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The world’s biggest yachts – what’s behind the growth of the gigayacht

• Helen Fretter
• March 14, 2017

The last few years have seen launches of some of the world's largest yachts, truly gigayachts. Helen Fretter delves into the world of the gigayacht

Dwarfing not only any other yacht that happened to be on the River Eider, but even the buildings along the foreshore, the monolithic Sailing Yacht A made quite an impression when she was launched from the Nobriskrug yard in Hamburg in the autumn of 2016.

The 142m, eight-deck behemoth is the archetypal ‘gigayacht’, phenomenal not just in her dimensions but also in her radicalism.

The Philippe Starck-designed Sailing Yacht A , with her 20m freeboard, begs the question: is she even a sailing yacht? The last yacht to divide opinion, and attract the shock and awe of the non-sailing public in the same manner was Maltese Falcon , the glossy, experimental megayacht designed for Silicon Valley venture capitalist Tom Perkins.

But the Falcon was launched a decade ago, and Sailing Yacht A is just one of a crop of extraordinary gigayachts, or sailing superyachts of 80, 90 or 100m plus, to touch the water in 2016.

Besides the 142m Sailing Yacht A , another three-masted design was launched from OceanCo this autumn, the 106m  Black Pearl , which looks set to become the largest sailing yacht in the world – for a while at least. Black Pearl represents a modern evolution of the rotating Dynarig pioneered by Maltese Falcon . Meanwhile in the spring, the largest Bermudan rigged yacht ever launched, the 86m ketch Aquijo , powered through sail trials in preparation for a global adventure.

There are more in the pipeline also. Royal Huisman announced this autumn that they had been commissioned to design and build the 86m Project 400 , another three masted design, this one more conventionally rigged. A proposal for the 114m Endurance has just been unveiled, an explorer concept designed to be able to cruise unassisted for three months. There is also the 86m Komorebi , an experimental wingsail-assisted hybrid trimaran design from the French multihull experts VPLP.

Rise and rise of the gigayacht

Why the sudden flurry of these stratospherically ambitious projects? In truth, it is not that sudden – initial pitches for what ultimately became Sailing Yacht A were invited back in 2008, and pre-studies began in 2011. A decade between projects seems rather shorter when design and build takes at least five years – gigayacht owners may be exacting, but they also have to be extraordinarily patient.

The 141m four-masted Dream Symphony is currently in build out of wood in Turkey, and includes vast living accommodation, and a swimming pool that converts to become a helipad platform.

What is remarkable, though, is how rapidly the yachts have grown in size – raising the upper ceiling from 88 to over 140m in a decade. Dutch naval architecture firm Dykstra has been instrumental in many of the world’s most innovative megayachts, including Sailing Yacht A , Black Pearl , and Maltese Falcon .

Managing director Thys Nikkels comments, “Ten years ago a big boat was a very different size than a big boat is now. I can still remember when I started working in ’91 a 40-metre yacht in those days was a big boat. In the mid-90s we started to design the yacht Athena , which we thought was the biggest boat we were ever going to see in our lives, as a sailing yacht she was 80 metres on the water.”

The largest single sloop rigged yacht in the world remains Mirabella V , launched back in 2003 and since renamed (and slightly lengthened during a refit) M5 at just over 77m. Rob Doyle, who worked on the project led by Ron Holland, recalls:

“We started designing her 17 years ago now. We hit a very natural sweet spot with Mirabella and that’s why it has taken so long for other boats to suddenly go over her length and over her rig height.

“ Mirabella still has the highest ‘P’ measurement [distance from boom to top of mast] and the longest boom in the world, though there are taller masts now.

“She set a bar and we didn’t realise we’d actually set it. It came down to a ratio of the rig weight to the draught and the keel weights, and everything else to be able to carry that amount of sail and that ballast to satisfy the rules.

“We pushed technology a lot – about 16 companies went bust over Mirabella  because the jump was so massive. We were jumping from a 64m to a 75m [yacht] and that jump was like learning to fly, then going to the moon!”

Article continues below

Video of Sailing Yacht A, the world’s largest sail-assisted vessel, during early sea trials

This video footage of Sailing Yacht A shows her with her towering free-standing masts and illustrates the jaw-dropping scale of the world’s…

A look on board the extraordinary 86m Aquijo, the world’s largest ketch

The largest Bermudan rigged ketch ever launched, the 86m Aquijo was designed by Bill Tripp and launched last year. The build came…

Ken Freivokh, who was responsible for the radical styling of Maltese Falcon , also points out that after the much publicised launch of the Falcon many buyers did not want to be seen to be emulating Tom Perkins’s unique style, preferring to wait, or opt for a conservative design. After the Falcon , Freivokh’s next radical Dynarig yacht was Black Pearl , which he began work on six years ago. At 106m Black Pearl dwarfs Maltese Falcon , with a 2,700GT volume that puts her just under the key 3,000GT limit.

