a83efc8300953b5b19d9.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/394534">Originally launched in 1967, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12413" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Firebird25.6m (83'12&quot;)Palmer Johnson Yachts1967">Firebird</a> was the largest aluminium hulled sailing yacht in the world when she first hit the water. Built as a classic world cruising yacht, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12413" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Firebird25.6m (83'12&quot;)Palmer Johnson Yachts1967">Firebird</a> had circumnavigated the world three times, with voyages to the Antarctic and Arctic regions when she entered the market in 2022. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/394541/image/large-c96b4ebc0ab5a9453459421e627799d7.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/394541">“The beam, the proportions and the sheer character of the yacht caught my attention straight away,” recalled Andrews. “I wasn’t specifically searching for a <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/121" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Palmer Johnson Yachts (Company)">Palmer Johnson</a>, but when she was built, she was engineered to a commercial, almost military-grade standard and built to navy specs, which gave her a genuine pedigree, strength and a fascinating story behind her.” <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/394543/image/large-0b87ef55ef9559c3dc95e76eca2db6c7.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/394543">However, when Andrews finally travelled to Thailand to inspect the yacht in person, the initial impression was far from ideal. “It was raining heavily and she looked tired and neglected.” But returning the following day to see the yacht in clear conditions revealed a completely different vessel. “Her lines were beautiful and the potential became obvious. She simply needed vision and attention.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/394544/image/large-f191bd60c4deb3732c009830efb76fc3.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/394544">In 2015 under the ownership of her previous owners, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12413" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Firebird25.6m (83'12&quot;)Palmer Johnson Yachts1967">Firebird</a> had started a refit programme spanning more than $1 million, which lasted five years and saw her receive a full teak interior refit. “It was clear that previous owners had already invested heavily in the yacht,” added Andrews. “The teak interior joinery was exceptional and the hull structure was sound. However, the layout did not fully make use of the yacht’s size.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/394540/image/large-3bd64f4dfb231598384875f28fc57a05.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/394540">With the help of Martin Holmes and his team at <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/2262" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Lee Marine International Brokerage (Company)">Lee Marine</a>, Andrews took a boat from Langkawi, Malaysia where he purchased <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12413" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Firebird25.6m (83'12&quot;)Palmer Johnson Yachts1967">Firebird</a> and started the process of refitting her in Phuket. “My vision was always to maximise the yacht without taking away the character that makes Firebird special,” he explained. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/394689/image/large-066bcffa01ddea4816fadbefefba6fb6.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/394689">“Rather than remove that character, the refit focused on respecting the craftsmanship already onboard, while improving the functionality and layout for modern cruising. So the very first thing I wanted to do was lay a completely new teak deck.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/394684/image/large-59c92dfa1c2c4dfaf499558c82520e13.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/394684">The refit saw beautifully laid teak installed throughout, which instantly transformed her appearance and the feeling underfoot. From here, Andrews had a large swim platform and gangway at the stern installed for easy access, as well as an alfresco dining area for 12, with a large three-metre teak L-shaped sofa added and a circular seating area for eight at her stern.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/394683/image/large-ccd9dbe381bbc98da19e89f67500eafb.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/394683">Additional work saw her saloon and guest staterooms reworked to create a larger and more comfortable interior, while technical works included the installation of a new <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4062" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Raymarine UK Ltd (Company)">Raymarine</a> navigation suite, electric furling systems and the recommissioning of her <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1497" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Detroit Diesel (Company)">Detroit Diesel</a> engine and generators.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/394537/image/large-a9744df0db0cb9126710320c8ad8f685.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/394537">&nbsp;“I was involved in every stage of the project!” beamed Andrews. “Working alongside skilled craftsmen in Thailand allowed the ideas I had for the yacht to be executed properly.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/394682/image/large-6c7c43f1ab3dc6151b36ef4b9e0c6d90.