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The top 25 largest yachts in the world

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

1. Azzam | 180.6m

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

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

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

More about this yacht

More stories, 2. eclipse | 162.5m.

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

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

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

3. Dubai | 162m

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

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

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

4. Blue | 158m

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

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

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

5. Dilbar | 156m

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

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

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

6. Al Said | 155m

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

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

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

7. El Mahrousa | 150.6m

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

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

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

8. A+ | 147.3m

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

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

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

9. Prince Abdulaziz | 147m

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

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

• Builder: Helsingor Vaerft
• Country of build: Denmark
• Delivery year: 1984
• Length Overall: 147.01 m
• Beam: 18.3 m
• Gross Tonnage 8233 t

10. Opera | 146.4m

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

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

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

11. OK | 146m

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

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

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

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

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

12. Sailing Yacht A | 142.8m

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

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

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

13. Nord | 142m

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

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

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

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

14. Yas | 141m

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

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

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

15. Ocean Victory | 140m

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

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

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

16. Scheherazade | 140m

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

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

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

17. Solaris | 140M

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

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

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

18. Al Salamah | 139.3m

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

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

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

19. Luminance | 138.8m

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

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

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

20. Rising Sun | 138m

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

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

• Delivery year: 2004
• Length Overall: 138.01 m
• Gross Tonnage 7600 t

21. Flying Fox | 136m

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

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

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

22. Savarona | 135.9m

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

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

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

23. Crescent | 135.5m

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

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

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

24. Serene | 133.9m

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

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

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

25. Al Mirqab | 133m

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

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

• Builder: Peterswerft - Kusch
• Length Overall: 133 m
• Gross Tonnage 5000 t

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930 Superyachts for Sale Worldwide

Northrop & Johnson is proud to offer an extensive, global and all-encompassing selection of superyachts for sale. The superyacht sector comprises the world’s most luxurious, well-designed, top-performing yachts with a wide range of amenities and styles. We hope you find your dream yacht below. When you do, please contact a Northrop & Johnson sales broker to begin the buying process.

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Which Superyacht is Right for You?

The type of superyachts best suited for you depends on the on-water experience you want. You may want power and speed, ensuring a motor-powered superyacht is right for you. Alternatively, you may want to feel the wind pushing you across the water, so a sailing yacht is best suited for your needs. In either respect, the most popular superyachts feature incredible amenities, top performance and exceptional design that allows them to retain their value for resale or charter.

When choosing the ideal superyacht, you – with the help of your broker – will weigh various options and features, including style, type of yacht, build pedigree, crew layout, facilities, décor and more. Whether you are looking for a large, modern motor yacht or a classically styled gentlemen’s yacht, Northrop & Johnson has a wide selection of superyacht types available for sale.

When buying or building a yacht, remember: first and foremost, your yacht is for you and your family or friends to use. What type of experience and use are you looking for in your ownership? Are you interested in a new or used yacht? Custom built or semi-custom? How are you planning to use your yacht? If you are planning to charter your yacht to help offset some of the running costs, then factor in the charterer, but remember, a yacht is very personal and you must consider your own needs as a priority.

Types of Superyachts

What type of boat best suits your needs

The type of yacht will shape the experience for the owner. The most popular superyachts (be they sail or motor) have a combination of elements that make them strong across the board both during ownership and in resale value and charter success. From the style and type of yacht and the build pedigree to the crew layout, the facilities and even the décor, there are many factors that, when combined, influence the enjoyment of yacht ownership. Whether you are looking for a large, modern motor yacht or a classically styled gentlemen’s yacht, Northrop & Johnson has a wide selection of superyacht types available for sale. When buying or building a yacht, remember that first and foremost your yacht is for you and your family or friends to use. What type of experience and use are you looking for in your ownership? Are you interested in a new or used yacht? Custom built or semi-custom? How are you planning to use your yacht? If you are planning to charter your yacht to help offset some of the running costs then factor in the charterer, but remember, a yacht is very personal and it is important that you think of your own needs as a priority.

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Explore the latest arrivals in luxury yachting with our newly added fleet, setting sail with unparalleled elegance and cutting-edge design. Discover your next adventure on the pristine waters with our latest collection of exquisite yachts now available in the market.

FEBRUARY 29, 2024 NEWS

Maori 125 motor yacht for sale.

YEAR 2023, NEW ON THE MARKET READY FOR DIRECT DELIVERY LOCATION: ITALY - ASKING PRICE: PRICE ON REQUEST

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Mylius 60 black legend s sailing yacht for sale.

YEAR 2013, NEW ON THE MARKET READY FOR DIRECT DELIVERY LOCATION: FRANCE - Asking Price: ($888,899 USD EST.) €820,000 EUR

January 29, 2024 News

Aquamarina isa 470 superyacht for sale.

YEAR 2007, NEW ON THE MARKET READY FOR DIRECT DELIVERY LOCATION: DUBAI – ASKING PRICE: ($11,950,027 USD EST.) €11,000,000 EUR

FEBRUARY 12, 2024 NEWS

Benetti seagreen 113 motor yacht for sale.

YEAR 2020, NEW ON THE MARKET READY FOR DIRECT DELIVERY LOCATION: DUBAI - ASKING PRICE: ($23,326,715 USD EST.) €21,500,000 EUR

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Nautor's swan 60s flyer sailing yacht for sale.

YEAR 2016, NEW ON THE MARKET READY FOR DIRECT DELIVERY LOCATION: FRANCE - ASKING PRICE: ($1,997,732 USD EST.) €1,850,000 EUR

APRIL 11, 2024 NEWS

Cranchi settantotto 78 moshe motor yacht for sale.

YEAR 2021, NEW ON THE MARKET READY FOR DIRECT DELIVERY LOCATION: DUBAI - ASKING PRICE: ($5,261,124 USD EST.) €4,900,000 EUR

FEBRUARY 10, 2024 NEWS

Soyaslan marine dionysos 35 motor yacht for sale.