Surprisingly, Dykstra’s Thys Nikkels says that the Dynarigs being built today are not markedly different to the one developed for Maltese Falcon a decade ago. “In concept it is not very different. In detail there are a number of improvements that have been made.

But Maltese Falcon was – for her time – years far ahead and she proved to be very successful in sail handling and sailing, so there are not many improvements to be done. Nowadays you just have different materials you can use, or different electronics and software systems that you can use for control.”

Maltese Falcon, launched in 2006, pioneered the Dynarig concept utilised on many of the next generation of larger gigayachts.

Sail handling

Meanwhile a decade of development in superyacht rigs and sail systems, means that Aquijo ’s owner could opt for a conventional ketch rig, which can deploy over 3,000m2 of sails in around six minutes.

Sail handling routines are necessarily different – the jib is furled when tacking. “Vitters organised a nice system that keeps just a nice amount of tension on the jib sheets furling in and out so that they are not flailing about,” explains Aquijo ’s designer, Bill Tripp. “So it’s not a dinghy tack, but it is safe and orderly.

“The spinnaker is on a fast furler and furls up in 30 seconds, making gybes less complex. There is the ketch choreography of bringing the main and mizzen in, but the steering is precise and there is no need to put too much sail up for the conditions.”

Aquijo master cabin

The forces generated on yachts such as Aquijo may be enormous – mast compression can reach around 580 tons – but are no longer beyond the realms of riggers’ experience. “When we started building boats like Saudade [the 2009 45m Wally], 14 tonnes was a very big load. Once we understood racing these boats, and understood they were controllable, you can take another step.

“We were delighted when sailing Aquijo upwind in a lot of breeze that the load on the mainsheet was showing around 12 tonnes. It’s 2:1 so that’s 24 tonnes. I’m not saying that’s not a massive load, but it’s similar to what we have on Saudade ’s big sheet 1:1, and we have years of experience with handling that.” Custom built 40 ton carbon and alloy winches help manage the sheet loads.

Tripp notes that a Dynarig was never considered as an option. “What you’re really asking is do you want the ease of sailing or do you want to be able to access something exciting? And we wanted both of them.

“Sailors tend to like the more fundamental experiences, and when the technology allows them to access those more fundamental experiences, well that’s a great joy.”

Aquijo is the world’s largest ketch, with a mainsail that can be furled or unfurled in around four seconds

Finding the limit

Just how big can a sailing yacht go? Five years ago plans were unveiled for a 101m sloop, with a single 125m carbon mast, which raised a few eyebrows and discussions over whether it might be possible. Malcolm McKeon worked on the proposal and says that it was the cost, rather than technical limitations, which put the brakes on the project.

“It was an evolving process. The owner has a 50m-plus sailing superyacht, and he wanted a new yacht big enough that he could put a reasonably sized chase boat on board. He wanted an explorer type sailboat that he could go to the Pacific on, and carry all his toys with him, and not have to have a support boat.

“The design started at 65 or 70m and it just grew and grew and grew until it got to 100m, and then it basically just got too expensive.

Recent sail trials on Sailing Yacht A saw the 1,464m2 mainsail unfurled from the 27.5m carbon U-shaped boom. Incredibly she is designed to heel up to a maximum angle of 12 degrees under full sail.

“The big problem with the large sail boats is the mast price goes up by a bigger proportion to everything else so the rig price becomes a much bigger percentage of the overall build. Technically it can all be done, it’s just the value of that part becomes a much more significant part and sometimes more difficult for an owner to accept.

“If somebody came to me and said they wanted to build a boat with a 200m mast I would think well, is that really possible? Certainly rigs up to 100m and a bit more I think are possible today, but where we’re going to go after that I don’t know.”

Rob Doyle points out that sailing superyacht owners pay around a 30 per cent premium over opting for a motoryacht, yet the boats lose around a third of the equivalent interior volume. However, for him the biggest limitations are the humans onboard.

“I think we are coming to a stage where we need a new type of rig, to be honest, to be able to safely deploy these sails without killing people. I think we are getting very close to where the metal meets the flesh at the deck level where the people and the guests are hanging around.”

With the ever-increasing winch and line speeds needed to handle the huge loads, serious hand and limb injuries can happen in the blink of an eye. “There is a moral hazard there that keeps playing on my mind,” says Doyle. “We are building very dangerous machines and we have to be very careful of people.”

