The Superyacht Report: New Build Focus

NEW BUILD FOCUS

The Superyacht Report

A Special Tribute to Paolo Vitelli

I know this all sounds boring and takes time, and there are plenty of parties pushing to get the deal done and the build slot secured, including the client sometimes, but I just get so frustrated when we hear of owners suing shipyards for failing to deliver something that was perhaps overambitious and improbable at the time of signing an LOI and committing to that precious space in the

Then you also have to deal with the army of owner-approved and endorsed experts again, who all have an opinion on ‘how to build it’, many of whom may have been involved with one or two builds in semi-custom yards near the Med and are now faced with a Northern European project, but the owner was introduced to them and he got a good vibe.

I often ask myself if a new build left to the full control of the shipyard would be a novel idea and if the client would end up with a better project, on time and on budget, where the owner trusted the shipyard completely and the relationship is such that they are all confident that they actually know what they’re

Anyway, we all know that a good new build takes time and plenty of investment, so by adding another six months to the pre-build phase and perhaps another 15 per cent to the budget, I wonder if the end result would be a better boat, costing less and without

Yes, time is money, but so are protracted legal fees following bitter legal battles caused by a badly written

Galley design: Why yacht chefs are the missing ingredient

Brennan Dates, a head chef with 22 years of charteryacht experience, explains that the involvement of a marine catering professional is vital when designing galleys for new builds.

Raising the industry standard

Terry Allen, surveyor and build manager, discusses the importance of a clear distinction between Flag and Class, and why it’s vital to raise standards to ensure a successful yacht build.

New-build paint jobs: Five key steps to aesthetic heaven

Rory Marshall, owner and director at Newmar Overseas Ltd, sets out the key fundamentals for yacht owners and captains to consider to ensure they achieve a visually stunning finish.

Guest columns Features

A peek into the pockets

We take an informed look at the significance and quality of entry-level yachts from 24 to 40 metres –and ask what more can be done to operate these smaller vessels more efficiently and safely.

The inside take on yacht sustainability

TSG talks to renowned design houses RWD and Winch Design to assess the positive impact that interior design choices can make towards guiding the superyacht industry to a more environmentally friendly future.

Dr Paolo Vitelli

A tribute to the founder and president of the Azimut-Benetti Group.

Cracking the glass ceiling

As glazing projects in superyacht design become increasingly ambitious, and demand for more advanced glass grows, will the industry will meet it, or is the situation approaching a breaking point?

‘Only busy people make the time’ 58 Having worked on more than 50 new builds across five decades, project consultant Charlie Baker breaks down the evolution of construction, the art of project management and the lessons today’s generation can learn from the old school of yachting.

All hands on tech!

A new generation of digital billionaires has entered the superyacht market from global brands such as Amazon, META and Alphabet … and they’re spending big on standout legacy projects.

Litigation isn’t sport … it’s the last resort

70

Syncing the link

67 Meeli Lepik, founder and chief consultant of Holistic Yacht Interiors, highlights the importance of bridging the gap between yacht construction and the realities of day-to-day on-board operation.

82 Industry veterans Jay Tooker and William MacLachlan, partners at international law firm HFW, explain the intricacies of litigation in yachting, how the industry has learned from past mistakes and why it should never be a weapon of choice.

Are sailing-yacht owners the smartest owners?

Martin H. Redmayne takes a deep dive into some of the most iconic sailing-yacht projects … and says it’s easy to see what stimulates billionaires and UHNWIs to invest in them.

92

The power of the POD

87 Senior naval architects at Lateral investigate whether traditional shaft lines are becoming obsolete, with developing electronic propulsion systems offering a compelling alternative that aligns with the industry’s trajectory towards more optimised, comfortable and manoeuvrable yachts.

Demystifying HVO … and its role in reducing the environmental impact of the yachting industry

100 Water Revolution Foundation’s environmental expert Awwal Idris explores HVO as an opportunity for transition and its potential role in reducing emissions within the superyacht industry, including specific examples for superyachts.

Engineering a sea change

The propulsion sector has been dominated by Caterpillar and MTU Rolls-Royce for decades, but now the MAN engine portfolio is also making big moves into superyachts, it’s finally time for the industry to make a clean break from conventional fossil-fuel-burning engines.

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Photo: Jeff Brown

Photo:

© Feadship

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Ollie Cooper

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Awwal Idris

Meeli Lepik

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Why size matters

A peek into the pockets

We take an informed look at the significance and quality of entry-level yachts from 24 to 40 metres – and ask what more can be done to operate these smaller vessels more efficiently and safely.

BY MARTIN H. REDMAYNE

Every time I see on social media the top 100 lists and the ten biggest launches of the year, I breathe a huge sigh of frustration and wonder if the market really understands the dynamics and the matrix of superyachts.

There are two categories that need some focus and attention, for obvious reasons. Not only do these sectors represent the vast majority of superyachts when you take the official regulatory definition – 24 metres LOA and above –but also there are thousands of owners of pocket yachts with the potential to migrate to larger vessels.

Let’s put it in perspective. As a fleet number, there are just under 4,000 yachts in the 24 to 30-metre category globally and there are an additional 4,000-plus yachts in the 30 to 40-metre category. Yes, they are primarily semi-custom or production yachts, built predominantly in glass reinforced plastic, or aluminium and steel occasionally, but they represent, in hull units, more than 80 per cent of the market, and in terms of deliveries

and existing fleet, they are also the most active sales pipeline for buyers entering the superyacht category.

These sectors are dominated by the big brands – Azimut-Benetti, Ferretti, Sanlorenzo, Sunseeker, Princess and myriad other brands – and the brand graphic on page 12 gives you a picture of the spectrum of competitors. These companies have wide-reaching sales networks and global marketing budgets and are, in very simple terms, the builders that bring the majority of new clients into the industry with these entry-level projects, both new and second hand.

As you’ll see from the chart on pages 10 and 11, the annual delivery activity in these two size categories is so significant that its success or failure can have an impact on the wider market. If the big brands are suffering, there may be storm clouds brewing; if the big brands are booming, it’s a good sign that superyacht buyers are currently in a positive mood.

Obviously, as we’ve highlighted in previous reports, one significant project

from Feadship, Oceanco or Lürssen is, in volumetric and financial terms, a significant proportion of the market performance, where a 100-metre project can be measured in multiples of one 30-metre production superyacht perhaps by as many as 20 times. But when you look at the market performance and future growth, a consistent production of these pocket superyachts is critical to all economic elements of the market. However, there are one or two caveats and cautions that are worth highlighting, specifically related to the entry-level fleet (24 to 40 metres): firstly, quality of design and build, and secondly, the safety and quality of operations and manning.

Quality of design and build

Following a few interesting conversations with captains, surveyors, managers, brokers and even Class societies, it’s apparent that concern is developing about the topic of design and working space on the sub-500gt fleet, where

sacrifices are made to give the owner maximum living space and comfort but to the detriment of the space required by those who may live and work on board for several months at a time – the crew.

It’s easy to see how designers and sales teams will push for the best sales presentation, with beautiful renders and videos of amazing interiors, far more spacious than on the previous model, but it’s even easier to see how the long-term problems will emerge.

A recent conversation with Antoine Larricq, of Fraser Yachts, in my opinion one of the most intelligent brokers out there, showed serious concern about the lack of space and consideration in the sub-500gt models for crew and service. These yachts won’t work for the owner and their guests when the crew have such poor space or limited storage on board; it will damage the guest experience and not deliver what they expect.

Perhaps the time has come for the 24 to 40-metre fleet to spend some time

reconsidering the operational profile and build of these entry-level superyachts with the crew in mind, so they can operate them efficiently and safely.

In addition, when talking to a wellknown Class surveyor and project manager, there’s a clear concern about build quality and engineering, where the piping systems, ventilation and electrical systems are potentially below the requirements, and where technical people are building yachts that meet the minimum safety standards and not looking to go beyond. In fact, there was a very bold statement from this conversation that some builders are looking to build a yacht that will last only a couple of years, just beyond the warranty period, and then need significant upgrades.

This needs further investigation but I feel that the market should think carefully about the concept of doing everything for the owner and then cutting costs technically, only to find that the

yacht’s resale value, operational profile and crew turnover create a significant headache for the buyer.

Safety and operations

In addition to the design and build quality, there’s a clear issue of on-board safety, not only in terms of crew and their living and working conditions, but also technical safety. Yes, if the crew are unable to do their job properly or have cramped sleeping quarters, the quality of service and support for the owner is affected, but mental health, fatigue and high-turnover all have an impact on safety. As we have all witnessed over the past few years, there has been a proliferation of incidents within the smaller superyacht fleet, with groundings, collisions, sinkings and, more importantly, fires of all sizes.

One well-known surveyor shared some candid opinions on the topic because it’s clear that the majority of the fires that make their way to the social-

media channels, or happen in highprofile marinas or shipyards, are in the 24 to 40-metre sector, often with captains and crew who have yacht master tickets and in many cases with no permanent engineer on board, or on yachts left at night with no crew on watch. This is something that the regulators, marina management and Flag states should review and explore.

There’s been an incredible surge in the use of lithium batteries across this fleet too, with silent-mode operations, charging systems and next-generation electric water toys all sitting on the specification. Yes, there are marine guidance notes (MGNs) for the use of these batteries but, as my surveyor friend highlighted, these aren’t comprehensive or strictly followed by the manufacturers or operators.

The issue is not with quality suppliers or reputable companies but perhaps more with the cheaper copy-cat models where the source of the battery is often un-

known. As he recommended, there needs to be a study of all recent cases involving lithium fires on board the smaller superyacht fleet, perhaps financed by the insurance market or Flag and Class, because there’s an urgent need for the market, the manufacturers, the owners and the shipyards to better understand how and why these incidents are happening relatively frequently.

Every time some social-media influencer gets excited by another yacht fire and posts lots of images of a yacht becoming gutted by insane flames and ending up as a blackened carcass, I wonder how many owners, guests and crew consider their own risk.

Moving up the market

What is key in this whole topic is the process of being able to trade these yachts on the second-hand market and help these clients move up the ownership ladder. One quick review of the brokerage market’s performance shows

What is key is the process of being able to trade these yachts on the second-hand market and help these clients move up the ownership ladder.

Pocket superyacht builders worldwide

that a vast majority of the transactions and tonnage for sale are in the 24 to 40-metre size category, for obvious reasons. However, owners are migrating with their sales contact up the branded ladder because they’ve seen a cooler, newer, slightly bigger model from these major brands.

Perhaps the fact that the owners and their guests only use their pocket superyachts for short-range hops along the coast or from island to island keeps them isolated from the potential problems because they are on board for relatively short periods of time. But the bigger issue is the potential for a reasonable percentage of these owners in the sub-40-metre category to migrate

up the market into 50 or 60 metresplus and beyond, and this is something that needs further debate. Not only is the financial leap significant, from a production pocket superyacht to a custom project, new or secondhand, but the demands, decisions and dollars multiply exponentially.

I refer back to the fact that buying and building of the best quality often pays huge dividends for the owner, where the crew have been considered at the design phase, the engineering meets the highest safety standards and the maintenance costs are considerably less, not to mention a more palatable depreciation curve. However, in a super competitive market with a vast array of

brands and models on offer, with a price point spectrum from Holland to Italy to Turkey to Asia and beyond all adding to the decision process, it’s wise at this stage to break the market in two parts in the way that SYBAss has advocated.

Smaller pocket superyachts (24 to 40 metres) making up 80 per cent of the fleet (8,000+ yachts) is one market and the remaining 20 per cent of the fleet above 40 metres (2,200+ yachts) is the exclusive, more complex and, perhaps, real superyacht market.

So when you read about the data and size and scale of superyachts, it’s vital that we stop putting them all in the same boat. MHR

All analysis was undertaken by our data and research consultants. We provide bespoke consultancy projects that help clients make informed, data-driven decisions. Scan the QR Code to see examples of our work.

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by Brennan Dates

Galley design: Why yacht chefs are the missing ingredient

Brennan Dates, a head chef with 22 years of charter yacht experience, explains that the involvement of a marine catering professional is vital when designing galleys for new builds.

When a yacht owner dreams about life at sea on their new build, they will think of designer staterooms, sprawling teak decks … and world-class food that matches their global dining habits. However, they rarely think about the galley and the service areas that need to be in place to deliver on this achievable goal. This is a call to raise attention to how important these rooms are to the owner’s overall vision.

Why galleys matter

One of the most critical and often overlooked aspects of the superyacht experience are the galley and service areas. This space is the heartbeat of the yacht on a guest trip as well as the busiest on board. Food is one of the most crucial and intimate aspects of a guest trip and can singlehandedly make or break it. The industry understands that the food served on board is a critical aspect to a topperforming programme – whether private or charter.

It’s a cornerstone of guest satisfaction. It keeps the busy crew up and running with meals they can look forward to as they work three weeks or more without a day off. Yet despite its importance, 80 per cent of galleys are designed without input from professional yacht chefs.

From a 10-metre Azimut to a 150-metre Lürssen, most of the galleys for owners have no chef feedback at the critical early stages of planning the general arrangement. All yacht sizes can benefit immensely from involving a yacht chef to fit the essential equipment in a space that, nine times out of ten, is too small.

Let’s talk money

On a new build, galleys cost, on average, one per cent of the entire price of the vessel. I’m not saying we need to expand the budget, I’m just trying to illustrate that with a tiny bit more advice on that one per cent, the guest experience improves significantly.

When yacht chefs are ignored in the design phase and shipyard subcontractors take over the galley and service area build-out with no real expertise, it results in workspaces that are a nightmare to operate in. No one wants to work in them, crew turnover is likely to skyrocket and the owner struggles to keep a solid team on board.

A galley designed without chef input can often require an extensive refit sooner rather than later. These retrofits can be very costly, disruptive to the owner’s schedule and very avoidable. The galley of one 80-metre new build was installed by

a shipyard that subcontracted the job to a third party, with no input from a yacht chef. The result was a poorly designed workspace with inefficient workflow, inadequate food storage and domesticgrade equipment that was never meant to support 25 crew and 12 guests.

Within five years of launch, a number of chefs had resigned due to the impractical layout and home equipment, while engineers were frustrated with constant equipment failures on guest trips. Eventually, the owner was forced to spend more than $750,000 on a refit just to install the right equipment and reconfigure the layout of the space.

Had a yacht chef been involved from the outset, this huge cost could have been avoided. Not only would the galley have been designed for efficiency from day one, it also would have directly improved food quality, crew performance and the guest experience – the guest experience being the overall point of the yachting industry. We need to find ways to improve this experience, not just keep the same sub-par status quo.

Even the best shipyards in the world don’t build their own galleys. Instead, they outsource the work to subcontractors –entities that, more often than not, lack the professional oversight required to

create a high-functioning galley. Unless the owner’s build team includes a yacht chef, or the owner has their own yacht chef actively involved in the early planning stages, galleys are typically laid out by non-chefs who select equipment based on profit margin rather than performance. This approach leads to galleys that simply don’t work for the owner.

Professional yacht chefs bring invaluable insights into equipment type, placement, storage needs and operational flow, reducing the likelihood of an expensive post-launch refit. Involving chefs from the outset ensures the galley is built to meet the practical demands of a busy private or charter season.

Enhancing efficiency and performance

Superyacht galleys are unique environments that demand seamless functionality. From serving children’s meals along with the nannies 30 minutes before an intimate family dinner for 12 to executing large-scale catering events, to being woken up throughout the night to make food for drunk guests, yacht chefs face diverse culinary challenges.

On a charter boat you have no idea what food requests guests will throw at you and it’s your job to deliver. There’s no place for home-equipment manufacturers such as Miele or Gaggenau. It might be labelled ‘professional grade’ on the front panel but every chef knows you won’t find this equipment in top restaurants or luxury hotels.

Even on a 30-metre yacht with six crew and 12 guests – 18 people to cook for three times a day – an enormous load is placed on sub-par, domestic-grade equipment more suited to a casual home kitchen than the demands of a superyacht galley. Chefs have to try to deliver on all these high-end expectations with basic equipment, sometimes alone in the galley with no sous chef and lots of mouths to feed, constantly. Why is this the norm? A galley designed with chefs’ input directly enhances efficiency, minimises wasted space and streamlines service to deliver a better guest and crew experience.

Marine-grade equipment

The marine environment presents specific challenges that land-based kitchens don’t face – from corrosionproof materials, safety hinges on heavy oven doors to dishwasher float switches that don’t like sloshing around underway. Selecting the right equipment is crucial. Every piece of equipment needs to not only meet marine standards, but also align with chefs’ culinary needs. This dual perspective helps bridge the gap between ideas that will work in restaurants versus what will work at sea.