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/394682">“The region has an impressive concentration of marine specialists including riggers, carpenters, sailmakers and marine engineers. The quality of teak craftsmanship in Thailand is also exceptional and the cost of skilled labour is significantly lower than in many other parts of the world. By chance I also discovered a local boat carpenter whose family had been building boats in the region for generations. His team worked tirelessly and played a crucial role in transforming the yacht.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/394536/image/large-a684c5dbb17405c08f59b474c49fe63e.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/394536">A large portion of the refit work was carried out at Premier Superyacht Shipyard near <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/3209" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Yacht Haven Marina (Company)">Yacht Haven Marina</a> in Phuket. The yard operates an 890-tonne travel lift and regularly handles vessels significantly larger than <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12413" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Firebird25.6m (83'12&quot;)Palmer Johnson Yachts1967">Firebird</a>, so during her haul-out, hull works, repainting, mechanical servicing and installation of the bow thruster were completed at the yard. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/394535/image/large-fe228dc87c3eb4c006007450d0644190.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/394535">The refit started almost immediately after Andrews had stepped onboard and he remained involved throughout the process. “After studying the layout of an <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1097" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Oyster Yachts (Company)">Oyster</a> 85, I realised it might be possible to alter the companionway arrangement and open access to unused space within the yacht. By cutting through the bulkhead at the end of the galley we created a new passageway that allowed an entirely new guest stateroom to be built.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/394687/image/large-2e193db0a4b19958ca9e5ecb0fbbb3b1.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/394687">The result allowed for unused areas to be converted into additional guest accommodation, while maintaining the logical flow through her companionway and saloon areas. Thanks to this, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12413" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Firebird25.6m (83'12&quot;)Palmer Johnson Yachts1967">Firebird</a> is now able to comfortably accommodate up to 13 guests, while still feeling spacious. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/394691/image/large-d359643ead180961dcf469e992df6a3a.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/394691">“The onboard experience is exceptional now! <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12413" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Firebird25.6m (83'12&quot;)Palmer Johnson Yachts1967">Firebird</a> is incredibly comfortable and she has become a wonderful place to spend time. I have several comfortable homes on land, but I genuinely did not expect living aboard a yacht to feel this enjoyable.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/394775/image/large-19d12ff20ebf8798893858104887e523.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/394775">From a technical standpoint the most important upgrade was the installation of a Max Power bow thruster. At 71 tonnes, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12413" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Firebird25.6m (83'12&quot;)Palmer Johnson Yachts1967">Firebird</a> is not a small yacht and the thruster significantly improved manoeuvrability for docking. Paired with electric furling systems, her sails can now be easily controlled from the cockpit, &nbsp;which means the yacht can be sailed comfortably by a small crew. “Together with the bow thruster and upgraded navigation systems, the yacht is now far easier and safer to operate,” added Andrews.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/394782/image/large-7d015b051a954c975849eb73b943caa0.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/394782">Currently available for charter, Andrews noted that there had already been interest from charter clients in the Seychelles and the Maldives. “It would feel rather selfish to keep such a yacht entirely to myself! Our goal is to have her operating in the Greek islands by 2027.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/394781/image/large-71d773016ba60ca5be3610663cfc2a04.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/394781">The refit took approximately 18 months to complete, with the project bringing the yacht a new lease of life. “I have restored historic buildings and classic cars before, but <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12413" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Firebird25.6m (83'12&quot;)Palmer Johnson Yachts1967">Firebird</a> has been the most rewarding project of them all! Working on her felt almost like giving a living vessel a new chapter in her life. I feel incredibly privileged to have been part of that transformation.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/394773/image/large-89483fb30e91ef0842117ed871bea925.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/394773">“<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12413" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Firebird25.6m (83'12&quot;)Palmer Johnson Yachts1967">Firebird</a> has had an extraordinary life with many different owners over the decades, with each leaving their own mark on the vessel,” concluded Andrews. “If I had to describe her in just a few words, I would say she is an iconic, unique superyacht and I hope she continues to bring joy to many future owners and guests.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/394763/image/large-26cc3acdb14ea54697eb754a850e1393.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/394763">

