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124m Katara: A Royal Palace at Sea

By Heather Collier

Little is known about Katara, as she has remained shrouded in secrecy for more than a decade. Reportedly built for the Qatari Royal Family, this custom Lürssen superyacht instantly grabbed headlines as one of the largest yachts in the world.

Launched and delivered in 2010, this breath-taking $400 million floating palace is believed to be owned by Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the former emir of Qatar, and was designed by Espen Øino , with interior spaces penned by Alberto Pinto.

Katara is rumored to feature a Beach Club with sea-terraces, a heli-pad, a cinema room, a Jacuzzi, several swimming pools, an elevator, an ample number of beauty salons and gyms, an array of jet skis, tenders, underwater lights, and other luxury ammenities.

Due to her lack of outdoor space and visible coverings, a lot of these ammenities are said to be inside the vessel or concealed for the benefit of privacy, with her interiors and specifications not publicly known.

The 7,922-tonne vessel offers more than enough room for those venturing on board, comfortably accommodating up to 34 guests and 95 members of crew, and at 124 metres long, she is said to be longer than a FIFA World Cup football field.

Katara is built with a steel hull and aluminium superstructure, with teak decks. Refitted in April of this year, she boasts a robust performance thanks to twin diesel MTU (20V 1163 M94) 20-cylinder 9,925hp engines, and cruises with ultimate stability at 15 knots, reaching a maximum speed of 20 knots.

As her name suggests, she is truly a remarkable 'celebration' of exceptional yacht-building; encapsulating the perfect balance between opulence and sophistication.

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Katara superyacht owned by Qatar royal family arrives in Falmouth

Built by Lurssen in 2010, the superyacht, named 'Katara' is a 124-metre luxury motor vessel

• 21:48, 4 AUG 2020
• Updated 22:29, 4 AUG 2020

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A superyacht reportedly owned by the Qatar royal family - and reportedly worth over £200 million - has arrived in Cornwall.

Built by Lurssen in 2010, the superyacht, named 'Katara' is a 124-metre luxury motor vessel and it has just arrived in Falmouth.

Featuring a helipad and two life rafts on her upper decks, it is speculated that the yacht has a two-deck-high main saloon.

Katara was built for the previous Emir of Qatar, father of the current Emir.

She flies under the Qatari flag and her home port is Doha, according to superyachtfan.com.

The luxurious vessel is reportedly one of the world’s largest yachts, and can travel at a top speed of around 20 knots, but generally cruises at a comfortable 15 .

According to the Super Yacht Fan website, the impressive megayacht has a length of 124 meters (408 ft) - which would make her the 14th largest yacht in the world, says superyachtfan.com .

Katara is set to leave Cornwall's shores on August 6, according to the Falmouth Harbour Commissioners' website.

Just some of the plush amenities aboard the Katara include a lift, helipad, beach club, swimming platform, a gym, spa, on-deck jacuzzi and a swimming pool.

According to Yachtcharterfleet.com , Katara offers accommodation for up to 34 guests, and is also capable of carrying up to 95 crew onboard.

The website says: "The 124.4m custom motor yacht motor yacht 'Katara' was built by Lurssen in Germany at their Lemwerder shipyard, she was delivered to her owner in 2010. The yacht's interior has been designed by Alberto Pinto."

Charterworld.com says: "KATARA motoryacht was built at the German shipyard Lurssen, who are the largest high quality builder of large mega yachts, such as this formerly called project Crystal.

"Her impressive naval architecture was designed by the Lurssen in-house naval architects, with the exterior design by the world renowned designer Espen Oeino.

"Katara megayacht was launched in April 2010. She features a steel hull and aluminium superstructure, carrying the hull number 13656.

"As her name suggests, the motor yacht Katara is flying a Qatar flag."

Also currently docked in Falmouth is The World, a residential cruise ship which has been in the port since May. There are no passengers onboard.

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Katara superyacht owned by Qatar royal family arrives in Falmouth

Wednesday, August 5th, 2020

Written by: Marine Industry News

Built by Lurssen in 2010, the superyacht, named ‘Katara’ is a 124-metre luxury motor vessel and it has just arrived in Falmouth, says Cornwall Live .

The yacht’s reportedly owned by the Qatar royal family – and said to be worth over £200 million.

Featuring a helipad and two life rafts on her upper decks, Katara was built for the previous Emir of Qatar, father of the current Emir.