Let’s not forget maintenance either, such as easy access to filters, water and power connections etc., which makes it easier to properly maintain, service and fix equipment. This reduces the downtime of a galley drastically.

Designing a superyacht galley without involving a chef is akin to building an F1 race car without consulting an F1 driver. It’s a misstep that undermines the very essence of performance, efficiency and luxury food service.

A

logical collaboration

Designing a superyacht galley without involving a chef is akin to building an F1 race car without consulting an F1 driver. It’s a misstep that undermines the very essence of performance, efficiency and luxury food service. Professional chefs understand the nuances of their craft and bring unmatched value to the design process, and building a galley without involving a chef creates expensive problems sooner rather than later. A galley designed by an outside company that has never worked in a galley can’t compare with a foundational galley layout and equipment list specified by an ex-yacht chef.

While individual preferences may vary, professional yacht chefs consistently prioritise functionality, efficiency, and durability in a galley, with core principles such as proper workflow, adequate refrigeration and high-quality cooking equipment remaining universal. Just as all yacht captains may have slightly different preferences for bridge layouts, yet their input is never ignored, chefs should be involved in galley design through a chef consultant who ensures the space is built to work for any professional, not just for themselves.

Resolution

The galley is more than just a place where food is prepared, it’s the foundation of a trip for both guests and for the crew delivering the guest services. By involving professional yacht chefs in the design process, owners and builders can create a galley that elevates the guest experience, avoids costly refits, benefits galley crew retention and enables top-tier performance. Having a consultant involved in the build process can create a standardised design that will work for any chef, where the investment is minimal but the rewards of getting it right vastly outweigh the costs.

For those aiming to deliver the ultimate luxury experience, this collaboration is not just beneficial to the chef, it’s also essential for the smooth operation of the owner’s greatest asset. BD

The inside take on yacht sustainability

TSG talks to renowned design houses RWD and Winch Design to assess the positive impact that interior design choices can make towards guiding the superyacht industry to a more environmentally friendly future.

Image: David Churchill

BY MEGAN HICKLING

While interior design may not have the biggest influence on the environmental impact of a yacht throughout its life span, it’s still a significant factor in improving its footprint across environmental and social aspects, particularly because an estimated 80 per cent of that impact is determined at the design phase. Interior design is much more visible and notable to those on board so it can present the opportunity to bring these issues to the forefront.

The storytelling nature often found in interiors can also hook people into doing more to reduce harm to the planet. Aino Grapin, CEO at Winch Design, and Laura Nagy, senior interior designer at RWD, are at the forefront of what is being done in this sector of the industry to improve impact and have their own experiences of sustainability in superyacht interiors.

It’s clear from both that interior designers work to improve a yacht’s footprint through a wide array of actions. However, Nagy says this can feel quite overwhelming at times. “It’s a big topic,” she admits. “There is a lot of information out there and it’s difficult to know where to begin, but it’s a worthwhile challenge.”

As part of this effort, Water Revolution Foundation’s Sustainable Yacht Designers Taskforce –chaired by Grapin – which includes multiple leading design firms including Winch Design and RWD, is bringing designers together to talk about their issues and solutions. The Taskforce has created what Nagy calls a “great little Bible” – the Designers’ Protocol, an advisory document detailing different considerations, actions and approaches that should be made by designers to reduce environmental impact throughout the yacht’s life.

For RWD, this structured approach aligns with a broader commitment to responsible business practices, reflected in its B Corp certification. As one of the only design studios in the yachting industry to achieve this status, RWD is dedicated to integrating social and environmental accountability into its work – principles that are also embedded in the Protocol’s guidance.

The Protocol introduces the ‘R’ ladder concept to introduce different considerations to be made to increase circularity, which reduces consumption and waste and, therefore, environmental impact. Particularly for interiors, ‘refuse’ and ‘reduce’ are key because they relate to the material choices made, whether that’s more renewable/recycled

materials, or those that are more durable and longer lasting. At the other end, interior designers can assist with later-life aspects such as refurbishment and recycling by choosing products and materials that can be maintained to extend their life span, and which can also be repurposed or recycled once they have reached the end of their life on board. One such example given in the protocol is the life span of a chair that can be extended to 20 years through repair and reupholstering, thereby reducing CO2 emissions by 40 to 50 per cent.

The protocol also examines alternative materials that can be used and, as highlighted by both Nagy and Grapin, this is an area where interior designers have a lot of control and influence. “We can actively guide our clients in planning meetings,” says Nagy. “It’s down to us what we take in to present. I think you can always find finishes that are less impactful that fit the style, even if the clients want something a little bit more lavish.”

Recognising the importance of this, Winch Design has employed a specialist who is 100 per cent dedicated to researching new materials to be added to its library. Improved materials can range from basic materials such as timber and stone to special finishes using more innovative techniques and materials.

Grapin splits these alternative improved materials into a few different categories, such as finishes and materials made from food waste. Egg-

“It’s really important to understand the lifestyle and the intended use for the yacht. As a designer, you can bear that in mind when you select the finishes.”

Sustainable materials from Winch Design include faux coral eggshell composite, a hand-painted wall covering sample made with water-soluble pigments/products, and a salvaged upcycled teak panel made from prime teak reclaimed from abandoned houses.

shells, for example, are made to mimic brain coral and peppercorns suspended in bio-resin are used to mimic the pattern found on shagreen leather. This is where innovative ideas in the interiors world can be translated into really interesting and inventive products that tell a story as well as being highly sustainable.

Renewable sources such as cork or birch bark can be taken and grown back. Nagy says that cork is exciting because of its versatility, and lauds its other benefits as an alternative, less ecologically harmful, decking material. “I like the whole story behind it,” she says. “It’s interesting – it’s got a warmth and feels like an honest material.”

Alternatives such as these will become ever more important as the European Union cracks down on unethically sourced timber. Grapin explains, “Our current projects are still mostly teak decking. My understanding is that this will probably change over time, so we’re following with interest alternatives like cork and Tesumo.”

Innovative techniques such as 3D printing, which can utilise recycled plastics or even ceramics, minimise waste due to the nature of its production as well as creating some interesting and durable products. Innovation can also involve natural and biobased products as demonstrated by businesses such

as Nature Squared, a Swiss-based design company using organic materials and by-products. F-List’s F/LAB is creating materials such as a type of faux shagreen made from marble waste that’s more durable. Grapin cites another alternative ‘leather’ that is made from elephant ear, a type of palm plant which is also extremely durable. Nagy says there’s a big push towards bio-resins to achieve high-gloss surfaces – as well as its other purposes, emphasising its versatility. Grapin also highlights the fantastic storytelling arising from utilising these products: “The amazing stories you can tell your friends … ‘this unique coffee table is made with eco resin and the beautiful flowers were taken from leftover flowers found on the floor of a flower market’.”

The use of recycled products and substances is clearly a vital part of the process when choosing materials for the interior. For example, the Winch material library includes carpets made from recycled fishing nets, which also consumes less water and energy in its production, reduces CO2 emissions by 30 per cent and is much more resistant to stains, fire, water and mildew . “This is something that the industry can really get behind because the whole yachting industry is really committed to ocean conservation,” says Grapin. “I think we’ve also realised that without beautiful oceans, without

Clockwise from top left: Flexplorer 146 material board; selection of sustainable and VOC-free materials in the Winch Design studio; lounge and study on board Flexplorer 146; a variety of cork samples and preserved moss in the Winch Design studio; bathroom on board Flexplorer 146.

Credit: Winch Design

Laura Nagy, senior interior designer, RWD.

fish to snorkel with and clean interesting oceans to enjoy, the yachting industry can’t exist.”

Interestingly, not all materials in these libraries are new innovations. Nagy points to terrazzo as a great example of improved circularity – once popular in the 1970s, it’s making a comeback in high-end projects due to its use of stone offcuts. By repurposing waste from other projects, terrazzo exemplifies how traditional materials can be reimagined for a more sustainable future.

Grapin says there’s a misconception that these sustainable materials are by definition kind of earthy, natural and have a given look. “Actually, a lot of these sustainable materials you can have in any colour. It could be vibrant colours, it could suit any design choice, so it doesn’t have to be your expected beige.”

Misconceptions persist in the industry, one being that sustainable solutions are always more expensive. However, Nagy points out that this isn’t necessarily the case. In fact, using more durable materials can lower maintenance and repair costs over time. For her, the idea that these materials require a compromise stems largely from a lack of exposure.

Another is the feeling that these alternatives to mainstream options aren’t going to be as good, but Grapin says they would never compromise as designers on the best interiors. She explains it’s exactly this drive that results in these alternative materials being included in their portfolio. “It’s not just about pushing sustainable materials for sustainability’s sake only.”

An informed team that can confidently discuss sustainability is key to dispelling these misconceptions. Nagy explains that at RWD, sustainability is embedded in their daily practice, with regular team discussions ensuring it remains a central focus in both project planning and design. Additionally, maintaining a diverse library of materials allows designers to show clients that they can achieve their desired aesthetic while making lowerimpact choices – without significant compromise.

Nagy says the younger generation seems to be much more aware of sustainability issues and keen to act. “I think a greater number of clients, especially the younger generation, are quite aware of it,” she argues. “And they do actively take an interest.”

While these special finishes may be eye-catching for clients with their origin stories, Nagy emphasises the importance of recognising that the use of more ‘standard’ materials such as timber and stone is much more prevalent across projects compared with individualistic special finishes, and these can have the biggest footprints.

Although there are many promising alternatives out there, research is needed to ensure they continue to make a greater impact – whether that is verifying certification or investigating suppliers on a deeper level to gain an understanding of the whole process. Specifically, both RWD and Winch send questionnaires to their suppliers to gain a better understanding of their supply chain and the origins of their products.

However, as always, it’s all about how the material is used. One of Grapin’s bugbears is the replacement of carpets every year. Winch has specified carpets on yachts that are still in use 20 years later. Grapin stresses, “Let’s use durable materials that are authentic and let’s not be wasteful.

As with other aspects of sustainability, there’s no

Aino Grapin, CEO, Winch Design.

one solution; a range of options to suit individual needs will lead to better impacts. “It’s really important to understand the lifestyle and the intended use for the yacht,” says Nagy. “As a designer, you can bear that in mind when you select the finishes.” She emphasises the importance of having this understanding as early as possible in the process.

Beyond the materials themselves, the specifications of a finish can determine how impactful they are. “Some clients seek perfection in the aesthetic presentation of materials, whereas for natural materials it is those imperfections that give the character and beauty to the surfaces,” Nagy says, adding that in some cases, due to the design and material, this can mean up to 200 per cent wastage. She has seen efforts to combat this in recent years due to “a deeper consideration towards the construction of surfaces and how clever design solutions can help to use more of the material and reduce the wastage”. Changing the split lines on a wall or the entire panelling design itself, for example, can make optimal use of the material.

Grapin also details the efforts Winch Design is making to reduce such wastage, such as veneers and faux-wood wrapping – which covers existing surfaces rather than disposing of them to be replaced – focusing more on the mindset of how these finishes are presented. “Introduce that it’s not a defect as much as a natural character of timber that can be celebrated,” she suggests. Winch’s work with contractors to make these changes to the finish can save half or two-thirds on the waste. However, she asserts this is an issue the industry has to continually work to improve. “The perception of the industry needs to shift and maybe the trends in interiors will help us with this as there is a shift towards ‘perfect imperfections’.”

Nagy has observed a significant shift in awareness over the past few years, with sustainability becoming an enduring priority rather than a passing trend. “I think it’s here to stay, and it has to stay,” she emphasises. As understanding deepens, clients are becoming more receptive to sustainable materials, not just for their environmental benefits but also for their aesthetic appeal. She notes that many now seek designs that align with global architectural trends, favouring pared-back luxury and a more natural, authentic feel.

“If we all went on this quest for information and there was more transparency among industry and partners in the supply chain, I think that would really help us. And I do think it’s happening.”

“All of our clients are interested in the stories, the uniqueness. These materials are popular with clients and designers as the story makes it a unique selling point. Clients are hooked into either the sustainability story or just the fact that it’s original and hasn’t been seen before.”

Grapin has noticed another beneficial trend. “Some of our clients are very focused on the emissions that materials have,” she says and explains they are concerned about what they will be breathing in on board and the impact on their family’s health. Often, less impactful material will be VOC-free, demonstrating that while these options are better for sustainability there are other benefits too. Winch has been researching low VOC materials, testing them for the Flexplorer 146 project they are currently working on.

“There are definitely solutions out there that are innovative and more durable,” she says. In some cases there can even be cost savings. They can often also be more intriguing pieces that have

new and interesting back stories. “All of our clients are interested in the stories, the uniqueness. These materials are popular with clients and designers as the story makes it a unique selling point. Clients are hooked into either the sustainability story or just the fact that it’s original and hasn’t been seen before.”

Sustainability isn’t just about choosing options that result in better environmental impacts; there can also be choices that improve social impact. Interior designs can be champions of small independent craftspeople. Grapin says that without the craftspeople, they can’t turn dreams into reality, and Winch is really passionate about preserving craft. She points out this is industry-wide. “Yachting in general has really supported craft – and that is

RWD’s showroom.

Robert Walker, QEST scholar specialising in hand-crafted signmaking known as verre églomisé, a process of applying both a design and gold on to the rear face of glass, as well as hand-painted sign-writing and large-scale typographic murals.

a story that needs to be told more. Our clients are passionate also about craft.”

Winch is a proud participant in the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST). The fund supports craftspeople of all ages and backgrounds by funding their courses, apprenticeships or oneon-one training with masters. Winch works closely with the artisans of the trust and always looks for new individual talent to nurture.

While designers work with clients to imagine and realise their dream interiors, others are involved in making these ideas and plans a reality on board. Making interiors more sustainable is also reliant on the rest of the supply chain. The focus at every stage should be on improving what can be controlled and for suppliers this means sourcing materials from more environmentally and ethically responsible origins, involving less impactful production methods. One obvious and straightforward choice is the consistent maintenance of these materials during the use of a yacht to extend their life as long as possible.

Working closely with suppliers or interior contractors demonstrates that even more everyday materials can be improved through collaboration and honest conversation, says Nagy. “The result of this collaboration with the supplier is a better product, a unique product and a more sustainable product,” says Grapin.

The benefits of this cooperation can go beyond materials and relate to other elements of the design and build process, with Nagy looking for suppliers in the vicinity of the shipyard to reduce travel emissions. Grapin also calls for the industry to focus more on the impact of a yacht in its later life. “Work with the interior contractors to make the interiors more modular so that they can be changed in the future without impacting necessarily the whole interior.”

Alongside the Task Force mentioned earlier, Water Revolution Foundation and F/Yachting, specialists in bespoke design and outfitting of superyachts, hosted a workshop in their innovation hub in Austria, bringing together superyacht designers, project managers and shipyard representatives. [Editor’s note: see Martin H. Redmayne’s article in issue 222]. The theme was ‘The Future of Yachting Industry Interiors & Exteriors’, fostering discussions and more effective collaboration to generate better impacts in yacht design. Particular focus was also on how to futureproof design by using life-cycle assessment (LCA) thinking to choose better materials and working to better measure the industry’s environmental impact.

Max Bainbridge, QEST scholar, an entirely self-taught contemporary artist and woodturner.

Also at this workshop, Water Revolution Foundation launched a new chapter of the Designers’ Protocol, looking further into alternative decking solutions. More of these workshops are going to be hosted in the future, and Nagy lauds such efforts. “Water Revolution Foundation is great, just bringing different people from industries, different aspects of the industry together to have more conversations. That is how we all learn,” she says.

Alongside the education aspect, interior designers themselves are desiring more understanding and knowledge of the quantifiable aspects of these products. One mechanism would be the Environmental Product Declaration. This is a Type III environmental declaration according to the ISO 14025 standard based on the results and information from an LCA and is third-party verified. The declaration report includes objective and comparable data about the product or service’s environmental performance from an LCA.

The in-depth nature of LCAs, which include a significant level of detailed information, makes it an extensive piece of work to complete, and as such it can be difficult for smaller producers, such as the craftspeople working with the superyacht industry, to have the time and capacity to create these declarations.

Quantification is crucial as LCA looks to dispel options that may seem more environmentally friendly but, due to their production methods, may not be in practice. More yacht-specific, if a product is ‘greener’ but has a much shorter lifespan than the typical option, then it isn’t as ‘green’. Hopefully, this can be improved through Water Revolution Foundation’s efforts to verify solutions using LCA methodology.