Firebird: 26m Palmer Johnson yacht refit

Inside the 18-month Thai refit that transformed the 26m Palmer Johnson sailing yacht Firebird into a modern cruising yacht.

Firebird reborn: Behind the Thai refit of a classic 26m yacht

Superyachts have become a floating home for many of its new-age owners, and it is precisely this that has motivated <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5252" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Alpha Custom Yachts (Company)">Alpha Custom Yachts</a>’ design for the Squalo 100. The brief for both the exterior and interior design was to create a yacht that feels right to live on, emotionally, physically and sensorially. From the layout to the engineering behind the walls was approached through the lens of human experience, rather than mere aesthetics. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/395777/image/large-3128f701f247e9a823704b469af76762.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/395777">Intimacy, comfort &amp; balanceFor <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5252" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Alpha Custom Yachts (Company)">Alpha Custom Yachts</a>, luxury is deeply connected to proportion, intimacy and comfort: “a yacht can feature the finest materials and highest quality finishes, but if the spaces feel too tight, disconnected or uncomfortable, the emotional experience aboard is lost” says Roberto Aboumrad, the founder and CEO of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5252" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Alpha Custom Yachts (Company)">Alpha Yachts</a>.Hence, true onboard luxury is not measured by excess or scale alone, but by understanding the emotional relationship between people and space. If seating arrangements are too close together or too far apart, it can obstruct the way onboard guests interact with one another. “True comfort comes from finding that human balance of space.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/395771/image/large-de41a280b3ab03c380c47ca7096655df.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/395771">For Roberto, that comfort starts with the shape of the hull. Rather than pursuing narrow planning hulls, which are optimised for going fast, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5252" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Alpha Custom Yachts (Company)">Alpha</a> decided on a semi-displacement hull. “These hulls are designed for liveability, efficiency and comfort. There is more interior volume, while simultaneously cruising at speeds it was designed to (i.e. 10-14 knots).”Cruising at the speed that the yacht was designed to do, also ensures high fuel efficiency and long range cruising, which sits in line with <a data-gid="gid://syiq/YachtModel/12554" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Alpha Squalo 10030.02m (98'6&quot;)">Alpha</a>’s approach towards sustainability. “There’s a misconception in today’s market that, by adding more electronics and gadgets, you automatically create a better boat,” yet often the opposite is true. “The more complicated you make a vessel, the more things you create that require maintenance.” <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5252" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Alpha Custom Yachts (Company)">Alpha Custom Yachts</a> instead focuses on “creating systems that are durable, intuitive and reliable for long-term ownership.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/395758/image/large-1424f9925cdca3c1115877f949e5d9c4.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/395758">While keeping the number of gadgets to a minimum, technology does play a crucial role in any <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5252" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Alpha Custom Yachts (Company)">Alpha Custom Yacht</a>s vessel. “Technology is extremely important for us,” shares Roberto, “but for us technology means simplification.” Making elements more simple and functional makes for happy yacht owners. “It’s a mentality that extends directly into the crew’s workflow and maintainability. A happy crew creates a happy yacht.” With that same thought, the yard has placed enormous importance on crew accommodations and facilities: “the crew lives onboard year-round - it is important they are comfortable and happy.”&nbsp;Especially the galley is a space of pride for Roberto, “we have an incredibly large galley,” he continues, “the space has a centre island, industrial refrigerators, freezers and extraction hoods, a Hoshizaki ice maker capable of producing 90 kilos of crystal clear ice per day.” For <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5252" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Alpha Custom Yachts (Company)">Alpha Custom Yachts</a>, Roberto emphasises, “the galley is one of the most important areas onboard; it directly impacts everyday life.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/395781/image/large-eca123327394f5b4dce944d6d68412a7.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/395781">Living the experienceA crucial element to designing a yacht for <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5252" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Alpha Custom Yachts (Company)">Alpha Custom Yachts</a> is onboard experience: “when you’ve lived aboard boats for enough years, travelled enough and truly experienced living at sea, you begin to understand the human needs of onboard living” shares Roberto, “you can study design at a desk, but living it opens up a whole new understanding.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/395757/image/large-c3608611ab7f6dd82cd72bba6d9c9e54.