She flies under the Qatari flag and her home port is Doha, according to superyachtfan.com .

The luxurious vessel is reportedly one of the world’s largest yachts, and can travel at a top speed of around 20 knots, but generally cruises at a comfortable 15.

Katara is set to leave Cornwall’s shores on August 6, according to the Falmouth Harbour Commissioners’ website.

Just some of the amenities aboard the Katara include a lift, helipad, beach club, swimming platform, a gym, spa, on-deck jacuzzi and a swimming pool.

According to Yachtcharterfleet.com , Katara offers accommodation for up to 34 guests, and is also capable of carrying up to 95 crew onboard.

Also currently docked in Falmouth is The World, a residential cruise ship which has been in the port since May. There are no passengers onboard.

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Huge £300m superyacht owned by Qatari royal family spotted in Cornwall among heatwave staycation crowds

• Published : 15:35, 5 Aug 2020
• Updated : 12:03, 23 May 2023

A £300 million-pound superyacht belonging to the Qatari Royal Family has docked in the UK.

The Katara, one of the largest mega super yachts in the world, was spotted berthed in Falmouth, Cornwall , next to luxury cruise liner The World.

It is believed the yacht is owned by the 40-year-old current Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani or by Sheikh Nawaf bin Jassim Bin Jabor Al-Thani, chairman of the Katara Hospitality Group.

The 7,922 ton yacht, complete with helicopter deck, satellite domes, tenders, and jet skis, was built in Germany at the Lurssen yard.

She is powered by two 9,925 hp engines, giving Katara a top speed of 20 knots.

The boat is due to leave Cornwall tomorrow, according to the Falmouth Harbour Commissioners' website.

Up to 34 guests can stay on board the yacht and it has capacity for 95 crew members.

The yacht is one of the largest in the world.

It is 124m long and generally cruises at about 20 knots.

Katara superyacht docks in Cornwall

Owned by the 40-year-old current Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani or by Sheikh Nawaf bin Jassim Bin Jabor Al-Thani.

Made in Lussen, Germany.

Weighs 7,922 tonnes, and 124m.

It has 17 cabins and five decks.

Features a helicopter deck, satellite domes, tenders, and jet skis.

Powered by two 9,925 hp engines, giving Katara a top speed of 20 knots.

34 guests can stay on board the yacht and it has capacity for 95 crew members.

Made in 2010, and designed by Albert Pinto and Espen Oeino.

According to Charterworld.com, the boat, which flies under the Qatari flag, was launched in April 2010.

"Katara motoryacht was built at the German shipyard Lurssen, who are the largest high quality builder of large mega yachts, such as this formerly called project Crystal," the yacht's description reads.

"Her impressive naval architecture was designed by the Lurssen in-house naval architects, with the exterior design by the world renowned designer Espen Oeino."

Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani took over from his dad as the Emir of Qatar seven years ago.

He is worth about £939million, half of his dad’s estimated net worth of £1.9billion.

The family's wealth comes from the Qatar Investment Authority, which controls oil and gas reserves.

CORNISH NASTY

Meanwhile, Cornwall Council has slammed "ignorant" visitors for refusing to wear masks as thousands descended on beaches this weekend.

Worried locals fear a regional lockdown will be enforced and blasted huge crowds for turning the south coast into "Benidorm on steroids".

Cornwall  Council deputy leader Adam Paynter said there are fears in the community of a rise in  coronavirus  cases due to the inlux of vistors.

He also hit out at "ignorant" tourists who have been refusing to wear masks as they head to the south west to soak up the 37.8C heat.

Speaking on LBC, Councillor Paynter said: "I've heard two different incidents where people have been overheard saying: 'Well, I'm not going to wear a mask. 

"I came down here to get away from all of that'.

"I think that's pretty ignorant thinking that coronavirus doesn't exist down here."

Mr Paynter said he has heard reports of visitors shrugging off face covers as they claim they are on holiday to "get away" from the outbreak.

Cornwall has seen "unprecedented" numbers of visitors flocking to its beaches - leaving some locals too scared to leave their homes.

The superyacht has docked in the UK as a heatwave hits this week.

Sun-seekers flocked to coastal hotspots as an 'African heatflare' prepares to blast the country.

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• Foreign royals

Royal superyacht graces into Palma

The owner owns the spanish segunda division football club málaga cf.