Winch is working to estimate its own footprint across all its projects to generate a baseline impact, so it can set objectives to quantify the reductions made through a choice of alternatives. Recognising that this will take a significant amount of work to complete, Grapin says, “If we all went on this quest for information and there was more transparency among industry and partners in the supply chain, I think that would really help us. And I do think it’s happening.”

Nagy believes there will be a big push to have a readily available LCA tool that can be easily accessed. This, while requiring significant information-gathering across the industry, would greatly help with understanding how to improve impact in designs.

It’s clear that interiors are an important sector of the industry working towards guiding it to a more responsible future, con-tinuing to provide clients with designs that are not only the best, but also have a better impact on the world, along with the confidence, understanding and desire to choose these options.

It is to be hoped that more quantified data, along with these choices and processes, will become more standard and expected across the industry. Continued innovations and collaborations, being more transparent and wanting to learn from each other and work together towards better outcomes, will be the key to successful change.

Grapin issues one last call to the industry. “The other new normal I think we should all aim for is more cross-industry commitments to certain standards. It would be great to see that across the industry, not just for designers or shipyards. A common goal for the industry would invigorate everyone.” MH

Continued innovations and collaborations, being more transparent and wanting to learn from each other and work together towards better outcomes, will be the key to successful change.

FEADSHIP

ONE WITH THE SEA

In the world of superyachts, there is one that stands above the rest: the 75.75-metre Feadship ONE With a seamless blend of elegant design and superior functionality, this yacht offers an unparalleled experience for those seeking the pinnacle of luxury. ONE is the embodiment of singularity, where luxury, design, and craftsmanship come together into a unique, harmonious whole. Step onboard and discover a world where every detail is meticulously crafted, every space invites relaxation, and every moment becomes extraordinary.

There are yachts and there are Feadships.

Dr Paolo Vitelli Founder and president, Azimut-Benetti Group

A special tribute by industry friends and colleagues.

BY MARTIN H. REDMAYNE

Over the past 36 years, I’ve met, dined, chatted, brainstormed and walked slowly around shipyards and yacht projects with perhaps the most important man in the superyacht industry. We lost Dr Paolo Vitelli, the Dottore, prematurely during the 2024 Christmas holiday season and I’m still coming to terms with the fact that he has gone.

His legacy is far-reaching, his impact huge, his wisdom vast and his passion unwavering, and he touched so many people in our industry with his charming style of engagement and his ability to listen to anyone who had something interesting to say. He’s built brands, fleets and products that have delivered success, innovation and enjoyment to so many, and it’s hard to think about our industry without him, and our thoughts are with his family, friends and vast network of colleagues and employees over the decades of his tenure at the helm of the Azimut-Benetti Group.

We’ve dedicated this issue to the Dottore, with some personal comments from his colleagues, friends and those people he influenced and inspired over the years. In very simple terms, this man has, over the past 40 years, since he acquired Benetti, transformed our industry into what it is today, with myriad designers, suppliers, subcontractors and shipyards all benefiting and growing thanks to his vision and entrepreneurial spirit.

The performance chart on pages 34-35 shows the evolution of Benetti since his acquisition, demonstrating the impact and success he achieved over the past four decades.

Rest in peace Dottore … fair winds and following seas.

DR PAOLO VITELLI

BRIEF BIOGRAPHY

Paolo Vitelli, born on 4 October, 1947, in Turin, Italy, was a visionary entrepreneur whose passion for boating and keen business acumen led to the creation of the Azimut-Benetti Group, a global leader in luxury yacht manufacturing. His journey from a university student to a titan of the yachting industry is a testament to his innovative spirit and relentless pursuit of excellence.

In 1969, while still studying economics and commerce, Vitelli founded Azimut Yachts, initially focusing on boat rentals. The company’s early success attracted international builders seeking to enter the Italian market, prompting Vitelli to transition into boat manufacturing. By 1975, Azimut had launched its own project, marking the beginning of its evolution into a prominent yacht builder.

A significant milestone occurred in 1985 when Vitelli acquired the Benetti shipyard, a renowned name in Italian yacht craftsmanship. This acquisition led to the formation of the Azimut-Benetti Group which expanded to include five shipyards across Italy. Under Vitelli's leadership, the group became the world’s most prolific yacht builder, topping the global order book for the production of yachts over 24 metres for 25 consecutive years.

His contributions to the industry were recognised with numerous honours, including the title of Cavaliere del Lavoro (Order of Merit for Labour) in 1996 and an honorary degree in mechanical engineering from the Politecnico di Torino in 2004.

Paolo Vitelli passed away on 31 December, 2024, at the age of 77, following an accident at his residence in Valle d’Aosta. His legacy endures through the AzimutBenetti Group, which continues to set benchmarks in luxury yacht manufacturing, and through his daughter, Giovanna Vitelli, pictured above with Paolo, who assumed leadership of the company in 2023.

Under her guidance, the company remains committed to innovation and sustainability, reflecting the visionary principles established by her father. Vitelli’s life and career exemplify the impact of his visionary leadership and dedication to excellence. His contributions have left an indelible mark on the yachting industry and continue to inspire future generations of entrepreneurs.

Paolo Vitelli, early 1960s, on the Po river in Turin. The call of boating already beckons.

Credit: Riding the Wave , Rizzoli.

Paolo Vitelli and Fouad Alghanim with Terence Disdale. Credit: Riding the Wave , Rizzoli

Paolo Vitelli is appointed Cavaliere del Lavoro by Italian President Oscar Luigi Scalfaro, 1996.

Credit: Riding the Wave , Rizzoli.

Paolo and Giovanni Vitelli in their natural environment: aboard a yacht. Credit: Benetti , Assouline.

DR PAOLO VITELLI

Credit: Benetti , Assouline.

Credit:

The launch ceremony of one of the first units of the iconic Golden Bay series in Viareggio, 1996. Here, Paolo Vitelli, members of the Benetti management team, local authorities and the yacht’s owner at the unveiling.

Paolo and Giovanna Vitelli celebrate delivery of the first gigayacht on the day of its departure.

Riding the Wave , Rizzoli.

a launch ceremony in

During

Livorno in 2019, Paolo Vitelli introduces the 108-metre FB275 M/Y IJE , the largest Benetti yacht built to date.

Credit: Benetti , Assouline.

Set in one of the most famous seaside cities in Italy, the Benetti shipyard in Livorno.

Credit: Benetti , Assouline.

THE EVOLUTION OF BENETTI YACHTS (1985-2025)

Benetti Yachts, one of the most iconic names in luxury yacht building, has consistently redefined the art of craftsmanship and innovation in maritime design. From its early focus on traditional wooden yachts to its dominance in the fibreglass and steel superyacht market, Benetti has transformed the yachting landscape over four decades, blending Italian heritage with cuttingedge technology and sustainability.

The 1980s: A foundation of excellence

In 1985, Benetti was already a prestigious brand with a rich legacy dating back to 1873. However, the company faced challenges stemming from rising competition and shifting client demands. This period marked a turning point as Benetti was acquired by the Azimut Group, led by entrepreneur Paolo Vitelli. The acquisition provided Benetti with critical financial resources, enabling modernisation of its production processes. The

Azimut-Benetti Group became a financial powerhouse in the yachting industry, leveraging synergies to dominate the luxury-yacht sector.

The 1990s: Pioneering customisation

During the 1990s, Benetti’s business strategy shifted towards semi-custom and fully bespoke yachts. This allowed the company to diversify its offerings, attract new clientele and boost its financial performance. By the mid-1990s, the AzimutBenetti Group achieved annual revenues exceeding €195 million, with Benetti contributing significantly. Investments in composite materials and more efficient production lines enabled the company to increase profit margins while maintaining its artisanal craftsmanship.

Benetti’s reputation for delivering highly customised yachts allowed it to weather economic turbulence, such as the early 1990s recession, while expanding into new markets, particularly in North America.

The 2000s: The era of megayachts

The 2000s marked Benetti’s strategic pivot towards larger, more opulent vessels. This shift was driven by rising demand for superyachts among ultra-highnet-worth individuals (UHNWIs). The company’s ability to produce yachts exceeding 50 metres in length cemented its dominance in the market. Notable launches such as the Benetti Ambrosia III (2002) showcased the brand’s capacity for technological and aesthetic excellence.

By the end of the decade, Benetti’s parent company, the Azimut-Benetti Group, had annual revenues exceeding €700 million, positioning it as the world’s largest producer of luxury yachts. Benetti’s strong financial performance was bolstered by robust demand in emerging markets, including the Middle East and Asia, where oil wealth and economic growth spurred interest in luxury assets.

*2025 figures are an estimation based on our current data.

2010–2025: Innovation, sustainability and financial growth

The 2010s were marked by significant investment in sustainability and innovation, a move driven by both market trends and regulatory changes. Benetti introduced hybrid propulsion systems and fully electric yachts, such as Luminosity (2020), a 107-metre gigayacht featuring cutting-edge energy storage systems and low-emission engines. These innovations required substantial investment, with Azimut-Benetti allocating more than €50 million annually to research and development during this period.

Despite these investments, the company remained profitable, supported by growing demand for eco-friendly yachts. By 2020, the global luxury yacht market was valued at more than €5.8 billion, with Benetti capturing a significant share. The pandemic-induced surge in wealth accumulation among UHNWIs

further drove sales, as more clients sought private leisure options.

From 2020 to 2025, Benetti's annual revenues consistently exceeded €800 million, with operating margins bolstered by a shift towards high-value superyachts. The average price of a Benetti yacht during this period exceeded €40 million, reflecting the company’s focus on ultraluxury craftsmanship.

Looking forward: financial leadership and market position

As of 2025, Benetti remains a global leader in the luxury yacht industry, with a commanding market share in both custom and semi-custom sectors. The Azimut-Benetti Group, now valued at more than €1.2 billion, continues to invest heavily in sustainability and technological innovation. Benetti’s shipyards in Viareggio and Livorno operate at nearfull capacity, producing over 35 yachts annually.

The company’s ability to balance tradition with modernity has allowed it to cater to a diverse clientele, from European aristocrats to tech billionaires in Silicon Valley. With increasing demand for sustainable yachts, Benetti is poised for further growth, targeting annual revenues of €1 billion by the end of the decade.

Conclusion

From its humble origins as a traditional yacht builder to its current status as a financial and technological leader in the global luxury-yacht market, Benetti’s journey reflects its ability to innovate and adapt.

With strong financial backing, a commitment to sustainability and a focus on client-centred design, Benetti is not only shaping the future of yachting but also redefining what it means to balance luxury with responsibility. MHR

DR PAOLO VITELLI

The other Vitelli

“He filled any room he entered. He listened to everybody, with a poker face that was more respectful than dubious. Listening was for him a mighty tool, and he was a master at it, while letting you feel it was him that was in command. There was no job too small if he thought he could do it for the benefit of others. That tranquillity he always exuded made him big and extremely easy to be respected. He was the universal gentleman many of us would love to be. He had [the] King Midas touch and knew to use it for everybody’s advantage (his daughter being the best proof). Mr Paolo Vitelli was, for me, a Leader. Thank you Mr Vitelli for having shown the way to so many people. Including me.

OSCAR SICHES _ MARINA, REPAIR SHIPYARD AND YACHT HARBOUR CONSULTANT

Paolo, Giovanna and I are sitting on the floor of the pantry in Benetti’s office eating pizza. It sounds like a start of an anecdote but, in reality, it’s [an] eagerly awaited happy end to one of the most challenging projects for all of us. The construction of these giga [yachts] was not an easy thing: countless changes at the construction phase, suppliers’ replacements, the delivery in the middle of a pandemic and a very demanding client on a top of it all! Stress at its peak, 12-hour meetings, all the parties are exhausted. The situation was really tough, and I wondered how we managed to endure it all. I was amazed at Paolo’s patience, respect to the team and loyalty to the client, no matter what. Later, I realised that this is just an exceptional professionalism, backed by dedication to [the] company with the family behind and their reputation as a lifelong endeavour. There are many things I’m grateful for in life and one of them is undoubtedly that pizza, shared late at night after the final inspection.

ALISA DOBROSERDOVA OWNER'S REPRESENTATIVE

We would like to pay tribute to Paolo Vitelli. Especially to his remarkable companies, Azimut and Benetti. As Resintex, we have had the privilege of working with them for many years. We deeply respect the consistency of their work. The organisation and discipline within their team. Their exceptional ability to industrialise yacht production through a rationalisation process that few have achieved in a market with a growing and genuine appeal for sustainability. As a family business ourselves, we hold great admiration for the Vitelli family’s dedication. We share common values with Azimut-Benetti. Our thoughts are with the family during this difficult time.

LAURA FABI RESINTEX TECHNOLOGY

Many years ago, Giorgia Gessner, editor of the magazine Barche, introduced me to him. The impression was immediately of an extremely active and attentive person, firm and polite, eyes lively beyond words, an empathetic and extraordinarily warm approach. When we met up over the last years, even though extremely busy, Dr Vitelli never failed to have a kind word, a rare attention in a world always in a hurry. Over the time we have admired his exceptional industriousness, his continuous look to the future, the courage and intuition of the great entrepreneur, founder of the Azimut-Benetti group, the pride of the Italian naval industry all over the world. The evil fate has snatched him from us, but we have not lost him. His shining example of a greatest entrepreneur and his kind smile of a real gentleman will remain alive in all of us for a long time. Goodbye Dr Vitelli, your imprint will always remain on the most beautiful boats of the world!

PAOLA TRIFIRÒ SINIRAMED SAILOR AND PREVIOUS OWNER OF S/Y KOKOMO OF LONDON, ZEFIRA AND RIBELLE, CURRENTLY OWNER OF EXPLORER MABELLE

DR PAOLO VITELLI

The news of the loss of Paolo Vitelli struck me deeply, both because of the enormous human and entrepreneurial calibre he represented and because our paths, after 30 long years of collaboration, had recently parted, not without deep sorrow on my part. Fate has robbed us of the hoped-for chance to meet again. Paolo Vitelli believed in me by giving me teachings, trust and responsibilities to manage. He passed on to me the concept of leadership as well as the ability to read the company and its functioning through numbers. Countless projects we tackled together, many not pursued but just as many brought to success. An immense mentor, one of the most fundamental people in my entire life. I would not be who I am if I had not encountered such an amazing person on my journey. To his daughter Giovanna and the entire Vitelli family, I would like to extend my and my family’s heartfelt condolences, who have learned much from this enlightened entrepreneur.

GIORGIO CASARETO _ PORTOSOLE SANREMO

Thank you, Dottore Vitelli

ALBERTO MARIA BETTINI _ VABER INDUSTRIALE SPA

Comandante

Tom

– It’s not the watch you wear, but the way in which you wear it!’ Paolo Vitelli was so humble and gracious when he told me

this

one

evening at dinner with Terry Disdale

in Genova. I never forgot what a great man he was and so inspiring. A legend in his own lifetime, a gentleman of honour and old school. Paolo, you will be sadly missed indeed by all.

CAPTAIN

TOM BURLAND MNI BENETTI & AZIMUT

“

Not just a public industry leader of the yacht industry, but also a silent driving force without whom we would not have been where we are today. R.I.P.

ENGEL JAN DE BOER LLOYD'S REGISTER

“ ”

Admiration for a master

ALDO MANNA MCYACHT

“ ”

I will never forget the day Mr Vitelli, by then already an icon in our industry, made a 1,000km touristic drive up north to do a bit of Gran-Turismo steering but also to visit me in Holland to discuss some sketched layouts we made for the smaller models of the Azimut Magellano series. Even during his off-time he would never stop working … The very friendly but also very efficient meeting, held at my private country-kitchen table, brought our studio a lot of follow-up business. But what I remember most was the fact that, after finishing our smokedeel lunch, Mr Vitelli started cleaning the table and it took me a lot of convincing to not have him do the dishes as well! We, as an industry, owe him a lot and we will dearly miss him for sure!

COR D. ROVER COR D. ROVER DESIGN

”

DR PAOLO VITELLI

“I made my first work steps in some of his iconic and visionary projects: the Alps Hotellerie in Mascognaz, the Fiera di Genova waved cover, and of course the magnificent yacht shipyard in Viareggio, for 12 years being always pulled by his magnetic force of avanguardia, improvement and determination. You are right: incredibly charming in listening and stimulating to the next level of conversation whatever core, whatever worker or manager or owner .... same – educated, polite and respectful man the Dottore was.

PAOLO SITIA HEAD OF ARCHITECTURE, EXPLORA JOURNEYS, MSC CRUISES

Paolo Vitelli was always the ‘Dottore’ for me too, until he called me in the summer of 1999: “Engineer, we need you in UCINA!”. From that day, since I joined the Italian Industry Association as his secretary general, he became, and remains, my ‘Presidente’.