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/395757">This philosophy is not just extended to the yacht’s interiors, but also to the engineering of the Squalo 100. One such place is the engine room, which, onboard all <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5252" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Alpha Custom Yachts (Company)">Alpha Custom Yachts</a>, are designed with accessibility and functionality as priorities - the goal is to make the engine room and its equipment accessible and simple.Roberto explains how “comfort is an overall sensory experience - space, silence, vibration, colours, atmosphere - to truly feel comfortable and happy, you need to feel all five senses.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/395753/image/large-8a75feae7d000d25adda68409da4ead2.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/395753">One way in which the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5252" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Alpha Custom Yachts (Company)">Alpha</a> team has done this is by structurally separating the hull and superstructure, which dramatically reduces vibrations and sound transfer throughout the vessel. “You don’t hear generators, vibrations, nor conversation in any of the other staterooms. There is total silence onboard.”Another one of the senses <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5252" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Alpha Custom Yachts (Company)">Alpha Custom Yachts</a> is especially considerate of is smell. “You can walk into a beautiful boat but if it’s humid or there are unpleasant odours, it ruins the experience.” The yard has noticed that many of the odour-related issues don’t actually originate from black or grey water tanks themselves, but from low-quality piping systems that begin to sweat over time. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/395761/image/large-f1870b9a00c455b1e44bcca22a5b9127.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/395761">To prevent this, the Squalo 100 has incorporated high quality piping systems alongside a positive-pressure make-up air system designed to continuously renew and purify the air onboard. “Approximately six times per hour, the entire interior air volume is renewed with fresh air.” The result is a refreshing onboard environment.The air-flow design onboard the yacht has also been thoroughly considered: “we maintain more pressure inside the salon than outside, so when the doors open, fresh air escapes outward and blocks hot air from entering” Roberto explains. For the galley, the same construction is used, but flipped, “the galley maintains a lower pressure than the guest areas so that not all the cooking smells will spill into the staterooms and saloon.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/395762/image/large-48885ca43e88052e18731411f2ea3610.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/395762">Living in spaceA central element in the design of the Squalo 100 and all other <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5252" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Alpha Custom Yachts (Company)">Alpha Custom Yachts</a> is the ceiling height. “For me ceiling height is a must,” Roberto shares how this decision was rooted in a very human observation: “When tall people walk onto yachts, they have to check how much space sits between the top of their head and the ceiling - which often isn’t very much.” Combined with the Squalo 100’s full-beam saloon and master cabin, the increased ceiling height dramatically transforms the perception of the interior volume. “It creates a totally different feeling onboard.”Besides a spacious layout, a refreshing airflow and minimal yet high-end technologies, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5252" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Alpha Custom Yachts (Company)">Alpha Custom Yachts</a> offers additional personalisation for their yachts through elements like hull colours. “I had a client with a huge fascination for Porsche and he told me he wanted his hull the same colour of his Porsche Calipers brakes."<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/395763/image/large-5a734ebfefcf55bc0e5400e54e0d53fc.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/395763">“We have always been extremely flexible with customisation because we understand that every owner lives differently and expresses luxury differently.” This type of pursuit of individuality is the main reason that <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5252" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Alpha Custom Yachts (Company)">Alpha</a> has intentionally stayed a boutique shipyard. “We’ve done crazy things,” shares Roberto, “but if it doesn’t hurt the value or integrity of the yacht, we’re happy to make our client’s vision become a reality.”There’s a few elements that the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5252" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Alpha Custom Yachts (Company)">Alpha</a> team won’t compromise on, like the crew accommodations and facilities. Roberto shares how “the crew lives onboard year-round. If the crew isn’t comfortable or happy, the boat won’t be a happy boat.” While owners or guests spend maybe just over a week onboard, crew lives onboard and ensuring they feel at home is of utmost importance.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/395746/image/large-e1304f071c6fd249b2bf1a2b910fbc15.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/395746">A symbol of powerThe Squalo 100 carries an air of power. Its name stems from the Italian word squalo, meaning ‘Shark’. “A shark is the most efficient creature in the ocean. It’s powerful, intelligent, efficient, and naturally dominant.” For the shipyard, the name perfectly reflects its in-house philosophy. “<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5252" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Alpha Custom Yachts (Company)">Alpha</a> represents leadership, and the Squalo yacht represents efficiency, strength, personality and power.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/395767/image/large-999c901798381e697b3243b4b14b578f.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/395767">