YEAR 2024, NEW ON THE MARKET READY FOR DIRECT DELIVERY LOCATION: MUGLA TURKEY - ASKING PRICE: ($13,751,820 USD EST.) €12,750,000 EUR

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Maori 125: a grand icon of maori craftsmanship.

The Maori 125 stands as an imposing figure, dominating the Maori fleet with its remarkable size and unique design. This vessel represents the pinnacle of Maori craftsmanship and has become an iconic project, showcasing the artistry and innovation that defines the Maori lifestyle. Its intricate detailing and advanced engineering make it a testament to the rich maritime heritage and technological prowess of the Maori people.

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A boutique yacht broker with over 14 years of experience and a dedicated team, claiming unparalleled expertise in the industry., my worldwide offices, our offices, discover personalized service and expert guidance, making your yachting dreams a reality. visit our offices today and embark on an extraordinary yachting adventure with us., unleash luxury - largest fleet of yachts for sale.

Discover a world of opulence with Marcus Yachting's extensive fleet of yachts for sale. Our unrivaled sales record instills trust in owners who repeatedly choose us to represent their yachts. From sleek sailing yachts to powerful motor yachts and new construction projects, our range offers abundant choices, spanning from 20m to over 100m in size. With specialists in every sector, if your dream yacht isn't here, we'll find it through our vast network of contacts.

EXCELLENT SALES RECORD

Marcus Yachting's impeccable sales record, forged through over a decade of precise market analysis, underscores its prominence in the yacht brokerage sector. This proven track record consistently draws clients seeking excellence in luxury yacht transactions, solidifying trust and loyalty.

Buyers and sellers repeatedly select Marcus Yachting for their expertise and dedication, knowing they'll receive unmatched assistance in navigating the complexities of luxury yacht transactions. With over 12 years of precise data analysis, our reputation for optimal results precedes us in the competitive brokerage market.

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Indulge in the epitome of luxury with Marcus Yachting's extensive fleet of exquisite yachts available for charter across the globe. Whether you desire a crewed motor yacht or a magnificent sailing charter, our expert brokers and yacht management are well-versed in curating unforgettable experiences. Let your dream holiday come to life as our team assists you in selecting the ideal superyachts for your discerning tastes. Begin your journey to unparalleled luxury and explore our stunning selection of charter yachts with water toys like jet ski etc, promising a vacation of a lifetime.

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Mega Yachts for Sale Worldwide

A mega yacht is generally understood to be a large superyacht that represents the absolute pinnacle of luxury yachting. View all mega yachts for sale worldwide here , including images and full specifications.

Exact definitions of mega yachts vary tremendously, although some believe that around 200 feet to be the starting size for a mega yacht for sale. Here in the United States however, the words ‘mega yacht’ is often used interchangeably with the words ‘super yacht’, which is used to refer to any privately owned-yacht over 80 feet in length.

Cinemas, helipads, spas, gyms and private owner’s decks with balconies are often standard fixtures on the larger mega yachts for sale – like the photos here show of yacht for sale NATITA – due to their luxury of size.

The biggest mega yachts will extend to basketball courts, large swimming pools, magnificent beach clubs and float-in tender garages to house sailboats, high-speed chase boats and even submarines.

One of the most famous features of a mega yacht was the (reported) missile shield on Roman Abramovich’s yacht Eclipse, which held the title of the largest private yacht on earth at 522 feet until it was ‘eclipsed’ by Azzam, a Lurssen mega yacht measuring in at a staggering 590 feet.

The palatial accommodations on board a mega yacht are superb for entertaining groups and hosting extended families. Mega yachts generally carry large crews to offer a simply spectacular level of service, with guest-to-crew ratios only dreamt of in elite hotels.

Because mega yachts over 200 foot are such extraordinary machines, there are a limited number of them afloat, although as the race for the biggest boat continues between the oligarchs we can expect this number to grow.

As of October 2015, there were only 200 yachts in the world larger than 213 foot. Given their rarity and ultimate exclusivity, the opportunity of purchasing a large mega yacht for sale does not appear often.

It’s useful, however, to know that the term ‘mega yacht’ is not a universally- recognized term and its exact meaning is debated, although it has gained common currency in the United States and in mainstream media around the world.

As mentioned, in the United States you will often find the words ‘mega yacht for sale’ being used interchangeably with the words ‘super yacht for sale’, yet in European yachting circles, the word super yacht is generally still preferred.  ‘Giga yacht’, meanwhile, is a relatively new word on the scene, often used to describe yachts over 100 meters, or 328 feet – but let’s not muddy the waters any further!

Regardless of what you call it, a mega yacht for sale is an investment offering an almost unbelievable level of luxury, performance and glamorous fun.

For further information about any of the mega yachts we have for sale, contact the team by email , by this sales inquiry form or by calling one of our yacht brokerage offices worldwide.

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Due to be launched in 2024, Vard's SOMNIO is set to be the largest superyacht in the world and the first ever 'yacht-liner'. With a LOA of 222m and a gross tonnage of 33,500, she is an unprecedented feat of design and engineering set to change the course of ultra-luxury travel. Winch Design and Tillberg Design are responsible for her interior and exterior design, a layout which features 39 exquisite high-end apartments offering the perfect combination of the superyacht lifestyle and premium hotel service. Amenities onboard will be aplenty, notably a 10,000 bottle capacity wine cellar and tasting rooms, a plethora of restraurants and bars, and a beach club with top-tier water sports offerings.

• Lurssen Yachts

On the 5th April 2013 Lürssen, the leading shipyard for large luxury yacht building, launched the 180m yacht AZZAM - the largest motor yacht in the world. The sleek and elegant superyacht features exterior design by Nauta Design.

Fulk Al Salamah

• Mariotti Yachts

This 164-metre (538ft) superyacht was built in Italy by Mariotti Yachts and now sits in the Omani capital as part of the royal fleet. The Italian built superyacht is currently the second largest privately owned yacht in the world, after Lurssen's Azzam.

