The World's Biggest Superyachts
The biggest superyachts from around the world - and they each have at least one helipad.
If the Coronavirus pandemic was dampening enthusiasm for spending, no-one told the superyacht industry. According to an annual list of the 101 largest superyachts compiled by Boat International, this year there were seven new entries from expedition yachts packed with submarines and helicopters, to a lavish home at sea with whisper-quiet propulsion.
We take a look at the seven new gigantic super yachts delivered this year.
Unashamedly large, the 142-metre explorer yacht Nord was the biggest superyacht delivered this year. Designed by Italian studio Nuvolaria Lenard, Nord contains not one but two Heli-hangers and a treasure trove of toys, including a submarine and 16 tenders.
While every yacht on this list has at least one helipad, Nord features two plus a heli-hanger – useful for protecting a chopper in extreme climates. Once the yacht has reached a far-flung destination, guests will be able to enjoy a vast beach club and a treasure trove of toys, including 16 tenders, a submarine and an ROV (remotely operated vehicle). For relaxing, there’s a 25m swimming pool to enjoy, as well as a gym, spa and sauna. Nord accommodates 36 guests in 20 lavish suites and has a whole deck dedicated entirely to the owner.
She’s only two metres shorter than Nord and built by the same yard, but Scheherazade is a very different beast. While Nord is all angles, this 140m is about flowing lines, penned by the Norwegian designer Espen Øino. Owned by a Middle Eastern billionaire and bound for the region where summer temperatures can exceed 45°C, Scheherazade has small exterior areas for a yacht of her size, but sprawling space inside. Little is known about the interior décor of this ultra-secret yacht but based on the previous work of her interior designer François Zuretti, we can expect a sophisticated and stately style.
The largest boat ever built by Dutch superyacht powerhouse Feadship (by waterline length), 99.95m Moonrise is a bit of a technical wonder. She features propeller and hull appendages designed to minimise sound levels underwater and keep her interior quiet. She is also a clean boat, with exhaust gas treatment units and a heat recovery system, which allows the spa pool to be warmed by heat given off by the generators. On a more glamorous note, she features high ceilings and a minimalistic interior by Rémi Tessier described as “instantly welcoming”.
O’Pari was built for Paris Dragnis, the owner of the Greek shipyard that built her: Golden Yachts. The 94.6m vessel’s clean, modern interior by Giorgio Vafiadis uses pale colours and natural materials, making the most of light from the full-length windows. On a practical level she’s easy to navigate, with a lift connecting all the decks and even a hospital.
A dramatic reverse bow gives 88.51m Olivia O an unmistakable profile in port. Designed by Espen Øino and built by Norwegian yard Ulstein Verft, the yacht’s owner runs a shipping company and wanted a supremely capable vessel (that bow has serious seakeeping qualities). But that doesn’t mean she skimps on luxuries, with swimming pools, helipads and even a family cinema. Interior designer Droulers Architecture blended Japan-influenced reds with a simple palette that includes lots of exposed metal as a nod to the boat’s industrial form.
Packed with exploration kit, 87.1m OceanXplorer is unlike any boat afloat. She was penned by British designer Steve Gresham and converted from a commercial vessel by hedge-fund billionaires Ray and Mark Dalio, to support their not-for-profit organization OceanX. With a focus on deep-sea exploration, refit yard Damen installed a huge A-frame crane on the stern to launch submersibles; plus a hangar to house the fleet of underwater vehicles. This includes two Triton subs capable of manned dives to 1,000 metres, an Argus ROV for filming down to 6,000 metres and a free-swimming autonomous Remus that can go to the same depth to film and collect samples. There’s also a “Hollywood-standard” media centre for editing footage.
Advantage (c) Giovanni Romero/The YachtPhoto.com
A third new entry for German yard Lürssen, the details of 87m Advantage are shrouded in mystery. We do know that she features a glass-walled spa pool on the sundeck and plenty of outside dining and lounging options. Her British design studio Bannenberg & Rowell have hinted at a spectacular stairway between the saloon on the main deck and the beach club below.
Stewart Campbell, editor-in-chief at BOAT International Media, said: “There are some extraordinary new entries into the list this year, and they are all incredibly diverse. Long gone are the days when yachts could be maligned for being long, white and boring. My two personal favourites are Olivia O, as she features an incredible reverse bow designed for taking on the toughest seas in the world, and the expedition and research vessel OceanXplorer, which is going to do for our understanding and appreciation of the oceans what Jacques Cousteau and his boat Calypso did in the middle of the last century.”
Top 10 of the 101 biggest yachts in the world:
- Azzam (180.61m)
- Eclipse (162.5m)
- Dubai (162m)
- Dilbar (156m)
- Al Said (155m)
- A+ (147.25m)
- Prince Abdulaziz (147m)
- El Mahrousa (145.7m)
- Sailing Yacht A (142.81M)
- Nord (142m)
The full Top 101 list appears in the January issue of BOAT International, on sale now