The newly announced Endurance concept design is a 114m four-masted explorer design with a 6,000 mile range under power.

More prosaically, the bigger your gigayacht, the bigger the challenge of just getting on and off it. “Once you are getting to a stage where you can’t get into anchorages you are in constant fear of drifting – even putting down an anchor you need a huge amount of space around you.

“So then you anchor further out into the slop and the big waves, so the owners find it difficult to get on and off the boat, and suddenly other problems can overwhelm the project,” Doyle points out. One increasingly popular solution to that particular problem is a luxury landing craft.

Too big for the Panama Canal

It might seem counter-intuitive, but it is Aquijo ’s owner’s focus on the sailing experience that has enabled the designers of the 86m ketch to push the size limits of a traditionally rigged yacht.

“ Aquijo is a sophisticated machine and brings most aspects of a 1,600GT motor yacht with her,” comments designer Bill Tripp. “But she does not aspire to helicopters or submarines, the feeling of the boat is one of use. She is for getting out there, and for going out sailing. In Greece this summer, she would go out for an afternoon of sailing in 35 knot Meltemi because it is so much fun to sail at 20 knots, as if on rails.

“We have always done sailboats that can get under the Panama Canal bridge, and the biggest we were happy to do and put under the bridge was really 46m because after that we didn’t have big enough sails for the boat.

“Then five years ago we launched A Better Place , and the owner said ‘I’ll go around, I don’t want to limit my boat because of the bridges.’ With Aquijo they said, we want to go to these places anyway, so let’s get the best sailboat we can. So suddenly, instead of having this 63m limit on the rig, that all opened up and we could start doing a sailing boat that had a gross tonnage like some of the bigger motoryachts.

“I think we’re going to see more of that. You can look at the Strait of Magellan [an alternative route to rounding Cape Horn ], as a place that’s a really long way away or a place you really want to go.”

The three-masted Black Pearl  has an angular ‘Pacman’ bow with a wave-piercing reverse sheer lower section, and extended traditional foredeck above

The wish list

Russian billionaire Andrey Melnichenko is keeping his Sailing Yacht A tightly wrapped under non-disclosure agreements, but a few intriguing details have been released, including magnifying windows which appear larger inside than outside, and a gimballed crow’s nest, accessible by lift, 60m high in the curved mast.

An observation pod embedded in the keel with foot-thick glass gives a mesmerising – and frankly terrifying-sounding – view of the propellers, and there’s a three-man submarine.

Gigayacht designers have come up with some imaginative solutions to meet owners’ foibles and demands. Drawings for the 101m sloop incorporated an entirely retractable hardtop to the flybridge to give the owner his requested uninterrupted view of the sails and sky.

Plans for the Japanese-influenced Komorebi design feature a live tree on the aft deck. Watersports toys are old news – now tender garages are specified to house motorbikes, amphibious quad bikes, even custom-built marinised supercars.

On Aquijo , the headline feature is the ‘beach club’ on the lower deck. “For a sailing boat it is a huge area, they have a sauna, hamman [Turkish Bath], a rainfall shower, a relaxing area, this huge whirlpool in the middle, a little pantry, and enough space for gym equipment around the pool,” explains interior designer Robert Voges.

Beach club on Aquijo.

Voges says the trickiest element on the yacht was the flawless high shine steel mast claddings which run through the interior. “It is like a piece of art. The mast was going through the main saloon and guest corridor, and we didn’t want to hide it. So we decided to make a feature out of it with seamless stainless steel cladding with integrated LED strip lights from top to bottom over two decks.”

One of the most radical projects in progress is the 141m Dream Symphony , a four-masted design currently in build in Turkey. Originally slated for launch this year, the project is progressing slowly – in part due to the fact the yacht is constructed of wood. Her design includes a large aft deck swimming pool that transforms into a raised helipad area.

This is the type of concept which seemed fantastical just a few years ago, but is now reality in the motoryachts world where designs like the 81m Alfa Nero have deployed it successfully.

“It’s a good solution because you usually have to drop down all the stanchions and any elements that are higher than the helipad itself, whereas if you lift the helipad you don’t have to lower the other elements,” explains Dream Symphony designer Ken Freivokh.

The 141m four-masted Dream Symphony

“The brief did not call for a resident helicopter that would have its own hanger – it’s just a ‘touch and go’. You don’t want to set aside space for a helicopter permanently that’s almost never there, so if you have a reasonably sized swimming pool why not use the base of a pool to just receive the helicopter, and then once the helicopter flies away you can put it back to normal operations?” Why not indeed?