• Blohm + Voss

Roman Abramovich's yacht Eclipse has received a huge amount of industry attention, not just for its size but for the celebrity of its owner. Eclipse is the largest and most expensive superyacht ever built. When initially ordered she was estimated to cost approximately £330million, by the time she was delivered however, her overall costs were closer to the £1billion mark due to the extra luxury fittings and security measures required by her owner. With a crew of up to 60, Eclipse is a giant of the sea. She was the fourth superyacht comissioned by Abramovich.

• Platinum Yachts

This magnificent yacht was originally commissioned by Prince Jefri Bolkiah of Brunei. Construction was suspended in 1998 and the vessel left unfinished until HH Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum secured the rumoured $300 million project. Platinum Yachts took the mega yacht to completion and in 2006 launched Dubai to become the world’s largest private yacht. Today however, Dubai is the second largest privately owned yacht in the world.

Launched in February 2022, Project Blue is Lurssen's latest secretive yacht project. With little revealed about her specifications and designers, her expansive size was confirmed by the German shipyard following her launch: an incredible 160m. Project Blue will be Lurssen's second-largest superyacht, and is due to be delivered in 2023. She was recently spotted in Bremerhaven, Germany, making her way out to sea for her maiden sea trial. She is expected to have a beam of 21m, and a gross tonnage of 15,320 GT. Her other specifications are currently unknown.

Originally known as Project Omar, the 156 metre superyacht Dilbar was launched in 2016 after over 4 years of construction. A favourite with yachtspotters worldwide, Dilbar is considered the largest superyacht in the world by volume.

Like most royal superyachts, little is known about Al Said, a giant mega yacht formerly codenamed "Project Sunflower". She was delivered to the Sultan of Oman in 2008 as a replacement for a smaller mega yacht of the same name. At a stunning 155m, Al Said consists of six large decks and features striking exterior and interior design by Espen Oeino International, the same company that designed the stunning 127m mega yacht Octopus. According to reports, Al Said is said to accommodate as many as 70 guests and 154 professional crew, as well as featuring a concert room capable of accommodating a 50 piece orchestra.

When construction of A+ (formerly named Topaz) first began she was forecast to be the 4th largest yacht in the world and to measure approximately 147m (482’3’’ft). Having left her floating shed at the Lürssen shipyard located in Bremen, Germany, she is now ready to claim that mantle and undergo the final phases of construction.

Prince Abdulaziz

• Helsingor Vaerft

As one of the yachts of the Saudi Royal Family, Prince Abdulaziz is used to conduct official business as well as for pleasure. The largest yacht built in the 20th century, the interior alone took 15 months to complete. Originally built for the late King Fahd of Saudi Arabia who named the yacht after his son, it is now owned by his brother Abddullah.

Very little is known about Lurssen's mysterious superyacht OPERA. At 146m, the superyacht will be the sixth largest yacht Lurssen has built at the time of her launch in September 2022. OPERA was first spotted in May 2021 when she transported to the yard's Bremen outfitting facilities in Germany.

El Mahrousa

• Samuda Bros.

This Egyptian presidential yacht is not only one of the world’s largest but also one of the oldest. Built in 1865 in London, the yacht was intended for the King of Egypt. Originally named Mahroussa, El Horriya was extended in 1872 and again in 1905.  Nowadays she is berthed in Alexandria and is listed as a training ship by the Egyptian Navy.

Developed by German shipyard Lürssen, construction of Project Luminance is underway at their facilities near Lemwerder. Due to enter the esteemed list of the Top 10 largest superyachts in the world, information about the 145m superyacht is limited at this moment in time. Lürssen are world-famous for their incredible innovations and their capacity to build extremely large mega yachts filled with numerous features. Photos that have been captured of the boat indicate that she will have considerable deck space with plenty of room left over indoors to be packed out with luxury.

SAILING YACHT A

Sailing Yacht A is a highly unique vessel, with an LOA of 142.81m. She is one of the world’s largest and the most advanced superyachts with a number of unique features, including an underwater observation pod, hybrid diesel-electric propulsion system and premium navigation systems. Her three masts are the tallest and most highly loaded freestanding composite structures in the world. Her futuristic design was created by Philippe Starck, her smooth silver-metallic surfaces challenging the expectations of conventional aesthetics.

As one of the most well-known builders of Top 100 yachts, Lurssen's NORD (formerly Opus and Redwood) has been highly anticipated as one of the largest ever to launch from the German yard. Also the largest project set to launch in 2020, at 142m, she will accommodate up to 36 guests in 20 cabins and was designed by Nuvolari Lenard.

• ADMShipyards

The 141m superyacht Swift141, now christened 'Yas', was successfully launched by ADMShipyards in November 2011; entering the record books as both the largest launch of 2011 and most significant superyacht in recent history. ADMShipyards, members of Privinvest, has proudly announced the launch of their first superyacht. At 141 meters, this stunning private yacht ranks as the sixth largest superyacht in the world.

• Lloyd Werft

Project Solaris is the revolutionary explorer yacht built by German masters of engineering Lloyd Werft. Topping off the yard's record for ultra large luxury yacht build, Project Solaris is an estimated 139m+ explorer yacht at the German giant's shed.

Scheherezade

As with most yachts in construction at Lurssen, little is known about this 140m project. We do not yet know the designer or architect, but she has been spotted moving around the build-hall. Her sightings have lead yacht spotters on the docks of the yard to aptly name her 'Project Lightning.' We hope to see her launch towards the end of 2019.

Ocean Victory

• Fincantieri Yachts

The largest yacht ever built in Italy and one of the ten largest in the world, Fincantieri has announced the successful delivery of Project Victory - a 140 metre superyacht launched in 2014 - under the official name of Ocean Victory.

Code named as Mipos (short for Mission Possible) during her construction, Al Salamah belongs to Saudi Arabian Defence Minister Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz. Kept a great secret, rumours tell that she has over 80 rooms, a helipad, and an indoor swimming pool complete with glass roof. A real working wonder, this yacht was completed in 1999 after only two years.