Inside the design of Alpha squalo 100

Alpha Custom Yachts' Squalo 100, designed for spacious living on the water.

Alpha Yachts’ Squalo 100: Redefining human-centred yacht design

The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has upheld a lower court ruling that Eduard Khudainatov, the former owner of the 106.1-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/23" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Lürssen Yachts (Company)">Lürssen</a> superyacht <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6167" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amadea 106.1m (348'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2017">Amadea</a>, cannot claim ownership following her seizure in 2022, marking the last chance he had to appeal the decision.SuperYacht Times takes a look back at the full legal battle over the yacht’s ownership and the proceedings that led to the US Government’s forfeiture of the yacht.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/393887/image/large-ad933bf5db70a1d40d13082c78016610.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/393887">The seizure of AmadeaIn April 2022, U.S. authorities under the Biden administration, seized <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6167" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amadea 106.1m (348'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2017">Amadea</a> in Fiji as part of their Task Force KleptoCapture, which aimed at intensifying sanction enforcements against Russian oligarchs linked to President Vladimir Putin.&nbsp;Prosecutors allege that sanctioned Russian billionaire Suleiman Kerimov is the owner of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6167" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amadea 106.1m (348'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2017">Amadea</a>, while Eduard Khudainatov, the former chief of Russian state oil and gas company Rosneft, and his company Millemarin Investment claim that the yacht is under their ownership.&nbsp;Suleiman Kerimov was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department, in consultation with the Department of State in 2018 for his role as an official of the Russian Federation and a member of the Russian Federation Council. He was alleged to have moved hundreds of millions of euros into France, in addition to conducting standard fund transfers without disclosing the money to French tax authorities.The arrest of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6167" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amadea 106.1m (348'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2017">Amadea</a> was announced on 14 April 2022, but the Task Force KleptoCapture did not get the official green light for her arrest until 4 May. During this period a plea had been made by Millemarin Investment on the registration of the US warrant to seize <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6167" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amadea 106.1m (348'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2017">Amadea</a>.&nbsp;The Fijian Court of Appeals dismissed the plea on 27 May, opening an avenue for the U.S. Department of Justice to actualise the arrest and transport her to U.S. territory. From there, the yacht was locked in a legal battle for several years regarding her true ownership. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/393882/image/large-85002cf90fcbd0f9d3c4545d29a092c9.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/393882">The ownership structure behind AmadeaAccording to court documents, a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) in September 2021 showed that Millemarin Investments Ltd were committed to sell <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6167" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amadea 106.1m (348'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2017">Amadea</a> for €225 million to a Cayman Islands entity that was created less than one week before the deal. Under the agreement, the buyer acquired the right to use the yacht and assumed responsibility for her operating costs following the initial €45 million payment.Lawyers representing Millemarin claim the Cayman Islands-based company is owned by Khudainatov and because he is not currently sanctioned by the U.S, his legal team therefore challenged the seizure and forfeiture of the yacht.However, U.S prosecutors argue that the sanctioned Russian billionaire Kerimov was behind the Cayman Islands entity and that he allegedly used a web of shell companies to hide his assets, including <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6167" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amadea 106.1m (348'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2017">Amadea</a>, and evade international sanctions.&nbsp;It was alleged that Khudainatov was serving as the "straw” or nominal owner to obscure Kerimov's involvement.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/393883/image/large-99488250fa35ea39ce37fa28d4ff2747.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/393883">The court battle In October 2023, U.S. Justice Department filed a civil forfeiture complaint for ownership of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6167" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amadea 106.1m (348'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2017">Amadea</a> following her seizure and relocation to San Diego in 2022. The complaint was filed at the Manhattan federal court and marked the start of a lengthy judicial process for the US to seek ownership.The U.S. Department of Justice alleged in its complaint that Suleiman Kerimov bought <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6167" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amadea 106.1m (348'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2017">Amadea</a> in 2021, and then violated U.S. sanctions by making more than $1 million in maintenance payments through U.S. financial institutions.Just four months later, the U.S. government filed a petition to auction <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6167" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amadea 106.1m (348'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2017">Amadea</a> before the dispute over her ownership was resolved, stating that the yacht was currently costing the U.S government more than $7 million a year to maintain.A court filing by federal prosecutors in Manhattan told U.S. District Judge Dale Ho that <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6167" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amadea 106.1m (348'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2017">Amadea</a> currently had an “excessive” $600,000 monthly average maintenance bill, and urged the judge to consider an auction. They also alleged that talks to have Khudainatov pay for <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6167" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amadea 106.1m (348'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2017">Amadea</a>'s upkeep had broken down.