No matter how grandiose your ideas, however, not even the vast volumes of a gigayacht can be entirely filled with art galleries and Reiki studios. Robert Voges explains that, like any other ship, “We have to start with all the emergency exits, the corridors, staircases . . . and from there we can work with the other areas which are left over.”

Ken Freivokh estimates that at least 20 per cent of the interior space has to be allocated to the back-of-house systems required to maintain the equivalent of a small hotel – air conditioning, waste, media, and other unglamorous elements behind the touch-screen luxury.

Edge of reason

At 12,700 GT, Sailing Yacht A has the vastest volume of all. But can she be called a sailing yacht? She carries three of the world’s largest carbon rigs – curved, unstayed, capable of rotating a maximum of 70 degrees – featuring in-boom furling that can deploy 3,747 square metres of sail area (67 per cent more than Maltese Falcon ) from a finger tip command. And yet she cannot help but look implausible.

The hull has a maximum beam of 24.8m and includes 24 shell doors.

No matter how innovative the technology on board, or how vast the expense, the elements will not bend to the will of man or millionaire. Various estimates have put her cost at $400-500million, or in the region of £320 to £400 million – to put those sort of figures in context, the bill for the London Olympics Aquatics centre came in at under £300m.

Sailing Yacht A will be ‘sail-assisted’, not wind-powered. Confounding, aggressive in her styling, she’s a yacht that has attracted scathing opinions as often as wide-eyed wonder. But what is the point of creating a gigayacht that doesn’t?

“It is a creative process with the owner,” comments Aquijo ’s designer Bill Tripp, “They have this idea that they can make something that speaks to them. They don’t write symphonies, and they’re not great painters or sculptors, but on the other hand money is vital energy, and they can create these things that wouldn’t exist otherwise.

“It’s great when someone says, ‘Life’s short, I’m just going to do this.’”

A 353-foot hybrid gigayacht wrapped in glass looks like a floating palace of light — and it'll only cost you a quarter of a billion dollars. Take a look inside.

• "Luminosity," a 353-foot hybrid gigayacht, just hit the market for €225 million ($268 million).
• The vessel, built by Italian shipyard Benetti, boasts cutting edge, green technology that allows it to run nearly silently with reduced emissions.
• The ship also has stunning exterior design elements, including over 8,600 square feet of window walls.
• It can accommodate 27 guests, 37 crew members, a helicopter, two cars, a sailboat, and motorbikes.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories .

Italian shipyard Benetti just completed building one of the world's largest hybrid yachts — and the gigayacht can be yours for just a quarter of a billion dollars.

"Luminosity" is a 353-foot vessel that runs on a hybrid propulsion system and diesel-electric engines along with specially developed batteries for a silent, smooth ride. The ship also features eye-catching design elements on a surface level, like over 8,600 square feet of window walls and guest suite bathrooms that look more like pieces of modern art.

The yacht can accommodate up to 27 guests across 12 suites, along with 37 crew members across 22 cabins. And that's not to mention two cars, including a Phantom Rolls Royce, a 24-foot sailboat, and two motorbikes.

The original owner decided to sell just weeks before delivery, and the floating palace is currently on the market with an asking price of €225 million ($268 million).

Here's a look inside.

"Luminosity" is a brand new, luxurious hybrid vessel. Benetti, the shipyard that built it, bills it as a gigayacht — yes, a gigayacht — which is a vessel larger than a superyacht or a megayacht.

Source: Axxess Marine, Benetti

The ship is 353 feet long.

Source: Benetti

Benetti, founded in 1873, is one of the oldest Italian shipyards and focuses on luxurious custom builds.

"Luminosity," according to Robb Report, was a custom build that took at least five years to complete.

Source: Robb Report

The original owner decided to sell just weeks before delivery.

The completely finished vessel is selling for €225 million ($268 million), a Benetti spokesperson told Business Insider.

Its price point of a quarter of a billion dollars reflects both the luxury and the technology the yacht was designed with— the shipyard touts it as one of the largest hybrid ships in the world.

The ship is powered by a hybrid propulsion system and diesel-electric engines, along with specially developed batteries for a smooth, quiet ride.

The yacht's exteriors, which are wrapped in over 8,600 square feet of glass, were designed by Zaniz Jakubowski, Andrew Langton, and Giorgio M. Cassetta.

Between its six decks of windows and hybrid technology, the ship bucks conventional yacht design.

The interiors were designed solely by Zaniz Jakubowski, a prolific designer who Robb Report noted has remained anonymous for 20 years due largely to non-disclosure agreements.

The ship's design details include a projection screen that can show any scenery. Below, it shows a forest.

A swirling staircase moves through the illusion.

Other artistic elements throughout the ship include intricate design patterns and light fixtures in key areas like the bar ...