The superyacht "Yasmine of the Sea" seen here in Escorca last year. | MATI MANGO

This week another of the largest super yachts in the world the " Yasmine of the Seas " arrived in the port of Palma from Monaco.

The 80-metre-long luxury yacht belongs to Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Abdullah Al Ahmed Al Than who is from the Qatari ruling family and a distant relative of Qatar's previous ruler Sheikh Hamad and owns the Spanish Segunda Division football club Málaga CF as well as several thoroughbred racing horses.

The " Yasmine of the Seas " was built in 2001 at a Dutch shipyard. 24 guests can stay there, the number of crew members is 33. Originally, the ship was called " Stargate ".

Last September part of their crew was confined for Covid-19.

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• Super yacht in Mallorca
• Yasmine of the Sea moored in Palma

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Check out Nancy Walton Laurie's $300 million superyacht that features a helipad, swimming pool, and aquarium

• Walmart heiress Nancy Walton Laurie owns a multi-award-winning $300 million superyacht.
• "Kaos" was built by Oceanco, the same company that built Jeff Bezos' $500 million megayacht.
• The 361-foot yacht was recently spotted by a TikToker in Miami, Florida.

A superyacht owned by Walmart heiress Nancy Walton Laurie attracted attention recently after being spotted in Miami, Florida.

A TikToker posted a video of "Kaos," Walton Laurie's 361-foot luxury yacht, as it was moored outside her "front door."

"Oh wow, this thing is huge," Bridget Brick says in the video, adding that the yacht "looks like a small city."

@bridgetbrix Never a dull day in Miami, as another, mega yacht pulls up outside my front door. Did you know it’s easy to look up any information about a yacht? I learned this while in Portofino, and from this little search, you can tell who owns yachts & who rents them. 🙊 # #miami # #miamilife # #yacht # #yachts ♬ original sound - Bridget Brick

Walton Laurie, worth $7.5 billion according to Bloomberg Billionaires Index , is the youngest daughter of Walmart co-founder James "Bud" Walton. She inherited her father's stake in the company when he died in 1995.

According to Bloomberg , she has a stake of less than 5% in Walmart, with the rest of the family's holding controlled by her sister, Ann Walton Kroenke. 

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Walton Laurie is the founder of a New York-based dance group called the Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet. She also owns a dance studio located in Columbia, Missouri called the Columbia Performing Arts Centre.

According to Yacht Bible , Kaos has four decks and room for 31 guests as well as 45 crew, with the largest deck boasting a swimming pool and even an aquarium. 

It also has a large cinema, sauna, and full spa facilities, the site says.

Photos shared by the Superyacht Times appear to show other features such as a helipad, a jacuzzi, and storage space for a smaller boat. 

"Kaos" was built in the Netherlands by Oceanco, a custom yacht builder which also constructed Amazon founder Jeff Bezos' $500 million megayacht .

"Kaos" was previously named "Al Menwar" by the House of Thani, the Qatari royal family, per the Yacht Bible.

The yacht was fully refitted in 2020 by Luerssen in Hamburg, Germany, per the Yacht Bible, while the interior was redesigned with help from Reymond Langton Design.

Walton Laurie reportedly also owns another lavish superyacht called "Secret," according to Robb Report .

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Worth more than Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos combined, the Qatari royal family leads a life so decadent that even kings and billionaires can only dream of – Their $400 million yacht is longer than a football field, they stay in mega palaces, and their private jet is a Boeing 747.

The Bugatti Chiron has also been spotted zipping members of the House of Thani around town on occasion. The massive car collection of the royal family of Qatar includes supercars like the Bugatti Veyron Vitesse Rembrandt Legend, Bugatti Chiron Grey, a LaFerrari Aperta, Lamborghini Centenario White coupe, and even a Lamborghini Centenario Roadster. The royal fleet of hypercars also includes a McLaren P1.

Note – As of writing, according to Forbes Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos are worth $191.4 billion and $131.5 billion respectively.

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A Peek Inside The Extravagant $335 Billion Life Of The Qatari Royal Family

The royal family of Qatar is one of the richest surviving dynasties in the world.

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The ultra-luxurious abode of the qatari royal family, the royal family travels in style, the family's love for sports.

A long lineage of descendants from the Banu Tamim tribal confederation has given rise to the House of Thani, which is Qatar's ruling royal family headed by Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani . Currently, the Emir of Qatar, or what is more commonly called the ruler of Qatar, is Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. They are among the richest royal families in the world . Just like any other royal family, this one also has a wealth of riches beyond anything an ordinary person could ever dream of and cannot imagine.