&nbsp;In January 2025, the evidentiary hearing began to determine the ownership of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6167" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amadea 106.1m (348'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2017">Amadea</a>. Rachael Doud, Assistant US Attorney for the Southern District of New York stated that Kerimov’s niece allegedly paid €225 million to complete the sale of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6167" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amadea 106.1m (348'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2017">Amadea</a> in 2021 on his behalf and to bypass sanctions which had been imposed on him since 2018.According to Doud, Kerimov and his family used the vessel and had plans to use it further, with Khudainatov acting as a straw owner. Khudainatov’s lawyer Adam Ford argued that there is no evidence of a completed sale and characterised the agreement with Kerimov as a loan rather than a purchase.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/393875/image/large-a816cc99184d93f85c79dca79e3e1630.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/393875">Ownership claims rejected and yacht sold at auctionOn 10 March 2025, U.S. District Judge Dale Ho issued an 80-page ruling that stated that while Khudainatov retained the "bare title" to <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6167" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amadea 106.1m (348'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2017">Amadea</a> after September 2021, the true beneficial owner was sanctioned Russian billionaire Suleiman Kerimov.The decision marked a significant victory for the U.S. Department of Justice, prompting them to announce in August 2025 that <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6167" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amadea 106.1m (348'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2017">Amadea</a> would be offered for sale via a sealed-bid auction on 10 September 2025.The auction was administered by the National Maritime Services of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in accordance with a forfeiture order issued by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York (Case 1:23-cv-09304), with <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/158" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Fraser (Company)">Fraser Yachts</a> appointed as promotional agent for the auction.In October 2025, a spokesperson for the United States Marshals Service confirmed that <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6167" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amadea 106.1m (348'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2017">Amadea</a> had been sold at auction, with her new owner and price not disclosed. However, Khudainatov and Millemarin Investments submitted an appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, maintaining they were the beneficial owners of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6167" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amadea 106.1m (348'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2017">Amadea</a>. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/393872/image/large-9aac7473aea0108815459490aee8c9cf.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/393872">Final ownership appeal rejectedIn a decision issued on 1 June 2026, the court and circuit Judges Parker, Lohier and Merriam affirmed Ho’s previous ruling, confirming that Eduard Khudainatov and Millemarin Investments Ltd were unable to demonstrate a sufficient beneficial interest in <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6167" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amadea 106.1m (348'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2017">Amadea</a>.&nbsp;The court agreed with the District Court in the Southern District of New York, stating that Khudainatov acted as a "straw owner" and despite a sale agreement in 2021 that transferred control and economic responsibility for the yacht, he only appeared as the legal owner on paper, with the real economic ownership allegedly under the control of Kerimov.&nbsp;The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit confirmed that Khudainatov failed to demonstrate the type of beneficial interest required under US law to contest civil forfeiture proceedings.“With the standard of proof established, we review the District Court’s legal conclusions relating to standing de novo and its factual findings for clear error,” explained the court. “The District Court correctly concluded that the claimants’ legal title to the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6167" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amadea 106.1m (348'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2017">Amadea</a> did not itself establish standing to contest the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6167" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amadea 106.1m (348'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2017">Amadea</a>’s forfeiture. For the foregoing reasons, we affirm the judgments of the District Court.”As a result of this, the legal challenge over ownership has been brought to a close, with the Government’s forfeiture of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6167" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amadea 106.1m (348'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2017">Amadea</a> remaining in place, and no other avenues available for the claimants to pursue ownership arguments in the United States courts.Delivered in 2017, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6167" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amadea 106.1m (348'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2017">Amadea</a> features exterior design by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/82" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Espen Øino International (Company)">Espen Øino International</a>, while her interior was penned by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/67" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Zuretti Interior Design (Company)">Zuretti Interior Design</a>, with naval architecture by her builder <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/23" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Lürssen Yachts (Company)">Lürssen</a>. With a gross tonnage of 4,402, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6167" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amadea 106.1m (348'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2017">Amadea</a> can comfortably accommodate up to 16 guests across an eight stateroom configuration, alongside an impressive crew of 36.&nbsp;Amenities onboard include an infinity pool, a certified helipad, a private owner’s spa, a separate guest spa and two elevators. Powered by twin <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1409" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="MTU (Company)">MTU</a> engines, the yacht has a top speed of 20 knots, a cruising speed of 13 knots and a range of 8,000 nautical miles.&nbsp;According to AIS, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6167" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amadea 106.1m (348'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2017">Amadea</a> is currently located in Monaco.