I spent more than seven overwhelming and passionate years with him, covering most of his time as chairman of the Association. So many memories of this time which defined unforgettably my entire professional and personal life. Working with him meant never stopping, never giving up, simply because he never rested, never gave up. Being always committed with your work because this work was “the only thing I’m able to do”. He was demanding and inflexible with his managers, but less so than he was with himself. It was impossible not to follow him.

But having had the privilege to share such a long and intense time with him, my memories go to the human being. I discovered in him the fatherly pride and love on receiving, with tears in his eyes, a call from Giovanna, at that time still a professional attorney. I shared with him the enthusiasm for the results when being informed of the famous ‘Italian leasing’, which signalled an authentic booming of the market: on the phone he was like a sports supporter celebrating a victory, a ‘kid’ who had received his long-awaited gift. As a Catholic, now I should say “Presidente, rest in peace”. But, no way. I’m sure he’s not at peace, still not at rest – I’m sure he’s now negotiating with Saint Peter to secure fair winds for our beloved industry!

Grazie Presidente, it has been an honour to serve you.

LORENZO POLLICARDO TECHNICAL & ENVIRONMENTAL DIRECTOR, SYBASS

I write these words with a heart full of emotion and gratitude, trying to pay tribute to a person who has been a beacon in the world of yachting and in the lives of all those who had the privilege of knowing him, both as a man and as an entrepreneur. Working alongside him for 25 years has been a source of security for me and for all of us. Hearing him talk about boats made us eager to build them with passion, exactly as he liked – with great ‘pride’!

His example of dedication, expertise, his vision always ‘beyond’ and his ability to face every challenge with intelligence and courage have been a source of inspiration and foresight for all of us and, without any presumption, for the entire yachting world. The Doctor always knew how to give his best, not only through his boats (and there are many, believe me!) but also with his way of leading and supporting others, precisely in that world, the yachting world, where he knew how to see further than any other man of the sea, never as a limit, nor as a destination ... but as only a visionary could. With his personal values, sacrifice and immense attitude, he was able to aim for excellence, not as a destination, but as a continuous journey towards the best, towards the finest product: his.

His passing leaves a profound void in his Group, not easy to fill, but at the same time, the traces he has left are indelible and will continue to illuminate the path of those who had the privilege of knowing the Doctor.

It has been an honour for me to hear many times, referring to my work, “Grazie Architetto!!” with that unmistakable French ‘r’, which made me feel important. With much affection.

MARIA ROSA REMEDI INTERIOR DESIGN MANAGER, BENETTI YACHTS

DR PAOLO VITELLI

I knew this day would come. Not today. Not so soon. We had many more projects to imagine, ideas to discuss, to tear apart and start over again. More home-cooked carbonaras to share. Your retirement you worked so hard to enjoy … alas was not meant to be. I thank you for the fond memories. For the special place and time you reserved for me. For the opportunities you bestowed on me. For the lessons you allowed me to learn. For the wisdom you so eagerly shared. For your unwavering guidance and loyalty which over time led to the success we were about to celebrate on our 20th anniversary. Thank you for your immense generosity. Thank you for being unreservedly you. You will always be the most humble GIANT anyone will ever know. I shall be forever privileged to have grown under your wing, Paolo Vitelli. A formidable visionary and mentor. Yachting will never be the same without you, Paolo. Caro. Un abbraccio. Fin quando ci rivederemmo. Renderemo orgogliosa la tua memoria ...

NIKI TRAVERS TAUSS _ AZIMUT YACHTS MALTA

Column

by Terry Allen

Raising the industry standard

Terry Allen, surveyor and build manager, discusses the importance of a clear distinction between Flag and Class, and why it’s vital to raise standards to ensure a successful yacht build.

The best way to raise the standard is first to create one. Five major items create the basis of a good build: the specification, the contract, the Classification society, the Flag state and a good build management team that includes individual specialists in:

• Noise and vibration

• HVAC

• Structural engineers

• Paint surveyors

• The Classification society

• The Flag state

With all this expertise at hand, the build process still needs to be well managed and have support from all team members. So how can it still go wrong? Let’s consider the new-build scenario, which has similar steps to a conversion or refit. The client is excited about their new adventure and investment and should be guided in a manner where the investor gets what they want, not what the broker or whoever wants to sell. It should be very easy for the client to say this is what I want, this is where I want to go and this is what I want on my boat. Easy and simple – the client gets what they want, not what someone wants to sell them.

1. The Specification

The concept specification should be a document of around 150 pages that reflects the client’s requirements. During the build, the specification becomes a compilation of thousands of pages made up with installation guidelines by the manufacturer/supplier of the components to ensure the client gets what they want.

Just to add a bit of humour and context to this, the funniest specification I have ever seen on a job was a six-page specification, with the front page being a picture of the boat and job descriptions such as, and I quote, “It is understood that the crew area should be upgraded”. There were some other things in the other four pages and the shipyard had quoted 2.8 million to do the job. The upgrade of the crew area was ‘gutted’ back to the bare hull. The project finished at 11 million.

That’s how important a good specification is!

Once the specification is all clear and the chosen shipyard has reviewed with comments and the lawyers are happy, then it is safe then to go to the contract phase.

2. The contract

The contract should be written to reference the specification with all the legal bits added and the milestone points. The shipyard signs and the investor signs and it’s on with the show.

3. Class

The Classification society is contacted for a ‘kick-off’ meeting with the owner’s team, bearing in mind that during the build phase the Class surveyor is wearing the hat of the shipyard.

4. Flag

The Flag state is called in for a ‘kickoff’ meeting just like the Classification society. Here’s where it gets sticky if the Class surveyor walks through the door and says, “Hi everyone, I am also appointed by the Flag state”. As an owner’s rep/build manager, I have a problem.

A lot of Flag states delegate certain responsibilities of the build to Classification societies, which I understand should be beneficial to the project providing due diligence is maintained in respect of all the rules.

But now the Class surveyor has four hats to wear:

• With new build, Class is engaged by the shipyard: Shipyard hat

• The Classification society: Class hat

• Flag state: Flag hat

• Then, at the end of it all: Boat hat

It’s a very fine line that is easily determined as a conflict of interest because of the shipyard/Class/Flag and vessel relationship. But, at the end of the build, the Classification society wants to wear the boat hat. It’s a difficult balancing act.

I’ve experienced this scenario, and maintaining build quality is made more difficult because as an owner’s representative/build manager, a very important avenue of appeal over nonconformity, build standards or noncompliance is compromised by one person’s interpretation. The only person who loses out is the client/investor.

Flag state surveyors must be actively involved in on-site inspections to at

least ensure the appointed Class surveyor is doing the job expected and that the ‘due diligence’ is covered, which is a part of the package of the Flag state registry.

To ensure build standard during the build process, as an owner’s representative/project manager, the only things on my side are Class, Flag, the specification and the contract. Whatever I think outside of those four things is just my opinion and can be accepted or rejected accordingly, and I have no avenue of recourse unless I am disputing ‘an interpretation of the rule’ which, in most cases, will be dismissed by someone else’s interpretation of the rule that keeps the shipyard happy.

Once, when I told a Class surveyor that he was an insult to his profession, the gent in question obviously wasn’t happy but he must have thought about it a lot and three days later he came to me, shook my hand and then he was my best friend, and the build standard was maintained from a Class perspective.

Litigation is expensive, long and there’s always uncertainty of the outcome where the only ones certain to win in the story are the lawyers.

When things start to go south, what avenues of appeal does the investor/ client have?

Litigation

Litigation is expensive, long and there’s always uncertainty of the outcome where the only ones certain to win in the story are the lawyers. Suing the shipyard for poor build standards is a very grey area.

The first question is always, whose standards are we talking about? Honestly, hand on heart, when a shipyard director tells me that the client bought the Fiat not the Mercedes, what chances do you stand with that reply? Non-compliance of the specification, providing it is all clear cut, maybe. And all very costly, long and creating a lot of heartache for everyone.

Organisations such as Lloyd’s Register, ABS, DNV, BV, GL, etc and the Flag states provide safety and technical standards for ships and offshore structures. If they fail to meet their responsibilities, such as by incorrectly certifying a vessel or being negligent in their inspections, it can lead to lawsuits, particularly if such failures result in accidents, environmental damage or loss of life.

This a very long and expensive route that has a very limited chance of success unless things are crystal clear. If the client wants to proceed, they should be well informed of the elements and the hurdles involved in making this choice.

Classification societies

Contractual limitations, burden of proof, international conventions and treaties, industry protections and expert testimony:

Classification societies are wellestablished organisations with considerable expertise and regulatory

Start the process correctly, start with a good specification, a contract that reflects the specification, ensure that the Class surveyor has a clear understanding of the owner’s team expectations and ensure that the Flag state has that same understanding.

backing, so before you want to go up against that, you’d better be prepared. Maritime law, including conventions and treaties, can also provide legal protections for Classification societies.

The Flag state registry Flag states are sovereign nations, so sovereign immunity protects them from being sued in foreign courts. If a Flag state registry fails to properly enforce these regulations or negligently certifies a ship, it could potentially be held liable under certain circumstances but are more vulnerable to the due diligence claim if they have appointed someone outside of their own organisation as their representative.

The Flag state itself generally cannot be directly sued unless specific exceptions apply such as due diligence or in cases of commercial activity or negligence that fall outside sovereign immunity protections.

Summation: Raising the standard

We – all the members of this industry – are all responsible for the raising or, even better, the creation of industry standards. There are bodies within the industry that could employ standards that have to be met for a

level of industry compliance. Start the process correctly, start with a good specification, a contract that reflects the specification, ensure that the Class surveyor has a clear understanding of the owner’s team's expectations and ensure that the Flag state has that same understanding.

All of the Classification society surveyors that I have ever met are either ex-cadets who have gone through the process working at sea and studied to achieve their level of degree, or university degree people, most of whom have sailed on ships and have a very fair understanding of the rules that are involved in building a vessel correctly. This ensures a certain standard of build.

Most of the Flag state surveyors are ex-mariners, masters or engineers from the commercial world who have all spent years in study to arrive at their level of employment.

However, the yachting industry is a circus. If you want to be an independent surveyor inspecting vessels that cost millions of dollars and the investor/client is entrusting you to ensure his dream is not a nightmare, then start with a business card,

because that is all you need – no level of education, no formal qualification.

The industry is full of cowboys because there are no standards to be an independent surveyor in the superyacht industry. Project or build managers are sometimes the major cause of budgets being blown away because of their lack of education of engineering processes and people management skills.

Similarly, there are no standards in this industry to be a project manager/ build surveyor.

If captains, engineers and deck officers/crew must go to school to work on a ship, why is it that the people who are building the ships don’t need any qualifications? When the day comes that the industry writes a rule book that is adhered to, only then can we all stand proud in front of the investor/client and look them in the eye knowing the standards of the industry are protecting them. It’s called a ‘pleasure industry’, so we must all make sure the owner’s dream doesn’t become a nightmare and that they enjoy and stay in the industry, unlike the many that we’ve all seen walk away. TA

Guest Column by Terry Allen

CRACKING THE GLASS CEILING

As glazing projects in superyacht design become increasingly ambitious, and demand for more advanced glass grows, will the industry will meet it or is the situation approaching a breaking point?

BY CONOR FEASEY

Image: Eckersley O’Callaghan

Two Taikoo Place, Hong Kong.

The market position of glass has been transformed over the past 15 years. Looking at the yachting market today, you’ll find that ‘strengthens your connection to the ocean’ has become one of the buzz phrases plastered across every pamphlet and brochure … and for good reason. The days of behemoth, fortress-like yachts built for secrecy seem to be fading, at least in part. In their place, we’re seeing a wave of designs that embrace the true essence of yachting, which is an intimacy with – and love for – the sea.

This transparent revolution is continuing to shatter preconceptions of design. Until now, ambitious glazing projects have pushed the boundaries aesthetically and structurally, with Feadship’s 78-metre Venus often being hailed as the poster child for such innovation. With input from glass engineering firm Eckersley O’Callaghan and launched in 2012 for the late Steve Jobs, Venus features an unprecedented amount of glass for its time. Windows extend the length of all main deck staterooms and an all-glass pavilion deck offers divine vistas at sea.

“Venus was a true pioneer in integrating large glass into shipbuilding at an un-

precedented scale,” explains Ralf Scheuer, sales contact for marine at glass manufacturer sedak. “It set new standards for ship glazing, proving that glass can be both an architectural and functional element in yacht design. That project paved the way in the marine business for what sedak does today – pushing boundaries and delivering cutting-edge solutions.”

Since then, similar types of largerformat glass have been adopted on many projects, with owners now looking at ways to build on this and push glass designs even further. “Our expertise in oversized ship glazing – both flat and curved – allows us to redefine modern yacht design,” continues Scheuer. “We provide not only hull and superstructure glazing but also all-glass balustrades, infinity pools, portholes, and 360° panorama glazing, ensuring that these elements withstand the toughest marine conditions while enhancing both aesthetics and functionality.”

Eckersley O’Callaghan director Ian Langham, explains that the design for Venus employs large-format panels measuring 10 metres in length, and owing to the firm’s collective knowledge of pushing the possibilities of glass on land with projects such as Apple Park

(the corporate headquarters of Apple in California), they were able to bring a degree of lateral thinking to Venus and other superyacht projects.

“The use of glass on superyachts has advanced considerably over the last 15 years,” says Langham. “When we started our journey, it was clear the industry was missing opportunities to use available technologies and larger glass sizing, combined with a less developed technical knowledge of designing and engineering glass as a material.”

For leading shipyards such as Sanlorenzo, leveraging the advantage of having an in-house department dedicated to design, development and engineering has enhanced its capabilities with these increasingly complex glazing projects. Sanlorenzo also collaborates with Class societies to establish the engineering foundations for new solutions and construction standards.

“Each project is conceived with the goal of maximising transparency and the connection with the sea, [while] always maintaining strict safety and stability standards,” says a spokesperson from Sanlorenzo. “The use of next-generation laminated structural glass and high-strength

Venus ’ windows extend the length of all main deck staterooms and the pavilion deck is all glass.

material frames allows us to push the boundaries of design without compromising the yacht’s performance, striking the perfect balance between aesthetic ambition and engineering requirements.”

This pursuit of more efficient, highperformance glazing has fundamentally changed the way yachts are designed. As our understanding of glass properties has advanced, so too has its seamless integration into hull structures, blurring the lines between solid and open spaces. A defining example of this shift is the Sanlorenzo SX88, launched in 2017, which was among the first yachts to fully embrace floor-to-ceiling windows on the main deck, setting a new standard for transparency in yacht design.

“We also see a lot of clients getting used to a certain experience with glass on land, and they want to have that on their vessels. These kinds of things contribute to a rise in demand,” says Langham. “These projects use a lot of unique glass typologies, which is one issue. There are also a select few trusted manufacturers capable of meeting these requirements. This creates a bottleneck. These firms have a maximum output and it could become increasingly hard to meet demand if something doesn’t change.”

While designers dream big, the reality is that superyacht glass presents major engineering and logistical challenges –challenges that shipyards, suppliers and Class societies are still figuring out how to solve.

“Sedak supplies flat and curved glass up to 20 metres in length, not just for architecture but also for superyachts," explains Scheuer. “We ensure that each project benefits from our expertise, assisting in smart design development and working with skilled installation teams. Precision and durability are key in maritime environments, and we take pride in delivering high-quality, bespoke glazing solutions.”

It’s a matter of the bigger the glass, the bigger the problems and, unlike buildings, yachts move and flex, further complicating design. Glass may provide breathtaking views but it also needs to withstand structural loads, thermal stresses and impact forces that landbased glazing never has to deal with.

So what’s next for glass? Firstly, as demand for more advanced glazing grows, one must wonder if the industry will meet it. Or is it approaching a breaking point?

Glass may provide breathtaking views but it also needs to withstand structural loads, thermal stresses and impact forces that land-based glazing never has to deal with.

Well, despite growing fears, some of the more renowned glass specialists in the industry are up to the challenge, but there are potential headwinds that need to be addressed before we’re in the clear.

“In the last five years, we have doubled our production capacity,” explains Henning von der Thüsen, managing director of TILSE. “But what is more important is that we extended our capabilities to produce and handle larger glass panes and be able to install bigger and heavier windows to meet growing demand in the market for larger windows in more exposed positions. For these, the installation process is a lot more complicated. That’s why we needed to develop big customised glass-installation tools for recent projects.”