The global megarich are paying up to $2 million a week for superyacht rentals but smaller boat charters are down

Sales of luxury yachts may be down but the world’s megarich have found another, more instantaneous way to get their high seas kicks — chartering a swanky boat instead.

Total chartered days for yachts longer than 50 meters has increased since 2020, according to  IYC , a global firm specializing in the sale and charters of luxury yachts. Vessels between 60 to 70 meters posted the most growth last year, at 10%, whereas shorter yachts aren’t nearly as popular as before.

IYC Chief Executive Officer  Raphael Sauleau  said he’s seeing more customers willing to pay a higher premium for the ultimate ocean experience. Clients are willing to pay more for a so-called advanced provisioning allowance, which covers on-board expenses like food and service, of up to 40% compared to the standard 30% of the total charter fee, he said.

New customers are coming to yachting “with an appetite for larger yachts,” Sauleau said. Compared with smaller vessels, these floating villas come with more privacy, better facilities and a larger crew. A bigger range of large models that’s become available over the past three years has also contributed to higher bookings, he added.

Fraser Yachts , a major international broker, is experiencing a similar phenomenon, receiving 7% more charter bookings for yachts over 60 meters in 2023 versus prior years. Across yachts of all sizes however, the number of charter days reported last year was 19% down on 2021.

It’s a quirk that would seem to chime with the trend of super luxury brands defying a broader luxury slowdown. Hermes International SCA, for example, saw Chinese buyers  snap up its products . Hermes typically caters to the most affluent customers, making it more resilient in a challenging luxury goods market.

At the same time, sales of floating palaces are waning, the Superyacht Times said in a  report  in March. Sales of superyachts, generally defined as boats longer than 30 meters, contracted 20% in 2023 from 2022 and are well down on 2021, when many rich people splurged on boats to travel in a safe and exclusive way.

Stacy Fischer-Rosenthal , the president of luxury travel and lifestyle consultancy Fischer Travel Enterprises, said she’s expecting to help clients charter at least 10 yachts this year. Most of the interest is around megayachts — or yachts above 60 meters — and prices range from about $700,000 to $2 million a week, she said.

Wealthy people may be shying away from outright purchases due to geopolitical worries and global conflicts.

Fear of more widespread fighting in the Middle East and Russian’s war in Ukraine “seem to make some buyers nervous, particularly those in the market for very large new builds,” the Superyacht Times said.

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Squad of orcas sinks 50-foot yacht in Strait of Gibraltar

S trait of Gibraltar - Off the coast of Morocco, in the waters of the Strait of Gibraltar, a massive fifty-foot yacht was sunk by orcas who rammed the hull and rudder of the ship.

A squad of orcas, made up of an unknown number of individuals, assaulted a ship off the coast of Morocco on Sunday, inflicting serious damage to its hull and rudder that resulted in the eventual sinking of the vessel.

The 50-foot ship, named the Alboran Cognac, was carrying two people at the time, who felt the strong and sudden blows that came before the boat started taking on water.

Luckily, the two passengers managed to contact rescue services and were picked up by a nearby oil tanker which then took them on to Gibraltar. The ship itself was left afloat when they were rescued but eventually sank.

The pod of orcas that took down the yacht on Sunday is likely to be, though not definitively, the same pod of 37 that have been attacking vessels in the strait of Gibraltar since roughly 2020.

After a vessel was repeatedly rammed off Shetland in the North Sea, the Dutch yachtsman onboard, one Dr Win Rutten, described the encounter in frightening detail.

Orca attack part of a worrying trend

"What I felt [was] most frightening was the very loud breathing of the animal," said Rutten, according to the Guardian . "Maybe he just wanted to play. Or look me in the eyes. Or to get rid of the fishing line."

The trend of orca attacks has even spawned its own hashtag – #orcauprising – with many wondering why orcas seem to be attacking humans and projecting human motivations onto the world's largest dolphins .

While many believe that the orcas are trying to attack humans, Philip Hoare (the writer of Leviathan and Albert and the Whale) said , after experiencing his own orca interaction in Sri Lanka, that he was skeptical.

"If that species wanted to do anything with us in the ocean, they could," explained Hoare. "If killer whales wanted to start attacking people, disabling small vessels is a very strange way of going about that. They could just start eating swimmers all over the place."

Instead, many believe that the orcas are simply interacting with human vessels both out of curiosity and because they may enjoy the feeling of the boats against their skin.

Whatever theories there may be, though, there is no definitive and scientifically proven reason for the steep increase in boats sunk by orcas over the last few years.

Often referred to as "killer whales," while these apex predators are some of the most effective hunters and most dangerous animals in the ocean, it is extremely rare that they attack humans. Interestingly, orca attacks against humans are far more common in captivity than they are in the wild.

Increasing orca-vessel "interactions" (a term preferred by scientists) in the Strait of Gibraltar and elsewhere, therefore, poses more of a risk that boats will be wrecked and crew drowned than a risk that people will be eaten by these magnificent creatures.

ARTICLES / MAY 16, 2024

New Supreme Court Ruling Impacts Yacht Owners

In the wake of the recent U.S. Supreme Court's ruling on marine insurance policies, yacht owners face a litany of new legal considerations. Fortunately, Lockton is here to help navigate these changes and ensure coverage remains effective.

THE DISPUTE

The situation began after the owner of a yacht submitted a claim for damages incurred when the vessel ran aground off the coast of Florida. The insurance carrier denied the claim, stating that the yacht’s fire suppression system was out of compliance with the terms of its policy. Here’s the kicker: There was no fire onboard the yacht.

It’s not uncommon to find situations where an insurer cites “breach of warranty” to deny a claim when there is an unrelated failure by a policyholder to comply with the terms of a policy. However, that was not how this case was argued.

The issue here was “choice-of-forum,” regarding whether or not the carrier can specify where a lawsuit can be adjudicated. This includes states with a history of legal rulings favoring breach of warranty denials.