... and dining room.

The ship can accommodate up to 27 guests across 12 suites.

The suites feel more like luxe hotel rooms than ship cabins.

They include include modern bathrooms ...

... with plenty of light.

"Luminosity" can also accommodate 37 crew members across 22 cabins.

The yacht has multiple spacious decks.

One deck boasts a helipad.

That same deck is also set up to fit two cars, including a Rolls Royce Phantom, along with a 24-foot sailboat and two motor bikes.

All of the other decks are designed for a mix of entertaining and relaxing, instead of toy stashing.

"Luminosity" also has lavish amenities like a gym with window walls.

... and an on-board spa.

• Main content

• Impressions

The world´s longest yacht, at 180.65 meters, with a top speed of over 30 knots, Azzam is a truly extraordinary luxury gigayacht. Her outstanding characteristics even include her exceptionally short building time of less than three years from keel laying to delivery, in 2013. Engineer and principal designer Mubarak Saad al Ahbabi set out to build a large yacht with an innovative and timeless design that would be able to travel at high speed in warm and shallow waters. The bold and elegant exterior by Nauta Yachts incorporates many elements of visionary modern design. Renowned French designer Christophe Leoni conceived a sophisticated interior with luxurious décor inspired by the Empire style of the early 19th century.

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REV Ocean: Inside the build of the world's largest ocean research explorer

REV Ocean, the most-talked-about boat in recent years, is preparing to make its debut. Charlotte Hogarth-Jones explores the revolutionary 183-metre explorer yacht. 

To describe the 183-metre behemoth, conceived in 2016 by Norwegian billionaire Kjell Inge Røkke, as a “superyacht” doesn’t feel right. It is, quite simply, a different beast entirely – as these amazing pictures reveal.

When  BOAT International  first previewed her back in 2018 , work on this extraordinary expedition vessel – with its state-of-the-art scientific equipment and onboard labs, moon pool, research hangar, and room for 90 people on board at any one time – was just beginning. Today, she’s on the water, and not too far from setting off on her maiden voyage.

No one has ever attempted to make a vessel like this before, so the whole process of construction is a big experiment of sorts,” explains Nina Jensen, REV Ocean ’s CEO. (“REV” is short for Research and Expedition Vessel.) “We have an on-site team at the shipyard in Brattvag, Norway, overseeing the construction process, and we have a management team organising the science, operations, communications and chartering from the main office in Oslo. It’s a huge learning curve for all of us but we have a very talented team with diverse experience, so we are all stretching our brains to keep on top of any issues.”

Of course, there has been one big, unforeseeable issue during the building of REV – Covid-19. Norway, where the yacht was transported after its hull and superstructure were completed in Romania, operated a strict lockdown during this time, and only Norwegian residents were allowed in and out of the country, which added a layer of complications. 

“The pandemic had ripple effects throughout all REV Ocean partners and suppliers,” explains Lawrence Hislop, REV Ocean’s communication director, and timescales have had to be adjusted because of this. Construction was thankfully able to continue in the spring, but not at full capacity. “The on-site team coped extremely well under the circumstances,” Hislop says. In any event, he notes stoically, it was somewhat anticipated that building the mighty REV Ocean was going to have its challenges.

The overall scale, ambition and uniqueness of the build has been an equal factor, and it’s hard not to marvel at the sheer scale of the project. Right now, for example, there are 10,000 lights, lamps and spotlights on the build, and there will be an additional 5,500 metres of LED strips upon completion. There are 1,000,000 metres of cable on board, and more than 400 Wi-Fi spots. You get the idea. The emphasis now is on fine-tuning, calibrating and testing all the scientific equipment on board while the final pieces of the puzzle are slotted into place. 

Make no mistake, there might be swanky luxury cabins for charter guests, and she might be considered the largest superyacht in the world, but REV Ocean’s core mission is, and always will be, saving the ocean. Any profit generated from projects on board will immediately be reinvested into the group’s work for a healthier planet, and it is research and conservation that takes priority. Professionals from all over the world have been united by her, all driven by the desire to affect real, lasting change.

Unsurprisingly, there’s an eager crowd lobbying to spend time on board – from marine research centres and universities to film companies. The REV team received around 100 proposals for places on the vessel’s first voyage, all aligning with the key areas that REV Ocean will be focusing on: finding solutions to climate change, plastic pollution and unsustainable fishing. 

So, where will the lucky selection go? REV Ocean will be launched in Oslo, and the intention for the first year is to go from Pole to Pole and test the full range of the vessel’s capabilities, onboard equipment and facilities in the widest range of ocean conditions. Throughout the year, scientific organisations, media outlets, government institutions, philanthropists and paying guests will gain access to the vessel and allow for a full evaluation of the yacht’s three modes of operations: research, expedition and charter.