Other developments in glass design innovations are meant to meet demand in production methodologies. Take a doubly curved piece of glass, for example. Until recently, you had to create a mould, and every single mould needed to be custom-made to achieve the desired curvature. Thanks to advances in tempering technology, curvature can be made directly on the production line, eliminating the need for bespoke moulds. This speeds up production and opens up more possibilities for complex curvature projects.

Italian glass firm Viraver Technology has also been a key player in supporting shipyards in the growth of the yachting industry. Marco Mazzarolo, CEO of Viraver, says that to meet the growing demand the company has invested substantial sums into its production facilities and has its workforce operating at double time to meet expectations.

“We are currently operating in multiple shifts to meet the growing demand. Viraver is equipped with new bending ovens, state-of-the-art clean rooms for assembly and a modern efficient chemical hardening plant,” says Mazzarolo. “In regard to the potential crisis looming ahead, we are confident in our ability to manage any unforeseen challenges promptly. We haven’t encountered any projects that have caused us concern. We’re all about being responsive so we never get stuck in bottlenecks.”

There could also be lessons learned from other sectors to meet capacity requirements by expanding the procurement and supply chain to a more global platform to countries with massive

Top and middle: Viraver’s clean rooms and curved and spherical glass produced with new bending ovens. Bottom: Iona Skydome and Woolbeding Glasshouse, West Sussex.

Image: Raquel Diniz

Image: Simon Kennedy

capacity, such as China. Currently, the chain is naturally based in Europe, and the logistical issue of carrying largescale glass projects intercontinental is a daunting prospect. However, it’s being done effectively in other sectors like commercial construction and cruise liners, so there’s no reason to believe the same couldn’t be applied to yachting based on distance alone.

Von der Thüsen points to fundamental constraints in glass manufacturing as one of the most significant barriers to further innovation. Glass is produced worldwide for construction, automotive and yachting applications. However, it’s made within set size limitations that cannot be easily exceeded. Due to the chemical toughening process, glass should not exceed approximately 2.7 metres by 6 metres. Pushing beyond these dimensions introduces major technical challenges, significant cost increases and complex handling requirements.

Even with shipyards adapting, the difficulty of producing large curved sheets at scale is another major constraint, and lighter stronger materials are essential for the next phase of glazing evolution. “One of the most critical aspects is the production of large sheets with complex curvatures,” adds Sanlorenzo. “Our suggestion as boat builders is for the glass industry to imorove lighter solutions

while maintaining high standards of resistance. This will help us to keep producing high quality superyachts without compromising aesthetics.”

There’s also the issue of installation and replacement. The larger and heavier the glass, the more difficult it is to manoeuvre and, more importantly, replace. Owners may rethink oversized glazing altogether if a window can be removed only by dismantling structural elements such as staircases or fittings.

“So, of course, the reality is that the glass used on yachts isn’t the glass you’d put on any normal building projects,” says Langham. “Designing glass for yachts has many unique requirements that must be well understood, such as larger design pressures and flexing hull movements and interfaces.

“But the principles broadly remained the same, albeit the Classification society also needed to be convinced. The Classification rules have historically been developed primarily for flat glass, but for curved panels this doesn’t take full advantage of the inherent stiffness created by the geometry and the associated reduction in weight.”

The issue with glass is that it’s not the most forgiving material to work with. If you get it wrong, it’s going to let you know. So even if you are pushing to meet the delivery dates required by the ship-

yard, there’s little room for error. It’s an incredibly daunting feat to design glass as a structural element rather than purely for an aesthetic function.

“That’s true of all our projects,” adds Langham. “You have to understand where the load transfer and movement accommodation is. This is an area people can get wrong because they haven’t thought about the interfaces. You need to understand about the detailing for glass, whether that’s a glass staircase or an interface with the hull. Steel can yield and maybe distribute the load somewhere else. The glass won’t do that. The hull movements you get in the ships are real. During sea trials, you can see the movements happening. It’s not like the theoretical movements you may get a lot of the time in buildings.”

Von der Thüsen agrees. TILSE is constantly developing its laminated safety glass to meet changing requirements, focusing on optical quality, durability of the laminate and low weight.

“In terms of durability, it is crucial to ensure that the glass doesn’t need to be replaced at any time as this will be quite complex for large windows being part of the integral structure,” says Von der Thüsen. “As delamination is a big problem and a cause for the replacement of windows due to instability [safety issue] and visual quality, it is essential to minimise the potential risk of delamination for these glasses to ensure scalability.

“You have to understand where the load transfer and movement accommodation is. This is an area people can get wrong because they haven’t thought about the interfaces .... Steel can yield and maybe distribute the load somewhere else. The glass won’t do that.”

“The more glass is used on board, the more important the weight of the pane becomes. Using chemically toughened glass and our special resin for laminating the panes, our compound glass guarantees the lowest possible weight while obtaining the strength required by the Classification societies.”

For shipyards like Sanlorenzo, this is a challenge they have had to meet headon. “The glass must ensure strength, safety and thermal performance without compromising the rigidity of the structure,” they explain. “We’ve developed advanced construction solutions, such as composite material frames and high-strength metals, to maintain structural integrity without sacrificing aesthetics.”

“The more you push the boundaries, especially in a yacht environment with high loadings, the more crucial it is to engineer every detail properly. That’s the challenge and the opportunity.”

Another challenge in expanding glass use on yachts is balancing environmental performance, solar gain, privacy and transparency. These often conflict, particularly when incorporating complex geometries. “One of the challenges we see is how best to find the sweet spot and balance these, and these will differ from project to project,” says Langham. “Whether it be smart switchable glass that can change its qualities depending on what you require it to do through a typical day or having a curved glass with a highperformance coating too, there are many levers to pull.”

For Mazzarolo, this concept begins with design, looking at reducing thickness, aiming, weight, fuel consumption and heat transmission. “We also focus on recycling processing waste, where over 200 tons of glass are sent to recyclers for a new lease of life. And while it’s difficult to be certain, I estimate that around 40 per cent of materials can be reused in marine applications,” says Mazzarolo. “Regarding new [eco] materials that can be combined with glass, new energy solutions and new dimensions, we must remember that while technologies like solar are emerging, the time for certain glass applications may not yet be ripe.”

Sanlorenzo’s view on future innovations aligns with the broader industry push towards smart and sustainable materials. The idea that glass could become interactive, energy-generating or dynamic is something we’re already seeing in architectural projects – and it’s only a matter of time before it hits yachting.

Sanlorenzo says, “The integration of structural glass with smart functionalities, such as interactive surfaces that respond to touch or glass with photovoltaic properties, could not only innovate but [also] completely revolutionise the very concept of glazing on board. This would transform windows into dynamic and multifunctional elements that enhance the on-board experience and actively contribute to the energy efficiency of the superyacht.”

Despite its challenges, glass is set to play an even more prominent role in superyacht design. As manufacturers push the limits of scale, strength and sustainability, the next generation of yacht glazing will be more intelligent, lighter and more integrated. And while application and appetite for glass have come some way, we can still learn many more lessons from the build environment. Still, with the ever-increasing interest and demand for innovation from owners and designers, perhaps our industry will be leading the way soon in what’s possible in terms of designing with glass.

“What is exciting about these [yachting] projects is realising something that hasn’t been done before,” concludes Langham. “The other part is that yachting is a breeding ground for technologies and innovation. Some owners have the means and aspirations to push things forward. The more you push the boundaries, especially in a yacht environment with high loadings, the more crucial it is to engineer every detail properly. That’s the challenge and the opportunity.” CF

The Med’s meeting of minds

Martin H. Redmayne welcomes the wide-ranging response to a TSG survey on potential improvements to the market, and this feedback will now form the basis of keynote debates at the forthcoming Balearic Superyacht Forum.

We recently launched a simple survey to ask the market what needs to change, improve or needs further investment, and when it comes to marina infrastructure and refit operations, this feedback would essentially help to build a strategic programme for the Balearic Superyacht Forum. The response was significant and the topics wide ranging, with nearly 100 thoughts and ideas shared that all can add value or improve and upgrade the way the market delivers services, support or strategies to build a better market place.

Our objective with this annual meeting, taking place in Palma de Mallorca for the second iteration, is to bring together stakeholders, investors, owners of infrastructure and a core network of VIPs who are the typical customers of marinas and refit centres to discuss, debate and explore what the market wants and to propose solutions for change. This will comprise a series of keynote debates and myriad round-table-style workshops, mapped out to answer the questions or solve the problems that have been proposed by our audience.

As a snapshot of some of the topics that we will explore and analyse for the programme taking place on the 29th and 30th of April, just before the

Palma International Boat Show, we have extracted a sample of some of the interesting ideas proposed. However, as more come in, the organisers are going to review the extensive list and refine it to the 10 most valuable topics.

In the marina and operations sector, the following have been highlighted as key topics for debate:

• Sustainability in all aspects of operations, from the obvious recycling to the more challenging energy management.

• Electronic port clearance: Invest in systems to streamline entry and exit formalities across jurisdictions, reducing paperwork and time delays.

• Create consistent rules on taxation, anchorage permits and environmental regulations to simplify navigation and operations for yacht managers and owners.

• Improve waste-disposal systems with better recycling facilities, hazardous-waste handling and wastewater treatment plants tailored to yachting needs.

• Redevelop public ports, modernise existing marinas and identify locations for development rather than trying to enlarge existing locations.

The Mediterranean is a tiny percentage of the world’s oceans, as small as 0.7 per cent of the total planet’s blue space, yet it comprises 46,000km of coastline and 2.5 million square km of surface water.

In the refit and services infrastructure sector, the following have been highlighted as key topics for discussion:

• Specialised training programmes: Invest in training and certification programmes for technicians, engineers and craftspeople to ensure high-quality services are aligned with evolving yacht technologies.

• Refit infrastructures sometimes need to be more welcoming and friendlier. Ultimately, if the building process should be fun for the owner, the refit process should be fun for the crew.

• Being clear with all costs up front. The way some quotes are broken down makes it very difficult to compare and contrast between different facilities. Lay out exact costs rather than just lumping everything under one title.

• Collaborative networks: Build networks of shipyards and service providers to share resources, expertise and workforce during peak demand periods.

• Sustainable practices: Incorporate eco-friendly processes such as water recycling, non-toxic anti-fouling applications and energy-efficient workshop operations.

These topics and many more are currently under review by the programme team to ensure we create the optimum list of topics that the experts in the room can challenge and explore, so that the workshops are highly valuable, completely relevant and based on the market demand.

As we all know, the Mediterranean is a tiny percentage of the world’s oceans, as small as 0.7 per cent of the total planet’s blue space, yet it comprises 46,000km of coastline and 2.5 million square km of surface water. It is, in addition, the most popular cruising ground for the superyacht sector for obvious reasons, and has the highest concentration of marinas, ports and refit facilities, but as the fleet keeps expanding and the size and complexity of projects continue to evolve, we have to make sure we future-proof the Mediterranean.

This is one of the core goals and objectives for this year’s Balearic Superyacht Forum, with partners and representatives from Turkey, Greece, Malta, Croatia, Montenegro, Italy, France and Spain all joining the debate.

To be part of this key Meeting in the Med visit visit: www.thebalearicsuperyachtforum.com

Charlie Baker interview

‘Only busy people make the time’

Having worked on more than 50 new builds across five decades, project consultant Charlie Baker breaks down the evolution of construction, the art of project management and the lessons today’s generation can learn from the old school of yachting.

BY CONOR FEASEY

Dictum meum pactum. It’s a phrase of classical honesty, trust and a personal creed that Charlie Baker lives by. Translated from the Latin as ‘My word is my bond’, Baker’s family motto is not to be confused with Roger Moore’s autobiography of the same name. That said, Baker oozes an effortless cool and edge of danger in equal measure, befitting such suave company. And in the new-build sector, Baker’s name holds as much weight as Bond himself.

An engineer by trade and owner’s technical representative by profession, the British national has operated among the highest echelon of our industry for almost half a century. He’s been instrumental in the construction of more than 50 yachts as an owner’s technical rep, with no signs of slowing down anytime soon. The industry veteran still knocks out 80-hour weeks with a grin, his hunger for the game and life utterly undiminished.

For many, he’s the man who breathes life into the operation, ensuring everyone is working in cohesion to the best of their ability. But beyond the shipyards and boardrooms, Baker’s life is anything but ordinary. He has He has played rugby at a senior level, trained professional boxers, traded blows with karate champions and run security during the lawless heyday of the ’80s rave scene. He devours two books a week, dances in jazz clubs, travels at every opportunity and makes it his mission to know everyone he meets. For Baker, it’s never just about building yachts; it’s about building a life worth talking about and working even harder to keep. it.

“It’s not just work, you’ve got to be passionate about what you do. This isn’t a nine to five, it’s my profession, my whole life. Is it sad? No. I think it’s bloody brilliant,” chuckles Baker as he sits down on one of his rare days at home in Kingston upon Hull. “This life is about sticking to your word and working hard. There was a time when I couldn’t train and box. I’d lost my way a bit and made the excuse of not having enough time because of work until a dear friend of mine said, ‘Charlie, only busy people make the time’. And, of course, he’s right. So I got up an hour earlier, trained and I was back to my old self within months. It’s something I’ve taken with me ever since.”

Working in shipyards was practically carved into his DNA from the beginning. His family had deep roots in maritime engineering and strong ties to the Isle of Wight, a historic centre of British maritime

heritage. Both his father and grandfather spent their lives working on vessels, forging a mould for Baker’s future long before he set foot in a shipyard.

Baker’s father, a marine and systems engineer, started his career as World War II broke out, working on motor torpedo boats before rising through the ranks. His grandfather, a naval architect, specialised in nuclear propulsion. With that pedigree, Baker assumed the Royal Navy was his future. That assumption was short-lived.

At 15, eager to carve out his future, he told his father he planned to enlist. The response was immediate and unequivocal: “No, you’re not.” Taken aback, Baker pressed for a reason. “Because you’ll always be in my shadow, boy,” he replied bluntly. His father had seen first-hand the sacrifices of military life, being just 17 when the war broke out, and by 18, he was in active combat.

As war heroes in their own right, many of his generation returned home eager to leave the past behind, start families and rebuild their lives. “They lost their youth,” Baker reflects. “We are lucky. We never had to go through what they did.”

So instead of following his father’s example, Baker found his own path, training as an engineer in South London before setting sail and beginning his new career. In the 1970s and 1980s, yacht building was smaller, faster and more personal. This was the old school; the industry had yet to evolve into the corporate behemoth it is in some corners of the market today.

“It’s not just about the quality of the work but about the culture you build on the project. You’ve got to know how to work with people and get the best out of them. That’s the skill now.”

Charlie involves everyone in on-board ‘boot camps’.

Having built up a relationship with an owner and served as chief engineer on board his yacht, Baker first entered the shipyard world standing by as a chief engineer on a build, where his natural knack for the work and ability to get things done caught the right attention. One opportunity led to another and he soon found himself pulled into another new build.

“I had a good relationship with the shipyard and they told me, ‘If anything comes up, we’d like you to be involved’. I said, ‘OK’, and that’s exactly what happened. From there, I met a captain I’d worked with back in the ’70s. He was just a day worker at the time. He told me about a build happening in Holland and suggested I get involved. That was it. I went up there and never looked back.”

In those days, captains weren’t always career professionals. Some had only a day ticket and a Yachtmaster Certification was considered a serious qualification. The industry was still defining itself and roles were more fluid. People weren’t confined to the rigid job descriptions and management structures that dominate modern new builds.

“It’s easy to put people on a pedestal, but when you train together, you’re all the same. We get everyone involved: project managers, the coffee ladies, the lot ... The hardest part is just showing up. Same as work, same as life.”

“Back then, if there was a problem, you didn’t wait three weeks for a consultant’s report. You walked over to the guy in charge of electrics, knocked on his door and sorted it in ten minutes. The shipyard had its own painters, its own carpenters, its own engineers. If you needed something fixed, you spoke to the bloke who could fix it.

“There weren’t layers of management where contractors and subcontractors all passed the culpability. It was all in-house. You knew the guys working on the yacht and they knew you. The best yards were built on trust. I had an office in several shipyards and when the owner [of the shipyard] walked clients through, they’d introduce me. That’s how business was done. You didn’t have to go through three lawyers and a family office before shaking the guy’s hand.”

Baker worked on Feadship’s Blue Moon series at Royal Van Lent and played a role in Nobiskrug’s Triple Seven, a project that helped establish the yard’s capability to lead the build on larger yachts. With yachts topping out at around 40 to 50 metres, managing multiple projects at once was typical for Baker, something almost unheard of in today’s 100-metre-plus world.