The Supreme Court ruled that choice-of-forum provisions have been consistently upheld under maritime law since the late 1950s and ruled in favor of the insurance carrier.

The ruling actually safeguards maritime law, as it gives both insurers and insureds predictability regarding how the terms and conditions of a policy will be interpreted. This is especially important given the inherent mobility of the insured vessel.

So, what’s the problem? Marine insurers typically request New York as their preferred venue for trial. Why? Although the state does not allow carriers to deny claims for unrelated breach of warranty issues, it has a specific clause stating that this law does not apply to marine insurance policies.

RESOURCES FOR OWNERS

As a yacht owner, your best bet is to seek guidance from an insurance broker with deep experience dealing with intricate marine policies. When you work with Lockton, we start by meticulously examining existing insurance contracts to identify potential gaps or areas of concern.

After our analysis, we may recommend designing new insurance contracts or modifying existing ones to better align with your needs and preferences. By leveraging our longstanding carrier relationships, Lockton can often negotiate favorable terms to ensure you have appropriate coverage should you need it.

STEPS YOU CAN TAKE

While the review is being conducted, you can take this time to proactively minimize your potential exposures. This may include investing in safety measures, conducting regular maintenance checks, and adhering to relevant maritime regulations and best practices.

Most importantly, you’ll want to maintain accurate records of correspondence and policy documentation. A paper trail can prove invaluable in the event of a dispute, helping defend claims and facilitating the resolution process.

DISTINCTLY LOCKTON

By leveraging Lockton’s professional guidance and implementing comprehensive risk management strategies, together we can build a winning strategy that safeguards your yacht and gives you peace of mind as you travel the open seas.

To learn more about how Lockton can support owners of motorboats, sail boats, yachts, and mega yachts, visit our website (opens a new window) today.

For additional information regarding the legal implications of this ruling, view Lockton’s article, “ Supreme Court’s marine choice-of-law ruling is a win for insurers, with a silver lining for policyholders (opens a new window) .”

The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. Please consult with a Lockton representative for information regarding specific insurance products and services.

by    Private Risk Solutions

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The Mad Scientist and the Killer Whales

By Tomas Weber

Tomas Weber

T he five animals took an hour to put the sailboat beneath the waves. At the end of October 2022, four men, each in his late twenties, set sail from western France toward Lisbon. Augustin Drion, an experienced sailor from Brittany, was one of them. He had come to lend a hand to a friend from engineering school, Elliot Boyard, who owned the 39-foot sailing vessel. From Portugal, they planned to cross the Atlantic to the Caribbean. They would cruise around the islands for a year. Then they would return home. 

He heard a crash. The boat shook, and Drion lost his balance. “What happened?” he shouted up to the others. There was banging on the hull from the outside. The crew looked over the side and saw black fins breaking the glassy surface. Five killer whales , each more than half the length of the boat, their glossy skin shining in the sunlight, were taking turns swimming into the back of the sailboat, ramming the rudder with their heads. With each crash, the boat jolted into a new direction. 

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After a while, Drion began to worry about the boat’s structural integrity. He went down into the cockpit. This time, there was water on the floor. A steady stream flowed in from a crack in the stern. The boat was quickly flooding, and it was starting to sink. Boyard put out a mayday call. The nearest vessel was 60 minutes away, and the men inflated the lifeboat. They wanted to stay on the sinking boat for as long as possible, worried that the orcas might decide to sink their life raft, too — which would be catastrophic. But the water was rising quickly, and they all crowded into the blow-up dinghy. They looked around. The killer whales had gone. A Swedish yacht arrived to pick them up. The men watched the top of the sailboat’s mast disappear beneath the swells.  

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The group of orcas that live around the Iberian Peninsula are the only killer whales that attack boats, and researchers know very little about them. There is only one scientific paper about their new hobby. The Portuguese government has advised sailors to stop moving if killer whales hit them, and wait for them to get bored — which is what Drion and Boyard did instinctively. The Spanish authorities, though, say keep going. In 2020, the Spanish government banned small sailing boats from a part of northwestern Spain. Meanwhile, the attacks are spreading. This community of orcas, documented in the Strait of Gibraltar since the Roman Empire, consists of nearly 90 animals. Some scientists believe that all of them now ram sailing boats. What triggered the behavior is unclear. One hypothesis, though, has taken off: The orcas are seeking revenge. 

The notion of killer whales with vendettas against humans — whether for injuring them with boat propellers, or for picking their tuna hunting grounds clean, or for ruining the climate, or for capturing their brothers and sisters and imprisoning them in swimming pools — took the internet by storm last summer. You can buy stickers and mugs of the Gladis orcas. “Fuck them boats.” “Eat the Rich.” “Support for Comrade Gladis.” 

But these aren’t superyachts. The orcas tend to leave fishing boats alone, too. The targets include humble craft, sailing boats of the kind you can buy for the cost of a cheap used car. For their owners and crew, many of whom are not, by sailing standards, especially wealthy, the attacks are terrifying. The most recent sinking was last October. There is no reliable way to deter them, and sailors are completely at their mercy. 

Which is why, in January 2022, the Spanish government asked Renaud de Stephanis, a 48-year-old Spanish orca expert, to figure out a solution to the problem. De Stephanis, who has a grizzled beard, shaggy hair, and bronzed aging-surfer skin, has been studying this group of orcas since the 1990s. Last December, I flew to Gibraltar, crossed the border into Spain by foot, and drove west along the coast toward a ramshackle house perched upon a cliff above the strait to spend a week with him. 

HIS HOUSE IS difficult to pinpoint in the hills above Tarifa, a hippie kite-surfing town at the southernmost tip of mainland Europe. I arrive at the door after getting lost, and a 27-year-old marine-biology intern named Maggie cracks it open. De Stephanis isn’t home right now, she says. He’s at sea. “Be careful,” de Stephanis had warned a few days earlier on Facebook: The orcas are now in the strait. Maggie isn’t sure how long he’ll be. But I can wait for him here. 