REV Ocean’s research capabilities include seabed mapping, seabed coring (a technique for collecting core samples of the seabed sub-strata sediments), surveys using the remotely-operated vehicle and submarine, and sampling the water column in the twilight zone between 200 metres and 1,000 metres, where sea life with remarkable adaptations to the dimly lit waters thrive.

There’s no doubt that the scientific possibilities opened up by REV Ocean are truly thrilling, but perhaps equally exciting is the fact that a number of private charter guests will also be able to join upcoming missions. “It’s still early days in terms of specific bookings, but there has been tremendous interest and enthusiasm to participate in some kind of ‘yachting with purpose’,” explains Sarah Fraser, yacht relations manager at REV Ocean. “There is a new breed of charterer: one who has an enquiring mind, a sense of adventure and the inspiration to make the ocean a better place.”

Those who do join will have ample opportunity to get involved in the action. Guests will be taught how to operate the hydrophone to record the calls of humpback whales, and will have the chance to co-pilot the onboard ROV and submersible to search the seabed for rare and undiscovered marine biology and never-before-seen hydrothermal vents. 

There’s also sonar equipment with which to discover geologic features and find new species. Coincidentally, the submersible is the deepest diving (2,300 metres) manned vehicle with a fully transparent acrylic sphere, and is one of a kind.

A core team of scientists on the vessel will also offer inspiring talks, and the 35-person cinema will have a giant screen for viewing live activity from the submarine, or for watching films at the guests’ request. Meanwhile, the sonar systems will be continuously mapping the bottom of the ocean, and guests will be able to have these visuals live-streamed to their cabins or watch activity on any of the large screens in the common areas. 

Of course, like any charter yacht worth its salt there will be toys, but they will be eco-friendly and wind- and electric-powered, in keeping with the yacht’s mission, while all other products on board will be focused towards sustainability. “I am hoping that we can really influence the yacht industry in a very positive way, as people start to realise that it is possible to build an elegant and comfortable vessel sustainably, and with a purpose,” says Jensen.

“I’m inspired by the yachting industry’s recent efforts; it feels that there is a willingness to change, to upgrade build and operational practices and to invest in being part of the solution we so desperately need. “

But”, she continues, “we need to accelerate these ambitions.” Surely, there can be no bigger inspiration for those who are dragging their heels, than the mighty REV Ocean herself…

IN FOCUS: REV OCEAN

Construction of 182.9m REV Ocean began in 2018 in Tulcea, Romania, before the completed hull and superstructure were moved to Norway for the final construction phases in 2019. When delivered in 2022, the vessel will become the world’s largest superyacht. It can accommodate 90 people for 114 days to the polar regions – for longer trips extra stores can be provided in reefer containers on deck at 20 additional days per container fully loaded. The ratio of scientists/crew will differ depending on the mode she is travelling in, and she will be available for charter up to one third of the ship time per year. Here are some of REV Ocean’s standout numbers:

LOA:  182.9M 

Beam:  22m 

Gross tonnage:  17,440gt 

Draught (full load):  5.5m 

Max speed:  17.8 knots 

Range:  21,120nm at 11 knots

This feature is taken from the September 2020 issue of BOAT International. Get this magazine sent straight to your door, or subscribe and never miss an issue.

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Somnio Superyacht: Inside the World’s Largest Yacht

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to cruise around the world in your own luxury yacht? Imagine yourself on a beautiful, sunny day, lounging on the deck of Somnio superyacht and admiring the ocean views.

This incredible vessel is not only the largest yacht in the world, but it’s also one of the most luxurious. With just 39 floating apartments, Somnio offers everything you could possibly want or need while sailing the high seas. Come explore this amazing boat and find out what makes it so special.

Inside Somnio Superyacht

Somnio yacht is being built by Norwegian ship designer Vard, a division of Fincantieri, the Italian shipbuilding company. The name somnio comes from the Latin word for I dream, and this yacht is certainly a boat of dreams.

If you’re curious to know more about this one-of-a-kind superyacht, keep reading for an inside look at all its features.

Somnio Superyacht Specifications

Launching in 2024, the superyacht Somnio is set to be the most exclusive address in the world. Measuring 728 feet (222 meters), Somnio will also be the world’s largest yacht by volume and length.

Her gross tonnage will be 33,500 GT. Somnio will accommodate 39 customizable apartments in extraordinary style. In some ways more like a cruise liner than a yacht, Somnio will have 6 decks.

This innovative yacht building project will have a construction, design and outfitting cost of around 500 million Euros.