Owners were more hands-on, visiting shipyards and speaking directly with the people building their vessels. There were no layers of advisers filtering every conversation, no corporate structures muddying decisions. That world didn’t last, though, and as the money in yachting grew, so did the scale of the industry. Shipyards expanded and a web of subcontractors replaced in-house teams. That shift changed everything.

“Now, you walk into a yard and ten different nationalities work side by side. Ukrainians, Polish, Romanians, Dutch and Germans are all great workers. It’s not just about the quality of the work but about the culture you build on the project. You’ve got to know how to work with people and get the best out of them. That’s the skill now.” For Baker, this is the key to his success: understanding how to work with people. The power of a good relationship can never be understated, no matter how bureaucratic the industry has become.

“It doesn’t matter whether it’s the cleaning lady or the person servicing the coffee machine. If they

A small selection of the many superyachts Charlie Baker Consultancy Projects has been involved with

BLUE MOON II (REVERIE)

Builder: Feadship

LOA(m): 50.28

Year of delivery: 2000

GT: 692

Type: Motor

DREAMBOAT

Builder: Oceanco

LOA(m): 90.00

Year of delivery: 2019

GT: 2,950

Type: Motor

FLYING FOX (DYTAN)

Builder: Nobiskrug

LOA(m): 73.55

Year of delivery: 2012

GT: 1,682

Type: Motor

KORU

Builder: Oceanco

LOA(m): 125.82

Year of delivery: 2023

GT: 3,493

Type: Sailing

M0GAMBO

Builder: Nobiskrug

LOA(m): 73.51

Year of delivery: 2012

GT: 1,682

Type: Motor

ODESSA II

Builder: Nobiskrug

LOA(m): 73.07

Year of delivery: 2013

GT: 1,767

Type: Motor

SAPPHIRE (LADY VERA)

Builder: Nobiskrug

LOA(m): 73.5

Year of delivery: 2011

GT: 1,591

Type: Motor

SEAAXE (INTREPID)

Builder: Damen

LOA(m): 67.5

Year of delivery: 2016

GT: 1,125

Type: Motor

SEVEN SEAS

Builder: Oceanco

LOA(m): 109.00

Year of delivery: 2023

GT: 4,349

Type: Motor

SIREN

Builder: Nobiskrug

LOA(m): 73.50

Year of delivery: 2008

GT: 1,585

Type: Motor

TRIPLE SEVEN

Builder: Nobiskrug

LOA(m): 68.00

Year of delivery: 2006

GT: 1,393

Type: Motor

TOTALLY NUTS

Builder: Feadship

LOA(m): 49.65

Year of delivery: 2021

GT: 498

Type: Motor

When asked what advice he’d give to those just entering the field, he encourages everyone to be a student of life. “Listen, communicate, study ... look at how things were done in the past and talk to as many people as possible so you get different perspectives and don’t rely on one opinion.”

want to talk to you, you take the time. You treat them with respect. Because one day, that coffee lady might bring you a cake or say ‘thank you’ for listening. And that’s because she sees you as a human being, not just another boss walking past.”

Keeping crews active is key to running a good project, even during downtime. Looking back to his earlier years in the industry, work and family blended seamlessly. His children would join him at the shipyard after work, and there would be team dinners, football matches, canoeing trips and fishing trips. It’s a far cry from what we see now, says Baker.

However, sometimes, the modern world needs a touch of the old school. Having spent a lifetime boxing and playing rugby, the man of Welsh heritage walks with an air of conviction and discipline, which he tries to impart to his projects. When he was younger, it wasn’t uncommon for him to have the winters off, using the time to play rugby and spend training in boot camps with his teammates.

“When we’ve got a big group in the shipyard, I get them outside and moving, especially if the weather’s good. Some yards have a warehouse, but it’s about making it work. So I run a couple of sessions a week. I’ve brought it over from the boxing and rugby world, and people love it,” he explains.

“It’s easy to put people on a pedestal, but when you train together, you’re all the same. We get everyone involved: project managers, the coffee ladies, the lot. I’ve done about 600 sessions now in one Dutch yard alone. Sometimes there are five

people, sometimes 25. The hardest part is just showing up. Same as work, same as life.”

With decades of experience, Baker has seen young professionals come and go, working his way up with some of the biggest names in shipbuilding. Imparting wisdom, when asked what advice he’d give to those just entering the field, he encourages everyone to be a student of life. Listen, communicate, study. Read as much as you can on the subject. “And no, that doesn’t mean just Googling everything,” he laughs. “Go and get a real book, look at how things were done in the past and talk to as many people as possible so you get different perspectives and don’t rely on one opinion.”

Continual self-improvement is paramount, and you can’t rest on your laurels. We’ve all met people born with God-given talents, only to let it go to waste because a work ethic is left wanting. To be successful, you’ve got to want to be the best, says Baker. He suggests taking courses in team leadership, positive thinking and even personal training for yourself and the team around you because, at the end of the day, we’re all working together. You’ve got to put in a good shift and, most importantly, you’ve got to be available.

“There’s nothing worse than needing someone on short notice and finding out they’re not willing to step up. You get a phone call on a Sunday night. ‘Tomorrow morning, we need to be at the airport’. Your answer must be ‘Yep, my bags are packed, I’m ready to go.’ That’s the difference between people who make it and people who don’t,” says Baker.

“I’ve needed people for a project, and I’d get questions like ‘Can I work from home?’ Absolutely not! You’re going to be surveying yachts. Then I’d get ‘Can I bring my girlfriend?’ or ‘Do I have to fly? I don’t like flying’. And I’d think, why did you get a degree in naval architecture if you weren’t prepared to travel the world?”

While a generational shift is inevitable, Baker welcomes the change because of some of the best lessons in life come from unexpected places. Talented individuals willing to graft and eager to learn are arriving in the industry ready to make a change, something relatable to many who cast their minds back 50 years. Fresh perspectives, especially from younger generations, catalyse continuous evolution and professional improvement.

“What’s great to see now is the new leadership coming in. Rob De Vries and his cousin are set to run the whole [Feadship] operation next year, and I think that’s fabulous. It’s a new generation – more open-minded, younger people stepping up. And that’s exactly what the industry needs.

“Some of the best ideas I’ve had have come from

young people. They’ll come to you with an idea and say ‘Give us a chance, this will work’. And you know what? A lot of the time, they’re right. Every day is a school day. And that’s the great thing about life in general. You never stop learning.”

While the industry has changed, at its core, success in this world still comes down to attitude, adaptability and the relentless drive to keep moving forward. Baker has no patience for complacency, whether in the gym, on the shipyard floor or in life itself. He’s a man who embodied action over words, grit over entitlement and experience over ego at a time when shipyards were communities and the best in the business earned their place through sheer hard work, staying busy and making the time. It’s a lesson we could all learn from the oldschool alumni.

“For me, if I say I’m going to do something, I’ll do it. That’s how I operate,” he says. “We have to learn from experiences, both the good and the bad, and move on. I’ve got no axes to grind. I do this job because I love it and I’ve met great friends along the way. That’s what matters.” CF

“What’s great to see now is the new leadership coming in ... It’s a new generation – more open-minded, younger people stepping up. And that’s exactly what the industry needs.”

One of Feadship’s Blue Moon series, which Baker worked on at Royal Van Lent.

Introducing M/Y Lady Luna: A luxurious experience on the water

Set to grace the blue waters of the Mediterranean in 2025, the M/Y Lady Luna is a stunning addition to the world of luxury yachts. This Turkish-flagged 32-metre beauty boasts an impressive beam of 7.5 metres and is constructed in Istanbul from high-quality wood, exemplifying both elegance and craftsmanship.

Technical specifications

Engineered for performance and comfort, Lady Luna is powered by twin MAN 650hp engines and equipped with dual ONAN generators, ensuring reliability at sea. The yacht features a sophisticated QS Seamaster propulsion system along with two Humfree stabilisers for a smooth sailing experience. The stateof-the-art communication systems, including GARMIN’s GMDSS, enable seamless connectivity, while the advanced camera system ensures safety and monitoring throughout the vessel.

Comfort and entertainment

Step inside to discover a world of luxury. Lady Luna is outfitted with the latest in audio-visual technology, featuring JL Audio and Sonance sound systems that deliver crystal-clear sound throughout the yacht. With Bluesound’s wireless multi-room solutions, guests can curate the perfect atmosphere for any occasion. Apple TV 4K and projection systems elevate visual entertainment to new heights.

For complete automation, the yacht is equipped with a Control4 smart system, allowing for easy management of lighting, curtains and other amenities at the touch of a button. With Araknis Wi-Fi 6 access points, Celerway 5G routers, and Starlink satellite antennas, connectivity is guaranteed, even on the high seas.

Safety and reliability

Safety is paramount on Lady Luna, which features professional-grade security systems with high-definition Grundig IP cameras, ensuring comprehensive surveillance both inside and out. With robust data management through PoE connections and reliable Seagate SkyHawk storage, your security data is always protected.

Living spaces

Lady Luna offers a luxurious living arrangement with accommodations for up to five cabins, including one owner’s suite and three master cabins. The spacious master cabin on the lower deck spans 20 square metres and includes an en-suite bathroom, providing a private retreat for relaxation.

Wellness and leisure

Enhancing the on-board experience, Lady Luna features a dedicated massage room, allowing guests to indulge in rejuvenating treatments while enjoying the serene surroundings of the sea. Additionally, the beach club comes equipped with a

bench, offering guests the opportunity to maintain their fitness routines while enjoying the stunning views. This area also provides a perfect space for sunbathing and water activities, creating an ideal setting for relaxation and enjoyment.

M/Y Lady Luna is not just a yacht; it's a lifestyle choice for those who value luxury, comfort and cutting-edge technology. With her impeccable design and sophisticated features, she promises to deliver an unforgettable experience on the water. Whether you seek adventure or relaxation, Lady Luna stands ready to make your yachting dreams come true.

Launching by the end of March 2025!

Technogym

The motoryacht Lady Luna is the first project of Begum Yachting as a Turkish-flagged yacht, and the company has stated that they will continue these projects in the future.

The construction/ operation disconnect

Syncing the link

The founder and chief consultant of Holistic Yacht Interiors highlights the importance of bridging the gap between yacht construction and the realities of day-to-day on-board operation.

BY MEELI LEPIK

To build a bridge, both sides must be willing to connect. Yet even when the desire is there, the ‘how’ factor can remain elusive.

A superyacht is the realisation of an owner’s dream – a vision shaped over years of effort, talent and resources. But somewhere along the way, that dream blurs. By the time the yacht is delivered, and the maiden voyage begins, every build-phase decision is left in the hands of the operational crew. If construction and operation were truly connected, this transition would be effortless. Instead, a disconnect remains – one that we, as an industry, must finally address.

Two teams, one yacht – yet no common ground

The new-build sector is effectively divided into two teams: the construction side (designers, brokers, shipyards, contractors, consultants and the owner’s team) and the operational crew. Thanks to regulations, the deck and technical departments have a stronger presence in the build process, but when it comes to interior design and functionality, assumptions take over.

Most of the people involved have stayed in luxury hotels or dined in Michelin-star restaurants. This familiarity creates the illusion that operational insight isn’t needed. But once the yacht is launched and guests step aboard, the build process fades into the background. The final user experience is delivered by front-facing crew, often by interior crew, and they must now ensure every detail works in real life. Make no mistake, air conditioning, water pressure and safety systems are the baseline. They are expected, not applauded. The design of the boat should support rather than obstruct guest operations, and its effectiveness directly impacts service flow. While functionality is often related to back-of-house, owners and guests are far more practical than we assume.

They might not see the crew cabins or storage rooms, but they will feel the effects of poor planning when they struggle to adjust a room’s temperature, frustrate over an ill-lit bathroom mirror or charge a toothbrush without dismantling half the vanity table. The finer details shape every interaction with space. User-centricity is where the design is heading.

Designers often claim to know exactly what the owner expects but translating that into real-world functionality requires input from those who live and work on board. Yet in the new-build process, there’s rarely anyone whose role is to zoom in and out of the interior from the end-user’s perspective, asking the right questions at the right time.

The crew’s absence in decision-making

Everyone involved in a new-build project works in the owner’s best interest – yet the operational team,

who will run the yacht daily, is rarely part of the conversation. At the contract stage, operation feels like a distant concern, something to address later. Consultants with technical backgrounds are brought in but few have real hands-on experience managing an interior on a modern superyacht.

Some companies specialise in setting up yachts with FF&E (furniture, fixtures and equipment) and functional accessories, claiming operational expertise. Yet experience on a 45-metre yacht in 2008 doesn’t equate to understanding the demands of a 150-metre vessel launching in 2027. While it’s better than nothing, these consultants don’t bridge the gap; they reinforce the divide. Whenever possible, the build crew should transition into the operational crew. When that isn’t feasible, a third party must carry that knowledge forward.

Without this connection, the head of interior –curator of a multi-million-dollar floating masterpiece – is left managing a space they never helped design, maintaining materials they didn’t choose and troubleshooting systems they had no say in. Yet they are expected to make it all work flawlessly. Does that seem reasonable?

Why disconnect exists

At its core, this issue stems from a lack of trust and appreciation. Both can be achieved only through connection and inclusion, something the yachting industry has yet to fully embrace.

In yacht building, the interior crew is still treated like Cinderella – left out of key decisions until it’s time for the grand reveal. Operational interior crew is rarely represented at industry conferences, summits or forums. At boat shows, crew often have their own social programmes, separate from the business of yacht building. Few captains or management companies see the value in sending a chief steward(ess) or head housekeeper to The Superyacht Forum or a trade show, assuming it’s outside their scope.

As a result, the industry remains fragmented. Crew are seen as temporary, their insights undervalued. And because they lack exposure to the full scale of industry – design, construction, management, procurement – they are unable to contribute their expertise effectively.

Crew retention starts at the build

If we want to attract and retain the next generation of yacht crew, it must start with design. Well-planned, ergonomic workspaces are not luxuries, they are essential for crew longevity. The future workforce expects better conditions – and rightly so. Some still resist crew input, worried it will take space from the owner, but smart design can improve functionality without compromise.

The best way to reduce environmental impact is to build a yacht that works from the start.

Sustainability: build it right the first time

A sustainable yachting industry isn’t just about fuel, supplies and materials, it’s about process. Poorly planned designs lead to modifications, retrofits and premature refits, all of which generate unnecessary waste. The best way to reduce environmental impact is to build a yacht that works from the start.

Sustainability isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a necessity. By integrating operational expertise early in the build phase, we eliminate the need for constant adjustments. This isn’t just about environmental responsibility, it’s about financial prudence and longterm value. What today seems like innovation can become law in five years’ time.

The industry’s blind spot

Despite the complexity of yacht interiors, few management companies or ORs have a dedicated specialist overseeing interior matters, someone who can bridge the gap between designers, owners, shipyards and contractors while guiding the interior team through the bottlenecks of the set-up process. For an industry built on hospitality, it’s striking how decision-making is still dominated by technical roles. It’s the blind spot everyone is starting to see, yet few are addressing. Change is overdue, but progress remains slow.

Then there’s the budget debate. There are never funds if we don’t communicate the value. A valuedriven approach considers life cycle, durability and functionality, spending more upfront for a longerlasting, higher-performing result. A one-time expense in planning can become a money-saving practice in the future. A well-considered, holistic approach saves money and effort for all parties and barely registers in the overall project cost.

Building for the future

New-build experience is essential but without operational input, it’s only half the equation. The lack of communication between operation and construction means shortcomings are identified only during after-sales or refits when they are already costly problems. We even don’t know that mistakes are being repeated or what we do right. It should be standard practice for the build teams to gather six months post-delivery to review what worked and what could be improved.

At the end of the day, those advising the owner have a duty to ensure operational expertise is embedded in the build process. A yacht is not just a design statement, it’s a living, working environment that must function for years to come. If we want to build vessels that deliver not only aesthetics but also longevity and efficiency, we must bridge the gap between construction and operation.

The future of yachting depends on it. ML

Meeli Lepik, founder and chief consultant of Holistic Yacht Interiors.

Dragonfly

The rise of the Silicon Valley investors

ALL HANDS ON TECH!

A new generation of digital billionaires has entered the superyacht market from global brands such as Amazon, META and Alphabet … and they’re spending big on standout legacy projects.

Photo: Klaus Jordan

Where would we be without…?