From the top of the house I can make out the cliffs of the Moroccan coast. A procession of freight ships chugs between the Pillars of Hercules, two promontories that frame the entrance to the Atlantic Ocean: one on the European side, the other in North Africa. For ancient mariners, the two pillars were a warning: Advance no farther. They marked out the edges of the known world and the start of nothingness. According to classical mythology, the Strait of Gibraltar was Hercules’ handiwork — eight miles across at its tightest point. Why would Hercules make it so narrow? To stop sea monsters from coming up into the Mediterranean, wrote Diodorus Siculus, an ancient-Greek historian. The protector of mankind had built a bottleneck for blocking civilization off from the wild.

There are three interns, and they tell me they hardly ever see de Stephanis, despite living in his little house for many months. “He has mad-scientist vibes,” one of them tells me over tapas. Some days, de Stephanis remains in his bedroom morning to night, announcing “Today doesn’t exist.” Or he waits out bad weather and rough swells in his sleeping bag in the living room with an old movie — Gladiator is his favorite. But as soon as conditions are right, he slips out onto the strait again, searching for Gladis. 

Which is what he’s doing as I wait, passing the time trying to decipher a Spanish translation of Moby Dick I find on a shelf in his office, beside crossbow darts used for extracting whale biopsies. That evening, as de Stephanis steps through the door just in time for spaghetti and meatballs, I remember I’d read he was an ex-rugby player — his cetacean obsession had followed a short professional career, and he still has the physique of a feared enforcer. His wet blue eyes are a little bloodshot. They appear to intimidate the interns, who were chattering happily until the moment he walked in. 

Nobody has died. But sailors worry it’s just a matter of time.

After dinner, de Stephanis kindles a log fire. He tells me about changing ancient seafaring routes, passages sailors had followed since before the ancient Romans. A few months earlier, he had announced that boats should avoid the deep waters in the middle of the strait where the orcas usually strike. Sailors obeyed, and today most vessels in the area hug the coast. Diverting boats seems to delight him. He stands up and starts pacing the living room. “Super fun,” he says. “I like it.” 

THE MORNING OF Jan. 10, 2023, was cloudy and calm on the Strait of Gibraltar. De Stephanis and his team of five stepped into an inflatable Zodiac and sped out of Tarifa harbor in the direction of Morocco, past the statue of Christ at the port’s entrance. It was the first day of their government-funded project to understand how to deter the killer whales. First, though, the crew had to check if they were even around.  

It was in these waters that once swam the first killer whales to ever be described in writing. “The killer whale, a creature that is the enemy of the other species and the appearance of which can be represented by no other description except that of an enormous mass of flesh with savage teeth,” wrote Pliny the Elder in A.D. 77, “charge[s] and pierce[s] other whales like warships ramming.” But in the winter, killer whales are less common in the Strait of Gibraltar. They often follow the bluefin tuna into the Atlantic, and de Stephanis didn’t expect to see them. Standing on the blow-up tube on the side of the boat, he scanned the horizon. He was not ready to begin any experiments. As far as he knew, the orcas never went for inflatable boats. 

Once in the deep water, though, two killer whales started approaching them quickly from behind. Their black-and-white faces were rhythmically emerging from the water as they swam, their eyes fixed on the boat. The pair got closer and closer, until one lifted the Zodiac out of the water with a gentle tap of its nose. It happened again. Everybody on the boat was knocked toward the bow. De Stephanis’ heart was pounding. He worried the orcas would destroy the boat on their first day of work. “I wasn’t scared,” he tells me with a smirk. “OK, I was fucking scared.” 

The killer whales played with the blow-up craft for about an hour. Sebastian Lang, a German photographer who lives in Tarifa, had come aboard for the ride. A few years earlier, Lang had been snorkeling at a nearby spot with pilot whales, long black cetaceans with bulbous foreheads that are the only animals Iberian orcas appear to fear. One of them took Lang’s arm in its mouth and swam down to the depths, delivering him back to the surface just before he passed out. As the orcas rammed the fragile inflatable, Lang zoned out again, but this time with a feeling of awe. “My brain shut off,” he tells me. “I wanted to look at them for hours and hours.”  

He tried out a pinger that played a high-pitched sound, which some sailors say repels the whales, and found it seemed to attract them instead. He played recordings of pilot whale calls — but he worried they would drive the orcas out of the strait altogether, so he stopped. He dragged decoy rudders behind the boat to see which designs they preferred, and he deployed a prototype deterrent rudder covered with soft spikes. It appeared to be effective. What he failed to prove, though, was the reason for the behavior — although what conclusive evidence of that would look like is hard to imagine. Still, de Stephanis has a theory. 

ON A BRIGHT and clear day a few months later, de Stephanis was approached by a group of orcas, including one with a deep wound gouged into his dorsal fin. It was Gladis Black. De Stephanis shows me underwater video he had taken with a GoPro attached to a stick. Beneath the boat, Gladis Black rotates into a vertical position, and presses and rubs the pointed black tip of his face against the rudder. His face and white chin are covered with scratches and scars.

Was he seeking revenge? This theory, it seemed, had originated with Alfredo López, an animal biologist at the University of Aveiro in Portugal. Lòpez believes that one of the orcas could have been harmed, perhaps by a fishing line, and that the behavior might be a response to injury. “Complete bullshit,” says de Stephanis, who has known Lòpez since 1999 through attending whale conferences, and has little respect for him. “I call him ‘the expert,’” he says with a mocking smile. “He’s no friend of mine.” He adds: “He knows I know that he has never seen an orca.” 

It’s worth pointing out here that de Stephanis has attracted controversy, too. He has studied the orcas at Loro Parque, Spain’s version of SeaWorld, which still keeps four animals in captivity. The conservation foundation connected to the park has also given him grant money. De Stephanis says he opposes keeping orcas in captivity: We shouldn’t capture any more, he tells me — but as long as they are there, they can be useful to biologists.