Somnio Superyacht Apartments

The luxury apartments on board Somnio will range in size from 1600 square feet to 6500 square feet. The biggest Somnio apartment will take up most of the top deck.

Somnio apartment owners can work with either Luttenberger Design, Tillberg Design of Sweden or Winch Design from the UK . They’ll have up to three months to choose their room layout and to decide upon the materials, lighting, artworks and furniture.

The design house will also help to source items such as luxury linens, cutlery and crockery. If an owner has a specific interior decorator that they’d like to work with, they can also bring them in to help.

The first renderings from each design house are now available. Elegant wood parquet flooring, outside dining spaces, stylish chandeliers and semi-circular beds are just some of the features that you could opt for.

Of course, all room configurations can be tailored to each apartment owner’s preferences. Whether you prefer to include a gym, vast living room space with private balcony, personal kitchen, walk-in closet or a library, anything is possible.

Each apartment will be completed to the highest specifications. Designed to embody a sense of nautical glamour, they’ll feel cosy yet luxurious at the same time.

The luxurious apartments onboard  Somnio yacht liner are now available to purchase. The price starts at nine and a half million Euros. The identity of the owners will remain secret and the process is by referral or invitation only.

Co-founder Captain Erik Bredhe comments:  “Beauty may be found as much on the inside of Somnio as it is on the outside. As the only residential superyacht in the world, we are delighted to work with designers that complement our exacting standards. Our owners will experience only the best, as is befitting of a yacht of this nature.”

Somnio Onboard Amenities

One thing that makes Somnio stand out from other ocean going vessels is the wide range of amenities onboard. There’ll be a 10,000-bottle wine cellar and tasting room, an onboard beach club, water-sports facilities, a choice of restaurants and a movie theater.

World-class medical care will be provided onboard so that apartment owners can enjoy their home at sea in a safe and relaxing environment. Full concierge services will be another handy perk of this true superyacht.

Somnio Superyacht Sustainability

The latest clean engine technology is being used to build Somnio. In addition, the interior designers will choose environmentally responsible materials wherever possible.

The key focus of the global itinerary will be on slow travel, whether sailing to the Mediterranean, the South Pacific or New York. There will be scientific research equipment onboard that will be used by marine experts to study the oceans.

In Conclusion: Somnio Yacht

The Somnio yacht is the largest and most luxurious in the world. It may well also be the most beautiful superyacht. Designed to accommodate 39 apartments in incredible style and comfort, Somnio boasts all the latest amenities and high tech features you could imagine.

Apartment investors will enjoy all the benefits of superyacht ownership, with the opportunity to meet like-minded people and to enjoy a unique lifestyle.

Find out more about Somnio on the website: www.somniosuperyachts.com .

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Suze and Paul Renner

Suze and Paul are the founders of LuxuryColumnist, one of the leading luxury online magazines worldwide.

Christopher Seymour unveils breath-taking 200M Gigayacht DOUBLE CENTURY concept

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Written by Zuzana Bednarova

Measuring impressive 200 meters in length over all, the breath-taking gigayacht DOUBLE CENTURY concept has been proudly unveiled by Christopher Seymour . Still under development, luxury motor yacht DOUBLE CENTURY concept boasts a strong presence, thanks to sculpted windows with a beautiful sheer line and a graceful superstructure.

Ground-breaking 200M gigayacht DOUBLE CENTURY concept designed by Christopher Seymour

Christopher Seymour comments: “ Double Century was created to be the next step in the evolution of gigayachts. I want the concept to be something magnificent, respected and admired for what the vessel is, not because of who owns, built or designed her, but for her own merits.”

Luxury yacht DOUBLE CENTURY concept – aft view

Spreading over nine generous decks and rising 27 meters above the sea, mega yacht DOUBLE CENTURY concept boasts plenty of unique features, including two helipads and a boarding lounge, as well as a spacious hangar bay that can store a whirlybird as large as an EC135. The forward section hosts a majority of water toys, including cars and submarines in addition to helicopters, while such luxury features as pools, spas, sun beds and lounges can be found aft. In addition, there are eight elevators positioned in key locations, allowing guests to comfortably travel to all areas aboard this striking vessel.

Mega yacht DOUBLE CENTURY concept – side view

Luxury yacht DOUBLE CENTURY concept can host over 50 guests in deluxe cabins, with the owner’s suite and VIP cabins positioned forward on Deck 7. All of these are fitted with magnificent living areas, featuring open room layouts, allowing 270 degree views, as well as his and hers bathrooms and wardrobes. Aft of the owner’s suite are guest cabins for family. A small cinema, study and office can be also found in this area, along with an open space, offering lounge and entertainment areas complete with open bars, dining and a piano, in addition to a lavish outdoor lounge, small bar and sunbeds, which are all positioned on deck.