If you look closely at the timeline overleaf, we’ve witnessed an industrial evolution over the past 50 years –starting with the birth of Microsoft 1975 – that has made a significant impact on the superyacht industry. The three dominant computing brands from the mid-70s have given rise to a series of significant yachts built and owned by well-known billionaires such as Larry Ellison, the late Paul Allen, the late Steve Jobs and Charles Simonyi.

The 1990s saw an emergence of the powerhouse brands of Amazon, Google and PayPal, all of which have seen the likes of Schmidt, Page, Brin, Thiel and most recently Bezos invest in the yachting world with several iconic projects.

BY MARTIN H. REDMAYNE

More recently in the 2000s, we’ve seen the social-media world transform our lives and transform our industry in equal measures, with Zuckerberg, Spiegel, Koum and Parker all finding their sea legs with some significant investments in the premium superyacht shipyards. And finally, 50 years after starting Microsoft, there has been a ‘breakthrough’ with the latest tech billionaire build at Feadship with Project 821, allegedly (and there’s no reason to think otherwise) commissioned, designed and built by Bill and Melinda Gates before their much-publicised separation.

The objective of this brief report is to highlight the trends and segmentation of billionaires around the world and

perhaps how they are influenced by their peer group. There are groups of private equity and venture capital owners, bankers, real-estate investors, movie moguls, self-made manufacturers in sectors such as gloves, fast fashion, wire coat hangers and aromatic candles, various royals and obviously, in this case, the tech billionaires. So perhaps when someone starts buying yachts in a particular sector or geography, it’s interesting to analyse how their network reacts or explores our market.

Therefore, if we refer back to the timeline and the arrival on the scene of Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft, with his investment into the Vulcan Fleet, you can see over time that others joined him in his ocean pursuits. The

Tech billionaire profiles

Paul Allen

Jeff Bezos

Sergey Brin

Jim Clark Netscape

Larry Ellison Oracle

Bill Gates Microsoft

Steve Jobs Apple

Bill Joy Sun Microsystems

Jan Koum Whats App

Larry Page

Tom Perkins Kleiner Perkins

Eric Schmidt

Charles Simonyi

Evan Spiegel

Mark Zuckerberg META

51

80

80

69

70

48

51

likes of Larry Ellison of Oracle and Charles Simonyi – another tech genius from Microsoft – became part of the tech revolution in superyachts, with some very bespoke projects, namely SKAT/ Norn and Musashi and others in the sailing space, where Ellison likes to play a big role.

Other tech sailors included the renowned Tom Perkins, Bill Joy and Jim Clark, all geniuses in their fields, as well as major investors and venture capitalists in the Silicon Valley era, who also became major investors in our niche market, with dynamic, cool, innovative, challenging and smart superyachts, including Maltese Falcon, Ethereal and Athena. The next generation of tech billionaires has now joined the market from the likes of Amazon, META, Alphabet and other global brands that now influence all our daily lives. They’ve jumped into the market and spent big on superyachts, with some amazing legacy projects built at the premium yards of Oceanco, Lürssen and, of course, Feadship, which seems to have enjoyed some significant heydays in the Pacific Northwest.

What’s perhaps important and very interesting for the future of our market is the fact that many of these tech buyers

The overarching trend of the tech oligarchs is their vision, passion and drive to do something completely different and make an intelligent statement.

are just starting out with gargantuan projects. Koru, Launchpad, Moonrise and the new Dragonfly, all in the 100-metreplus category, suggest that this is the new superyacht oligarchy, especially after their appearances on stage alongside the Donald.

Their age range is also very positive for the market, with ages below 50 quite common, even some in their 30s. Therefore, providing we deliver on their expectations and they keep enjoying their new floating islands, these yachts will be seen as an investment for their future private lifestyle and not just a toy. We can see already that someone like Jan Koum of WhatsApp fame seems to have been bitten by the superyacht bug, with a mini-fleet, if you can call it that.

Obviously, we’ve sadly lost the likes of the visionary Paul Allen and the amazing Tom Perkins who once helped me miss a flight in Porto Cervo when he just kept sailing and didn’t return to the dock because he was having so much fun. Then there’s the incredible Steve Jobs who designed and built perhaps my favourite superyacht from Feadship, M/Y Venus, designed in partnership with one of my favourite designers, Philippe Starck. It seems to me that the overarching trend of the tech oligarchs is their vision, their passion and their drive to do something completely different and make an intelligent statement.

In essence, Maltese Falcon will always be Tom Perkins’ yacht, as Octopus will be Paul Allen’s and Venus will be Steve Jobs’. These are powerful legacy projects that have not only shaped the market, but also entertained, hosted and showcased our niche to their networks of powerful friends. I’m sure if you created a superyacht family tree you could identify those current and future owners who have been a guest on board only to find themselves asking ‘How do I get one of these?’.

In conclusion, it’s clear and obvious that Bill and Melinda Gates would have no doubt stepped on board any one of a myriad of superyachts owned by this digital billionaire crowd. So, 50 years after the founding of Microsoft and having enjoyed the hospitality of their floating friends and cruising colleagues, it seems that a few years ago they decided to take a leap of faith and make their own ‘breakthrough’ into superyacht ownership. MHR

TIMELINE OF SUPERYACHT OWNERSHIP BY SILICON VALLEY BILLIONAIRES

MARIETTE

OWNER: TOM PERKINS - KLEINER PERKINS LOA: 42M

BUILDER: HERRESHOFF, RESTORED BY PERKINS YEAR OF DELIVERY: 1915 RESTORED IN 1995

ANDROMEDA LA DEA

OWNER: TOM PERKINSKLEINER PERKINS LOA: 47M

BUILDER: PERINI NAVI YEAR OF DELIVERY: 1990

SENSES

TATOOSH

OWNER: PAUL ALLEN - MICROSOFT LOA: 92M

BUILDER: NOBISKRUG YEAR OF DELIVERY: 2000

SKAT (RUMOURED)

OWNER: LARRY PAGE – GOOGLE LOA: 59M

BUILDER: SCHWEERS YEAR OF DELIVERY: 1999

OWNER: CHARLES SIMONYIMICROSOFT LOA: 71M

BUILDER: LÜRSSEN YEAR OF DELIVERY: 2002

ATHENA

OWNER: JIM CLARK - NETSCAPE LOA: 90M

BUILDER: ROYAL HUISMAN YEAR OF DELIVERY: 1998

HYPERION (SOLD)

OWNER: JIM CLARK - NETSCAPE LOA: 47.5M

BUILDER: ROYAL HUISMAN YEAR OF DELIVERY: 1998

OCTOPUS

OWNER: PAUL ALLEN - MICROSOFT LOA: 126M

BUILDER: LÜRSSEN YEAR OF DELIVERY: 2003

OWNER: LARRY LOA:

BUILDER:FEADSHIP

YEAR OF DELIVERY:

RISING SUN (SOLD)

OWNER: LARRY ELLISON - ORACLE LOA: 138M

BUILDER: LÜRSSEN YEAR OF DELIVERY: 2004

MALTESE FALCON

OWNER: TOM PERKINSKLEINER PERKINS LOA: 88M

BUILDER: PERINI NAVI YEAR OF DELIVERY: 2006

OWNER: JIM

BUILDER: YEAR OF DRAGONFLY

OWNER:

BUILDER: YEAR OF MUSASHI

MUSASHI

ELLISON - ORACLE

LOA: 88M

BUILDER:FEADSHIP DELIVERY: 2011

WHISPER

OWNER: ERIC SCHMIDT - GOOGLE

LOA: 95M

BUILDER: LÜRSSEN YEAR OF DELIVERY: 2014

COMANCHE

(SOLD)

OWNER: JIM CLARK - NETSCAPE LOA: 30M

BUILDER: HODGDON YEAR OF DELIVERY: 2014

WINGMAN

MARK ZUCKERBERG - META LOA: 67M

BUILDER: DAMEN YACHTING YEAR OF DELIVERY: 2014

MOONRISE

OWNER: JAN KOUMWHATSAPP LOA: 100M

BUILDER: FEADSHIP YEAR OF DELIVERY: 2020

POWER PLAY

OWNER: JAN KOUMWHATS APP LOA: 56M

BUILDER: DAMEN YACHTING YEAR OF DELIVERY: 2018

NORN

OWNER: CHARLES

SIMONYI - MICROSOFT

LOA: 90M

BUILDER: LÜRSSEN

YEAR OF DELIVERY: 2023

KORU

OWNER: JEFF BEZOSAMAZON

LOA: 127M

BUILDER: OCEANCO YEAR OF DELIVERY: 2023

ABEONA

(SUPPORT VESSEL)

OWNER: JEFF BEZOSAMAZON

LOA: 75M

BUILDER: DAMEN YACHTING YEAR OF DELIVERY: 2023

PROJECT 821

(COMMISSIONED)

OWNER: BILL GATESMICROSOFT (FORMER CEO) LOA: 119M

BUILDER: FEADSHIP YEAR OF DELIVERY: 2024

LAUNCHPAD

OWNER: MARK ZUCKERBERG - META

LOA: 118M

BUILDER: FEADSHIP YEAR OF DELIVERY: 2024

DRAGONFLY

OWNER: SERGEY BRINGOOGLE

LOA: 142M

BUILDER: LÜRSSEN YEAR OF DELIVERY: 2024

2010 2015 2020 2025

HANUMAN

JIM CLARK - NETSCAPE

LOA:42M

BUILDER: ROYAL HUISMAN OF DELIVERY: 2009

DRAGONFLY

SERGEY BRIN - GOOGLE

LOA: 73M

BUILDER: SILVERYACHTS OF DELIVERY: 2009

ETHEREAL

OWNER: BILL JOY –

MICROSYSTEMS

LOA: 58M

BUILDER: ROYAL HUISMAN OF DELIVERY: 2009

MOGAMBO

OWNER: JAN KOUM - WHATS APP LOA: 73M

BUILDER: NOBISKRUG YEAR OF DELIVERY: 2012

VENUS

OWNER: STEVE JOBS - APPLE LOA: 79M

BUILDER: FEADSHIP YEAR OF DELIVERY: 2012

BLISS

OWNER: EVAN SPIEGELSNAP CHAT

LOA: 95M

BUILDER: FEADSHIP YEAR OF DELIVERY: 2021

NEBULA

OWNER: JAN KOUM - WHATSAPP LOA: 68M

BUILDER: ASTILLEROS ARMON YEAR OF DELIVERY: 2022

Project 821 –A Breakthrough

BY MARTIN H. REDMAYNE

Late last year I was lucky enough to walk alongside the latest Feadship, known as Project 821, at its new Amsterdam shipyard, and more recently heard from Jamie Edmiston, who has been tasked with selling this incredible project.

At 118.8 metres, just under a metre longer than Zuckerberg’s 118-metre M/Y Launchpad, what intrigues me is whether this was a strategic decision. There is so much to say about this incredible yacht, aesthetically, technically, economically, but I will try to make this concise and relevant to the rest of the story.

This is a brand new 100-metre plus Feadship, almost completed, that is only going to be relevant to a tiny network of the world’s richest people, someone with several billion to their name. He assured me that almost all of them have been made aware of the opportunity through his team and the major names in the superyacht sales world. When asked about the reason for selling so soon and so close to delivery, he politely explained that it’s a pure change of personal circumstance. A brief amount of Googling can not only link the Gates’ name to Project 821, but during the build process there was a well-publicised divorce and separation or break-up that has often been the reason that yachts go on the market, especially if the project was the primary mission or stylish vision of one of the two or has too many links back to a previous relationship.

“The brief was to build the greenest and most environmentally advanced yacht ever built, without compromise.”

Anyway, what is more fascinating is the opportunity for one of the multibillionaires who have the liquidity and appetite to own Breakthrough, as the yacht is now called. In essence, the primary takeaway that needs serious consideration when exploring this opportunity is the fact that this is the first green-hydrogen-powered superyacht, as promised by Henk de Vries III when he referred to their mission to get to zero quicker than anyone. This makes Project 821 a serious statement asset, innovation packed with super-clean and efficient credentials.

If you ever wanted to know how far we can push ‘green’ technology on superyachts, Feadship’s bold response was a multi-faceted, zero-diesel approach designed to cruise between harbours or anchorages and to operate the yacht’s

hotel load and amenities with emissionfree power from green hydrogen. “The aim has been to develop a new clean technology not just for this project, but for the world,” said Jan-Bart Verkuyl, Feadship’s CEO at Royal Van Lent Shipyard.

The size of the proposed yacht – 100metres-plus – made it a good candidate to explore pure green hydrogen as the fuel-cell source. For those captivated by cutting-edge innovations, this yacht presents an opportunity for potential acquisition as it showcases the pinnacle of modern technological advancements, and no matter where it cruises, the world will know. As Jamie explains, “The brief was to build the greenest and most environmentally advanced yacht ever built, without compromise. It was a huge challenge, but one that the team has

embraced and delivered on. The yacht we see today, designed by RWD and built by Feadship, is without doubt the best yacht ever built. I am proud to have been involved since the inception of this idea.”

Now, for anyone who knows someone who’s in the market for Project 821, there’s another key factor that is worth highlighting – and we could fill a complete issue of The Superyacht Report with all the innovation and cool technology (now there’s an idea). I’ve stepped on board, visited in various shipyards and walked alongside in marinas the majority of the 100-metre-plus fleet and M/Y Breakthrough, or whatever it will be called in the future, is perhaps the most perfectly balanced, proportioned and stunning 100-metre-plus yacht I’ve ever seen. It’s a beautiful breakthrough in terms of green technology and exterior design, so congratulations Feadship and RWD on this masterpiece.

I wonder if the current alleged owner will change his mind at the last minute, before Jamie and his team find the new buyer. After all, it would be the perfect place to host a 70th birthday on Lake Washington ... MHR Images © Feadship

NEXT GENERATION TOPCOAT

Guest Column

by Rory Marshall

New-build paint jobs: Five key steps to aesthetic heaven

Rory Marshall, owner and director at Newmar Overseas Ltd, sets out the key fundamentals for yacht owners and captains to consider to ensure they achieve a visually stunning finish.

As a yacht owner or captain, aesthetic appeal and long-term durability are twin objectives for any new-build paint job. The right preparation, materials and processes will not only enhance the yacht’s beauty, but also protect it from the harsh marine environment.

At Newmar Overseas Ltd, we’ve spent decades advising owners, captains and shipyards on achieving the highest standards in yacht coatings. Here, below, are the five most important steps you should focus on to best achieve a firstclass paint job for your new build.

1. Complete construction and hot work before painting

One of the most critical, yet often overlooked, aspects of achieving a flawless paint job is ensuring that all major construction, welding and hot work are completed before painting begins. Any post-paint structural modifications can lead to deformation of surfaces, causing unsightly defects and requiring costly rework. There are three significant risks that need to be managed:

• Surface deformation: Welding and mechanical modifications after the application of coatings can cause localised distortion, leading to an uneven

appearance or cracking of the paint film. Structural stress and thermal expansion from post-paint hot work can create long-term issues, undermining the integrity of the coating system.

• Coating damage: Welding, grinding debris and heat from hot work can burn or contaminate coating layers, compromising adhesion and longevity. Unintentional overspray from painting adjacent areas without proper protection can also introduce contamination.

• Reduced coating performance: Completing all heavy construction and hot work first allows for uninterrupted surface preparation and coating application. This ensures that primers, fairing compounds and topcoats bond effectively without risk of later interference.

Proper coordination between shipyard teams, contractors and paint applicators is essential to avoid setbacks and deliver an optimum final result.

2. Ensure proper surface preparation The foundation of a high-quality paint job lies in the condition of the substrate. As the owner or captain, it’s important to confirm that the shipyard and paint

applicators and specialists are adhering to best practices for each surface.

• Steel and aluminium: Metal surfaces must be meticulously cleaned to remove contaminants such as welding residues, oils and oxidation. The surface should then be prepared to the correct profile for optimal primer adhesion. Any untreated areas can lead to adhesion failures or corrosion beneath the coating.

• Composites: If your yacht’s hull or superstructure is made of fibreglass or carbon fibre, fairing is still a crucial step. Any surface imperfections need to be addressed before coatings are applied, with appropriate primers ensuring compatibility with the composite material.

• Cleanliness standards: A controlled environment is essential to prevent contamination from dust, grease and moisture. Surface preparation should be followed by immediate priming to prevent oxidation and contamination from recurring before the next coating stage.

Neglecting thorough inspections and quality control at this stage can lead to premature failures, costly rectifications and a compromised final finish.

3. Choose the right paint system for your yacht

Selecting the right paint system is not just a technical decision – it affects the yacht’s appearance, maintenance cycle and resale value. As the owner or captain, you should work with your consultant and shipyard to make informed choices.