Gonzàlez tells me she doesn’t care what de Stephanis thinks of Lòpez’s work. Still, team Lòpez and team de Stephanis battle it out in Facebook comments — and just as the attacks have become a craze among the orcas, Lòpez’s trauma-and-revenge hypothesis quickly became a meme among human onlookers. “Killer whales orchestrating revenge attacks on boats,” wrote the New York Post in 2020. “Revenge of the orcas?” asked the Washington Post in May 2023.

Every orca researcher I speak to agrees that Lòpez’s hypothesis is implausible. Even Drion, whose experience with the orcas felt like an attack, compares the whales to a powerful dog playing rough with a small child. It feels scary, and it’s certainly dangerous — but to the dog, it’s just a game. 

If they wanted to sink the boat, they’d jump on it and the game is over.

“If they really wanted to sink the boat,” Drion tells me, “they would just jump on it and the game is over.”

But the attacks could still be a result of how humans have harmed killer whales, de Stephanis says. In 2010, overfishing decimated the bluefin tuna population. During that period, the orcas birthed fewer calves. With fewer siblings to play with, de Stephanis wonders, were boisterous juveniles choosing boats as their playmates instead? OK — but then why are the adults joining in? That’s not so surprising, he tells me. Humans aren’t so different. His daughter is trying to teach him TikTok dances. 

Whether or not that story holds water, de Stephanis is convinced Lòpez’s trauma-and-revenge idea is wrong. The behavior is play through and through. But as de Stephanis fills the house with chaos, shouting and blasting Independence Day at 8 a.m., I can’t shake the idea that this interpretation, that it’s nothing but horseplay, overlaps almost too neatly with what he himself seems to share with the orcas. 

 STILL, DE STEPHANIS is probably right. If the orcas do intend to destroy boats and harm people on them, they could do that easily by smashing holes in the hull — but they never do. They are obsessed only with the rudder. And the idea that the behavior developed in reaction to an injury from a fishing line, or even because of overfishing, is dubious, because the orcas very rarely, to our knowledge, attack fishing boats — for unclear reasons. More than that, though, is the fact that every killer whale scientist I speak to repeats the same thing: These creatures just don’t carry vendettas.

Orcas have “one of the most elaborated brains on the planet,” says Lori Marino, a neuroscientist, expert in whale behavior, and founder and president of the Whale Sanctuary Project. An orca’s cerebral cortex is more convoluted, more intricately folded, than a human’s — which gives them an extraordinary ability to learn, remember, think, and feel. Killer whales lead a rich emotional life, and share some complex feelings with humans, Marino says. They experience empathy, they mourn their dead, and they are probably smart enough to understand why an individual might want to harm another in vengeance — to impart a lesson, for example, or to discourage future attacks. Which makes it even more remarkable that, in the wild, orcas never do. 

In the 1960s and 1970s, when orcas in the northeastern Pacific were repeatedly terrorized by boats that kidnapped their relatives and put them into captivity, they never attacked vessels of any kind. Unlike highly intelligent terrestrial mammals, such as chimps, gorillas, or humans, there is very little evidence that wild killer whales have ever sought revenge. (Although orcas in captivity have killed trainers, those animals were probably psychologically disturbed by their environment, says Marino.) When a chimpanzee steals food, the victim often retaliates. An aggrieved macaque will settle scores, sometimes attacking a family member of the perpetrator. But orcas don’t do that. “They have adapted in a way that eliminates the need for aggression,” says Deborah Giles, a killer whale researcher at the University of Washington.  

What looks like revenge against humans, Whitehead says, is a behavior that may be a kind of culture, a way this community of orcas now strengthens its group identity. Orca obsessions can quickly turn into collective fads. Take their eating habits. Most wild animals are not fussy gourmands. But the orcas that live in the seas around Antarctica eat tiny penguins, and when they kill them, they discard everything other than the breast muscles. Orcas that eat other whales usually enjoy only the lips and the tongue and leave the rest to wash up or rot. Each community of killer whales speaks in its own dialect, and off the coast of Australia, in a place called Shark Bay, orcas adorn their noses with ornamental sponges. In the 1980s, the salmon-eating orcas of the northeastern Pacific fashioned hats from the carcasses of their prey. They wore them all summer.

Outside of humans, the complexity and stability of these cultural forms is unparalleled. Boat ramming is just the latest of these practices. But when we, another eminent cultural animal, seek to understand what killer whales are up to, we can’t help but see them through the pinhole of our own cultural practices and group dynamics. We look beneath the surface with ape eyes, and we see territoriality and retaliation where we should see cultural behaviors that have little to do with land-based violence — which results in orcas with apelike vendettas going viral. 

FOR MOST OF my stay with de Stephanis, the ocean is too rough to go out upon. On my last day, though, there’s a window of calm, and he wants to show me the orcas before I leave. I offer to drive us to the port in my rental car. He thinks I’ll probably drive too slowly, and bombs down the hill on his motorbike. At the port, we meet a man named Salva, who will control the boat while de Stephanis scans the surface for fins. We hop onto the Zodiac, motor past the Jesus statue and out into the strait, and squint into the horizon until our faces hurt. 

 We see hundreds of silvery dolphins breach and spin in the air. We see a pod of pilot whales and a languid sunfish drifting on the surface. We see a yacht in the distance between a stream of cargo ships, underway in deep water. The captain is resisting de Stephanis’ advice. “That could get him into trouble,” says de Stephanis. But the yacht will be lucky: The killer whales are nowhere to be seen. They are probably already hunting tuna in the open ocean. Perhaps, I think, they’ve abandoned their craze. Maybe they’ve even developed a new fixation. 

 I drive back to Gibraltar feeling a little deflated, and while I wait for my flight, I walk up the European Pillar of Hercules. Near the top, a sign warns me about macaques, the only wild monkeys that live on the continent, which “may behave aggressively.” For a few minutes, I watch them lounging peacefully in the sun, then turn around and fly home. 