Superyacht DOUBLE CENTURY concept with two helipads

Deck 6 hosts additional guest accommodation, including a second owner or VIP suite, as well as other large and small VIP cabins, along with the owner’s dining area with large dining table and bar on either side, large lounge with piano, three open bars and an entertainment area. The generous foredeck outside hosts the primary and secondary helipads, while aft are positioned several lounges, sunbeds, al fresco dining, two large Jacuzzis and an open bar. The vessel can provide accommodation to approximately 100 crew members over multiple crew cabins.

Super yacht DOUBLE CENTURY concept from above

Among the many highlights aboard DOUBLE CENTURY yacht concept belongs her theater/stage on Deck 4 that can host up to 126 guests. Nearby bar areas provide entertainment for guests before and after the show. Furthermore, the vessel boasts a disco on the deck below, including a large dance floor, bar and turntable area. Other remarkable features are multiple large swimming pools with quarter moon lounges, several beauty and massage areas, open gym with saunas, a library with a garden, New York-style and Monte Carlo-style cafes, a cinema, a huge beach club and a complete set of water toys, including tenders, jet skis and diving gear. Due to its impressive size, the vessel has its own GPS phone app so all guests and crew will know their deck location when they log on.

DOUBLE CENTURY Yacht Concept – Decks

DOUBLE CENTURY superyacht concept is fitted with a single gas turbine generator producing 19,000kW coupled with twin diesel 16V32/40 generators producing 7,500 kW per side. These are coupled with two pod units, making the vessel incredibly efficient. Such a power plant set-up means fewer restrictions with layout and better placement of engineering for increased sea keeping. The vessel can reach a top speed of 20-plus knots and a cruising speed of 15 knots with an amazing 9,000nm range. A large tank system that pumps water around the vessel along with six Quantum Maglift ML600 stabilizers ensure that the yacht is comfortable in all conditions.

Luxury motor yacht DOUBLE CENTURY concept

Although super yacht DOUBLE CENTURY concept comes in at 200m, she can be scaled down to 185m without losing decks or scaled up to breath-taking 225m.

4Yacht noted that the negotiating point for the groundbreaking superyacht starts at €699 million. Potential owners can expect her to be in build for about four years.

Please contact CharterWorld - the luxury yacht charter specialist - for more on superyacht news item "Christopher Seymour unveils breath-taking 200M Gigayacht DOUBLE CENTURY concept".

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Lürssen’s Epic 6-Deck, 456-Foot Gigayacht ‘Opus’ Is Almost Here

Upon completion, she will likely rank among the top 10 world’s largest superyachts., rachel cormack.

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One of the largest superyachts in the world is nearing delivery. Lürssen’s highly guarded but not easily hidden 456-footer was spotted leaving the German yard this week, well ahead of its due date.

Previously known as Project Redwood , the steel-hulled vessel now goes by the name of Opus , fitting since it’s an epic work of art. The concept was first announced in 2015 by Moran Yacht & Ship and hit the water for the first time in January 2019. After further tweaking and a name change, the gigayacht is set to be delivered in late 2020, and, apparently, she’s champing at the bit.

With interiors and exteriors penned by Italian design studio Nuvolari-Lenard , Opus is being built to the Passenger Yacht Code (PYC), which means she can sleep up to 36 guests across 20 staterooms. Intended for long-range cruising, her hull was designed for efficiency and the designers have previously said the vessel will be able to undertake “independent global exploration.”

As to be expected, the six-deck dream machine is jampacked with high-end amenities. She has not one but two helipads occupying different decks, a supersized tender fleet that includes several 50-footers, a large sports and diving center on the lower deck by the water’s edge, plus an oversized, partially covered swimming pool that can be used in any type of weather.

Moran Yacht & Ship’s construction team is currently overseeing the project at Lürssen’s yard in Bremen, Germany. Once Opus is complete, she will likely rank among the top 10 world’s largest superyachts and become the sixth-largest vessel that Lürssen has ever built.

She’ll likely snap up a few awards, too. This marine dream team—Moran, Lürssen, and Nuvolari-Lenard —previously collaborated on Quatroelle , which was delivered in 2013. The impressive 289-footer was a finalist at the World Superyacht Awards in 2014 and showcased the impeccable craftsmanship to be expected from the trio. Opus certainly has some big boots to fill, but at 456 feet that should be no problem.

Rachel Cormack is a digital editor at Robb Report. She cut her teeth writing for HuffPost, Concrete Playground, and several other online publications in Australia, before moving to New York at the…

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