Several reports have stated that the Qatari royal family holds a whopping $335 billion in net wealth, which is a staggering amount in the world of finance. It's no surprise that the Qatari Royal Family is living their luxurious lives, buying real estate, superyachts, and buying sport teams.

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It's everyone's dream to have a mansion, especially in the heart of London. It seems like Sheikha Moza bint Nasser Al-Missned, the former Emir of Qatar's wife, thought the same thing when she reportedly bought a Cornwall Terrace for $80 million. She then paid an additional $40 million for 2-3 Cornwall Terrace.

The luxurious 1 Cornwall Terrace spans 21,500 square feet and includes seven bedrooms, 11 reception rooms, nine bathrooms, beauty treatment spaces, and a leisure complex with a gym and heated indoor swimming pool. Meanwhile, the nearby 2-3 Cornwall Terrace offers six bedrooms and 14,000 square feet. According to media sources, the family intended to convert the five-story, Grade I-listed terraced buildings into a 17-bedroom mega-mansion worth an estimated $230 million.

However, not everything is as it seems as according to records obtained from the Pandora Papers investigation, the Qatari family evaded paying $18.5 million in stamp duty by purchasing the houses through offshore firms, according to the BBC. Similarly, the family purchased the property at 2-3 Cornwall Terrace.

One way to tell a person's status is by the car that they drive. When you're a part of the Qatari royal family, it's only natural for you to go only the best. The Chiron is one of the most popular automobiles in the world from the  German then French manufacturer Bugatti . However, the supercar is not widely owned because of its high price and exclusivity. A member of Qatar's royal family is driving the Bugatti Chiron on one occasion.

However, this is not your typical Bugatti Chiron. Based on the Super Sport 300, the Chiron variant set the world record for the fastest car, reaching 300 mph (482 kmph). The Super Sport has a top speed of 273 mph or 440 kmph, while the Chiron Sport has a top speed of 261 mph or 420 kmph. Bugatti only produced 40 Divos, with costs starting at $5.08 million and growing dramatically as consumers ticked a few options boxes and made special requests.

This is not, however, the only Bugatti Divo possessed by a member of Qatar's royal family. Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani owned a Divo and was observed driving it around London earlier this year. He transported the hypercar to the United Kingdom alongside his Lamborghini Sian FKP 37 and Ferrari Monza SP2.

It's undeniable that people with money love buying extravagant boats. Hence, it was not surprising when a $348 million superyacht owned by the Qatari Royal Family was sighted parked in the UK in August. The Katara, one of the world's largest superyachts , was seen docked in Falmouth, Cornwall, near the luxury cruise liner, The World.

This isn't the only yacht in his collection; the Qatari royal family also owns the multi-million dollar cruiser, 'Al Mirqab,' which Forbes magazine named one of the most beautiful yachts in 2008 and belonged to one of the world's wealthiest men, Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, who chose Skiathos for another vacation.

Before sailing in the Aegean Sea's clear blue waters, all 50 crew members on the yacht were tested for the Covid-19 virus. Medical staff and a molecular analyzer are available on the yacht, allowing for continuous testing. Dubbed the floating palace, this superyacht contains 12 rooms, two pools, a gym, a movie theater, and even a Jacuzzi. Besides handcrafted furniture, the vessel is decorated with works of art by famous artists like Picasso and Van Gong.

Qatar's royal family loves sports, without a doubt. Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has been known for promoting the desert nation's international reputation through sports. In addition to being the head of the National Olympic Committee, he oversaw Qatar's bid to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and he is a critical player in the purchase of the Paris Saint-Germain football club.

The Qatari royal family's member Sheikh Abdullah Bin Nasser Al-Thani purchased the Spanish club Málaga for $44 million in June 2010. During his visit to the Al Bayt Stadium Park in August 2022, the Emir also walked with students from primary schools in order to raise awareness about sports and encourage young people to adopt healthy habits. So, it is without a doubt that the Emir loves sport.

However, he isn’t the only Qatari royal family member who loves it—In September 22, it was reported that Qatari royal family member Khalid Faleh al Thani expressed interest in buying struggling Serie A club Sampdoria. Although Sampdoria consistently plays in Serie A, the club has suffered relegation in recent years due to instability.

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Sources: Middle East Eye , BBC , Yachts International