Amadea yacht ownership appeal rejected

The US Court of Appeals has upheld the court ruling that Eduard Khudainatov cannot claim ownership of the 106m Lürssen yacht Amadea.

US Court rejects final appeal from ex.owner of 106m yacht Amadea

As Venice Climate Week runs from 3 to 8 June, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/374" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Sanlorenzo (Company)">Sanlorenzo</a> is calling for urgent investment in alternative fuel infrastructure across Europe. The company noted that the transition to next-generation sustainable yachts will depend on availability of energy infrastructure, rather than the speed of technological progress.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396223/image/large-103ef131c568767e63b19cb8b8a430ac.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396223">Executive Chairman Massimo Perotti presented the ‘Venice Call for Maritime Action’ at the event, an initiative formalised through an open letter addressed to Jessika Roswall, European Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy, and copied to Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission.“Across our industries, the technologies required to enable more sustainable mobility, employment and enjoyment at sea are no longer theoretical,” he stated in the letter. “They are real, advancing rapidly, and increasingly ready to move beyond experimentation and into everyday use.” The initiative calls for coordinated investment in green methanol supply chains and electrification infrastructure across key maritime hubs.<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/374" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Sanlorenzo (Company)">Sanlorenzo</a> noted that while it has already invested in bi-fuel methanol propulsion as part of its 'Road to 2030' strategy, adoption remains constrained by limited infrastructure. This case is &nbsp;particularly apparent in the Mediterranean, where availability across marinas is still minimal.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396224/image/large-fa3744cfa8c57f5776899c890d02e793.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396224">Currently, less than one percent of global methanol production is renewable, with supply concentrated in industrial ports such as Rotterdam and Antwerp-Bruges, leaving major yachting regions underserved.The ‘Venice Call for Maritime Action’ urges coordinated action among European institutions and policymakers, port authorities and coastal cities, energy producers and fuel suppliers, and industrial and technology partners to accelerate the transition. This includes including a six-month progress review to assess infrastructure development.The letter also pushes forward <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/374" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Sanlorenzo (Company)">Sanlorenzo</a>'s commitment to the following initiatives:&nbsp;<ul><li>Championing a future vision for more sustainable yachting</li><li>Continuing investment in innovation and technological progress</li><li>Supporting the development of viable and accessible energy ecosystems</li><li>Engaging in cross-sector collaboration to accelerate progress<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396226/image/large-dd7b8005406727dc9430ff3c953dbf09.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396226"></li></ul>The effort has already drawn support from across the maritime sector, including SYBAss, Professor Flavio Manenti of Politecnico di Milano, alongside representatives from marine technology, energy, and sustainability organisations.As one of the founding partners of Venice Climate Week, the company is using its Casa Sanlorenzo hub to convene industry dialogue under the ‘Planet Aqua, Planet Peace’ programme. The initiative brings together city leaders, scientists and industry stakeholders to address coastal resilience and maritime transition.Moreover, the group continues to advance its Road to '2030 strategy'. This includes the 50Steel Almax, the first superyacht to feature a methanol fuel cell system, and Bluegame’s hydrogen-powered BGH-HSV support vessel, developed for zero-emission operations during the America’s Cup."By aligning investment, infrastructure and policy, it is possible to unlock the next phase of sustainable &nbsp;maritime mobility and support the wider integration of alternative propulsion technologies across &nbsp;Europe,” Perotti concluded.

Sanlorenzo Venice Climate Week

Sanlorenzo is calling for urgent investment in alternative fuel infrastructure across Europe at the Venice Climate Week 2026.

Sanlorenzo urges acceleration of green methanol infrastructure at Venice Climate Week

Italy

The Genoa International Boat Show is a must-attend event for both the international yachting market and sea enthusiasts alike. As a leading platform for comparing and benchmarking institutional, technological, and market trends, this show offers a comprehensive overview of the global maritime sector.The 64th edition of the Genoa International Boat Show will take place from September 19 to 24, 2024, in the historic city of Genoa. This prestigious trade fair showcases some of the world’s most stunning boats, crafted with the latest materials and technologies. The event not only highlights innovations in the yachting industry but also provides a unique opportunity for enthusiasts to connect with the international market and explore cutting-edge maritime trends.

Market Insight

Genoa International Boat Show: Italian yachting industry achieves record growth in 2023