 But two months later, the orcas, fresh from the open seas, swim back into the Strait of Gibraltar. At dusk on Feb. 4, their fad apparently now their tradition, a way of life, five individuals begin to ram the back of a large sailing boat, in rough seas six miles off the coast of Tangiers. “We saw them heading straight for us,” says the French captain. “Aggressive and lively and very fast.” 

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• The Inventory

Clarence Thomas Refuses To Answer Answer Questions About His Sketchy RV Loan

Thomas refuses to be forthcoming about the terms of the deal..

Clarence Thomas , the Supreme Court justice who loves road trips in his RV almost as much as he loves stripping people of their rights, got himself into some hot water recently when the New York Times revealed the money for the RV came from a wealthy friend who later forgave the loan. Thomas reportedly made very few payments before the loan was “satisfied,” although many of the details of the arrangement they had are still unclear. As the New Republic reports , Senate Democrats aren’t happy about that and recently sent him a letter demanding more details.

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Specifically, Senators Ron Wyden and Sheldon Whitehouse want to know how much of the loan was forgiven because that would have amounted to “a significant amount of taxable income” that it appears Thomas never paid. “Your client’s refusal to clarify how the loan was resolved raises serious concerns regarding violations of federal tax laws,” the senators wrote.

Since the story broke, the Senate Finance Committee, which Wyden chairs, has been investigating Thomas and the RV loan but hasn’t been able to get many details. The committee has been given some documents, but they only show that Thomas paid some of the interest until 2008 when Anthony Welters, the friend who had loaned him the money, forgave most of, if not all of the loan. Thomas reportedly never included the forgiven loan in his 2008 Financial Disclosure Report. He also hasn’t yet said whether or not he ever paid taxes on the amount that was forgiven.

Elliot Berke, Thomas’s lawyer, did respond to committee pressure last month, but the letter he submitted didn’t offer much in the way of details. Instead, it said Thomas “made all payments” on a “regular basis until the terms of the agreement were satisfied in full” and claimed that he had satisfied judicial disclosure requirements. Details about the specific terms of the loan, how much he paid, how long he paid, whether he was paying off the principal or just the interest, how much was forgiven still remain unanswered. Both senators are now demanding answers.

“This raises the question of whether this justice is in compliance with federal tax law, which requires a disclosure of forgiven debt and taxable income,” Wyden told the New Republic. “The central question is: Did he ever repay the principal?”

As Stephen Vladeck, a University of Texas at Austin law professor, told the New Republic, the questions the senators are asking also have implications beyond the issue of whether or not Thomas never paid taxes on a forgiven loan. “We subject all federal judges — including the justices — to financial disclosure rules because we are worried about even the appearance that they are deciding cases in ways that are consistent with their financial interests,” Vladeck said. “We want judges and justices who are participating in the system and not subverting it.”

Depending on how things go, Thomas may come to regret not taking John Oliver’s offer of $1 million a year and a $2.4 million RV to just retire.

math outline essay

‘Bad Boys’ and ‘Road House’ Remind Filmmakers What Florida Has to Offer

By Todd Longwell

Todd Longwell

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The Sony Pictures sequel “Bad Boys: Ride or Die” made headlines as it rolled through a succession of Florida locations in late February and early March, with reports of crews “spark(ing) buzz” filming on the A1A Highway in Fort Lauderdale, fans catching a glimpse of stars Will Smith and Martin Lawrence in Brickell, and traffic tie-ups in Miami. 

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The state has served as the primary shooting location for many memorable projects, from movies such as “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective” (1994) to the TV series “Miami Vice” (1984-1989) and “Burn Notice” (2007-2013). But these days, major Florida-set productions are more likely to resemble Apple TV+ series “Palm Royale,” which was only there long enough to do aerial shots of the Bath & Tennis Club in Palm Beach, and Netflix’s remake of “Road House,” which was filmed almost entirely in the Dominican Republic.

The reason is simple economics: since the sunset of the Sunshine State’s film and TV tax incentive in 2015, productions have gone elsewhere, most notably its neighbor to the north, Georgia, which offers a 20%-30% refundable tax credit.

“We worked very closely with a lot of industry stakeholders to research around the country and around the world as to what would make sense in terms of putting these percentages together,” says Marco Giron, chief of film and entertainment in Miami-Dade County. 

In Broward County, located in the Miami metropolitan area, producers can choose from a menu of incentives, including the Sun-Screen Program ($1.5 to $5 million county spend; 20% rebate capped at $800,000) and the High Impact Film & TV ($5 million minimum county spend; 15% rebate capped at $2 million).

“Since I’ve been here, we’ve had 12 movies that fully shot here because of the incentive program,” says Lighterman, who preceded Giron in Miami-Dade before taking the top film job in Broward in December 2021.

But movies aren’t the only yardstick of success. The film and TV industry generated a record $247 million in local expenditures in Palm Beach County in 2023, up 3% from 2022, on the strength of unscripted shows such as “Hot Yachts” (ITV/Paramount+) and the Netflix docuseries “Break Point.”  

One of the drivers of its success is the Palm Beach County Film and Television Commission’s sponsorship and development program, which encourages the production of content that promotes local tourism. To be considered for funding, shows must have distribution outside the county, reaching potential visitors. After airing on their original platforms, they become available on demand on the Palm Beaches TV channel. Projects participating in the program have included Travel Channel’s “Pets in Paradise” and PBS’ “Travels and Traditions” with Burt Wolf.

“In many cases, they wouldn’t have the budget to do these types of things, so it’s been an incredible success for us,” says Palm Beach County film commissioner Michelle Hillery.

In the case of actress of Julia Stiles’ directorial debut “Wish You Were Here,” however, the primary reason a large portion of the shoot took place in Florida was not incentives (it didn’t get any), the valuable help it received from the Palm Beach and Broward County film commissions or the connections producer Michelle Khan made shooting commercials in the state. It was, in fact, a boat.

“There’s a catamaran featured in one of the final scenes in the film that we were able to get for a relatively affordable price down there,” says Khan.

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