• Topcoat selection: A high-performance polyurethane or acrylic urethane system is typically recommended for its superior gloss, UV resistance and longevity. Specialty coatings, such as metallic or pearlescent finishes, require precise application techniques to achieve a uniform appearance.

• Primers and fairing compounds: The right primer ensures excellent adhesion, while fairing compounds help create a perfectly smooth surface. Fairing should be conducted in controlled environments to prevent inconsistencies in the finish.

• Anti-fouling and protective coatings: The underwater section of the yacht requires an effective anti-fouling system to prevent marine growth. Additional protective coatings, such as abrasionresistant layers for high-traffic areas, should be considered based on the yacht’s intended use.

Choosing a high-quality paint system tailored to your yacht’s operational requirements will ensure a long-lasting and visually stunning finish.

4. Maintain environmental control for the best results

Environmental conditions play a crucial role in the final quality of your yacht’s paintwork. Even with the best materials and applicators, poor environmental control can lead to defects. As the yacht’s key decision-maker, you should verify that the shipyard is taking the following precautions:

• Temperature and humidity control: Variations in temperature and humidity can cause defects in the pronounced surface texture, solvent entrapment or

One of the biggest challenges in a new build is ensuring that the paint application is properly integrated into the overall construction schedule.

poor adhesion. Dew point monitoring should be in place to prevent condensation-related failures.

• Ventilation and dust management: A professional paint booth or enclosed tenting system is vital to minimise airborne contaminants affecting the final finish. High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtration systems can further help reduce contamination risks.

• Lighting and inspection: Enhanced lighting ensures that imperfections are detected and corrected before the final curing process. Inspections should be conducted at different angles and under varied lighting conditions to verify inconsistencies in gloss, colour or texture.

By maintaining strict environmental controls, time-consuming rework can be minimised, ensuring the quality standards are upheld and deadlines met throughout the paint-application process.

5. Coordinating the paint job with the build schedule

One of the biggest challenges in a new build is ensuring that the paint application is properly integrated into the overall construction schedule. As an owner or captain, you should be aware of how the paint timeline interacts with other aspects of the build.

• Curing and delivery considerations: Paint systems require specific curing times before the yacht can be exposed to external conditions. Rushing this stage can lead to long-term defects such as premature fading or reduced durability. Controlled post-application curing

can enhance coating performance and longevity.

• Coordination with other trades: Ensuring that painting is scheduled after major installations (such as glass, deck hardware and fittings) helps prevent contamination and damage. Any out-ofsequence work can introduce significant delays and additional costs.

• Avoid post-application damage: After the final paint application, extreme care must be taken to prevent damage during the remaining construction process. Trades working on the yacht should use protective coverings, avoid unnecessary contact with painted surfaces and follow strict access protocols. Improper handling can result in scratches, impact damage or contamination, which may require costly rework and touch-ups.

By working closely with the shipyard and your paint consultants, you can ensure that the painting process is seamlessly integrated into the build schedule, avoiding unnecessary delays and achieving the best possible outcome.

Final thoughts

The paintwork on your superyacht is more than just a cosmetic feature – it is a critical investment in both aesthetics and longevity. It is a well-known maxim that the pursuit of perfection is the enemy of good. If the project team can all agree on what ‘good’ looks like, then their chances of success will be high. By staying actively involved in the preparation process, making informed choices and demanding the highest quality standards, you can significantly contribute to the success of the project. RM

Litigation isn’t sport … it’s the last resort

Industry veterans Jay Tooker and William MacLachlan, partners at international law firm HFW, explain the intricacies of litigation in yachting, how the industry has learned from past mistakes and why it should never be a weapon of choice.

BY CONOR FEASEY

Litigation is a double-edged sword. Yes, it provides a vital means of resolving disputes and ensuring justice, but it also carries major financial and reputational risks. Involved parties must critically assess whether risk and cost of the case is worth the potential reward. In some instances, people of disagreeable temperaments and deep pockets find sport in litigious tennis matches played out in a courtroom or arbitration. For most, it is a tool of last resort, reserved for cases where the stakes are too high to just walk away.

During an economic downturn, disputes inevitably spike in yachting and every other sector. It’s a predictable trend and many in the industry are all too aware of it, having previous weathered eco-

nomic storms to have rocked our market. But the lessons learned from these moments of turbulence have served a purpose, setting a precedent for the do’s and don’ts of new-build transactions.

In the prosperous years from 2001 to 2008, when the market was thriving, there were still plenty of issues, but with abundant wealth, clients often let matters slide. When financial pressure builds, however, tolerance vanishes. It’s a fundamental reality in the sector’s economic and legal terms. As long as people make money on the next transaction, disputes are rare. But when the market slows or drops, things can get sticky. People start looking for ways out of deals and that’s when litigation invariably arises.

“That’s true in a sense, but only in

extreme scenarios,” explains Jay Tooker, partner at law firm HFW. “The most notable example in the yachting sector was the 2008 financial crash. Before that, in 2006-2007, there was a rush into the market. For the first time in my experience, going back to the late 1980s, yachts were seen as more than just luxury items. They were seen as money-making assets.”

Until 2005, yachts were regarded purely as luxuries, not income-generating or appreciating assets. They were bought simply for enjoyment without the expectation of financial returns. But this all changed around 2006, mirroring the boom in the commercial shipping and other markets at the time. The global economy was roaring, people

were making money hand over fist and the idea of yachts as appreciating assets took hold, with the shift being fuelled in part by the ready availability of cheap debt and in particular the lease finance arrangements then in use. Banks in several jurisdictions were able to offer financing schemes where buyers paid VAT only on lease payments, not on the initial down payment, which often ranged from 20 to 30 per cent. Money was cheap and it seemed there was more to be made.

“There was a more favourable tax and VAT regime back then and buyers were exploiting these schemes,” says Tooker. “While these practices were eventually stamped out and have now been largely unavailable for over a decade, they contributed to the market’s growth. Cheap money, favourable tax treatments and a feel-good economic environment all pushed this idea that yachts were appreciating assets.”

“And in a sense, they were,” adds William MacLachlan, also a partner at HFW. “If you wanted to build a new yacht, shipyard slots were in such high demand that you often had to buy one from someone else, sometimes paying a premium just to secure a slot.”

At the time, shipyards building series yachts became focal points for speculators. The strategy was to order two or three yachts, often with no intention of taking delivery of more than one, if any. The key was reaching a ‘magic moment’ in the construction process: the stage where most of the yacht was built, but there was still time for personal customisation.

It’s a somewhat cynical, albeit effective, business approach. The average yacht owner, traditionally a gentleman of a certain age for whom time is not a luxury, would pay a premium to shave a year or two off deliveries. Combined with a rising market, this allowed speculators to flip yachts before delivery, treating them as appreciating assets. But it was unsustainable.

When the market crashed after the Lehman Brothers collapse in 2008, it became clear who had been ‘swimming naked’, as Warren Buffet says. These

Jay Tooker

“When a shipyard is teetering on the brink, everyone is in survival mode. Management freezes. No one wants to make a decision for fear of personal liability and the whole operation grinds to a halt.”

speculators suddenly held depreciating assets and were desperate to offload or cancel the contracts altogether, leading to contractual disputes and litigation..

“Before the crash, I had been critical of speculators profiting from shipyard reputations without the shipyards benefiting,” recalls Tooker. “But when the market bottomed out, the real issue was that these speculators were competing directly with shipyards by selling nearly new boats at 25 per cent below list prices. This severely impacted shipyards as they struggled to sell their own products against discounted competition. Thankfully, we haven’t seen anything quite like that recently.”

However, the market has had a few ‘hot’ periods of late, particularly during Covid. Particularly for Americans, many wanted to get out of their charter contracts as they didn’t want to travel to Europe., many wanted to get out of their charter contracts because they didn’t want to travel to Europe. They had entered into these contracts but didn’t have a legitimate contractual right to escape them. Without a contractual right, they ended up breaching the terms of the charter, which led to disputes and, in turn, a raft of litigation. Usually, people try to find a way out without lawyers but, in these cases, events really drove the litigation, with some charterers even claiming force majeure.

Force majeure typically applies when an individual has an obligation they genuinely cannot fulfil due to unforeseen circumstances. For example, if a shipyard is building a yacht and an earthquake damages its facilities, it can’t continue construction because it is physically unable to. “But this was a funny reversal,” says Tooker. “In these cases, you had yachts sitting at the agreed port, with the crew dressed up in their uniforms, waiting for the charterers, but the charterers just didn’t show up, claiming they couldn’t get flights.”

“In most cases, the charterers could have performed,” adds MacLachlan. “The yachts were ready, but the charterers either didn’t want to perform or otherwise found the travel arrangements and

“Settlement is always the best option if you can achieve it. Litigation is massively timeconsuming and extremely expensive. ”

other restrictions simply too expensive or onerous." The difficulty these charterers faced is the standard form MYBA charter gives them no right to claim force majeure and even if it had, they were not strictly prevented from taking up the charter, it was just going to be harder and/or more expensive for them to do so.”

Shipyards became another minefield for disputes during Covid. Travel restrictions prevented many buyers from visiting and supervising teams from attending construction and sea trials. Some tried to claim force majeure due to their inability to attend – attempts that often failed. Supervision and attendance are typically considered rights rather than contractual obligations, meaning buyers had no legal grounds to invoke force majeure because their presence wasn’t required for the shipyard to fulfil its obligations.

Litigation also tends to shadow shipyard insolvencies because once a builder collapses mid-project, owners are thrown into the depths of uncertainty. Some immediately resort to litigation, attempting to recover assets, enforce contracts or even claim damages. But as recent high-profile insolvencies have shown, litigation is rarely the best path forward, especially if the situation is handled properly.

“When a shipyard is teetering on the brink, everyone is in survival mode,” says Tooker. “Management freezes. No one wants to make a decision for fear of personal liability, and the whole operation grinds to a halt. But once bankruptcy is formalised, you suddenly have a qualified, court-appointed trustee whose job is to sort things out. At that point, you negotiate, you don’t litigate.”

In one recent case, multiple yachts were under construction or refit when the shipyard went into administration. Some owners, particularly those with weaker contractual protections, immediately pursued full litigation, launching claims against various parties. But for others, the bankruptcy was almost a relief, offering clarity where uncertainty had dominated.

Tooker explains that before the bankruptcy was formalised, trying to have a meaningful conversation with the yard

was nigh on impossible. Everything was about staying afloat. However, once the insolvency was official, the legal landscape changed. So instead of dealing with a collapsing company, they negotiated with a court-sanctioned trustee who knew how to handle this process.

For at least one owner, this meant delays and additional costs. Still, ultimately, their yacht was delivered, something that wouldn’t have been guaranteed had they pursued litigation instead of structured negotiation. The key difference was that their contract had been carefully structured from the outset, with the title registered properly in the right jurisdiction.

When owners plan ahead and surround themselves with the relevant legal advisors, they are in a much stronger position to negotiate a resolution rather than engage in a costly drawn-out legal battle. “When it all went to pot, we knew the contract was watertight,” says MacLachlan. “The owner had a properly registered title and a balanced agreement with the right legal protections. But if they hadn’t, they would have been in a very different position.”

The pandemic’s impact lingered until travel restrictions were lifted, when the sector enjoyed a brief stint of normality before new challenges manifested themselves in the form of sanctions imposed on Russian nationals. Northern European authorities, particularly in the Nether-lands, took a hardline stance, blocking deliveries even when owners held dual nationalities. Meanwhile, Italy and other jurisdictions adopted a more pragmatic approach, allowing some deliveries to proceed.

This inconsistency led to another wave of disputes. In one case, a Dutch shipyard was forced to withhold a yacht from a Russian-born owner despite his long-standing citizenship in a Mediterranean nation. After 18 months, regulators reversed their stance, allowing delivery only for the owner to threaten arbitration, arguing that the delay invalidated the shipyard’s sanctionrelated force majeure defence. However, a deep dive into the correspondence revealed the owner had contributed to the delay, advising against an export

William MacLachlan

clearance application and failing to finalise other key decisions. Some cases don’t ultimately hold up once you lay out the facts.

“You have to look at these cases individually,” says MacLachlan. “Some disputes you can’t afford to ignore, while others you may want to pursue if the odds are strong enough. But settlement is always the best option if you can achieve it. Litigation is massively time-consuming and extremely expensive. As a firm, we’ve never run a case unnecessarily. We’re very direct with clients. If we don’t think litigation is the right move, we tell them.

“Even if you have a case, if it’s going to cost an enormous amount of money and if on the other side you are faced with a shell company with no assets, what’s the point? To run a viable case, you need to assess the economics. Is the cost of pursuing it proportionate to the potential reward? Is the risk worth it? Before presenting the case, you need to analyse the likelihood of success, both in terms of the case and your ability to make a recovery, and whether it’s worth the financial and emotional investment.”

Litigation often involves personalities, breakdowns in relationships or fin-

ancial strain. Sometimes, people simply can’t afford to be as flexible or accommodating as they’d like and this can create conflict. Most people in situations such as this eventually decide to let it go, deeming there’s no future in pursuing it and that it’s not worth the effort. But this isn’t always the case.

One of the most extraordinary cases handled by the firm was a 50-metre highspeed project signed in 1999. The owner wanted a radically ambitious design with six gas turbine engines to achieve speeds of more than 70 knots. The shipyard took on the project without fully understanding its complexity. Each side had separate responsibilities; the owner’s team handled design, while the shipyard managed engineering and naval architecture, but as problems mounted, both blamed each other. Meanwhile, the owner had sunk more than £100 million into the project and an arbitration was looming. It seemed litigation was inevitable until both sides eventually realised that arbitration would take an already complicated case to hell in a handcart. The shipyard’s only chance of recovering its investment was to complete the build. The owner’s only chance of getting value was to see the project

When a buyer is deeply invested, the best way to get value isn’t to fight in court. Rather, you need to find a way to complete the project. It’s like a marriage. You can argue all you want but you must compromise at some point because the alternative is too awful to contemplate.

through. So, instead of fighting, they switched to a time-and-materials contract, accepting that the cost would far exceed expectations.

“It was the opposite of a normal dispute,” says Tooker. “Instead of a good relationship turning sour, a bitter legal battle turned into a genuine collaboration. The shipyard, engineers and designers started working together, and by the end we were all at each other’s Christmas parties.”

The yacht was finally delivered in 2014, a decade-and-a-half after the contract was signed. It met its performance targets – but at a cost. “It would run at full speed for two days, then need a month of maintenance,” says Tooker. “The heat from the engines was so intense we had to get specialists in from NASA to develop a ceramic garage door because regular paint kept peeling off. And by the time it was delivered, the on-board entertainment system was still running on VHS from 1998.”

However, the real lesson wasn’t about engineering but about how disputes should be handled. When a buyer is deeply invested, the best way to get value isn’t to fight in court. Rather, you need to find a way to complete the project. It’s like a marriage. You can argue all you want but you must compromise at some point because the alternative is too awful to contemplate. If you’d had a pragmatic conversation before the dispute, you might have saved a lot of heartache, money and time. This is, of course, not to say litigation is never necessary, and sometimes there might not be any choice.

In most cases, a pragmatic approach is the better option for owners and shipyards who ultimately want the yacht to be appreciated for its true purpose rather than just as an asset. A yacht is not just an investment, it’s a privilege. One of the biggest mistakes buyers can make is expecting a return instead of focusing on the experience and freedom that come with a yacht.

Good planning, realistic expectations and the right advisors can prevent disputes before they arise. Collaboration should be used over litigation, with the latter being the last resort. CF

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The power of the POD

Senior naval architects at Lateral investigate whether traditional shaft lines are becoming obsolete, with developing electronic propulsion systems offering a compelling alternative that aligns with the industry’s trajectory towards more optimised, comfortable and manoeuvrable yachts.

In the ever-evolving world of superyacht design, a quiet revolution is taking place beneath the waterline. Electric azimuthing propulsion devices –or PODs as they’re known in the industry – are challenging the supremacy of traditional shaft-driven systems. Already a mainstay in the cruise-ship sector for many decades, these innovative propulsion units are gaining significant traction in yacht design with promises of enhanced manoeuvrability, improved space utilisation and possible efficiency benefits that align with the industry’s push towards sustainability.

But is there any validity to these claims? And what exactly does this mean for the future of superyacht design? We’ve conducted extensive research into the implications of this technology adoption, examining everything from performance metrics to structural considerations, as well as publishing a technical paper. The findings reveal a complex picture of trade-offs and opportunities that every yacht owner and industry professional should understand.

The rise of the POD

At their core, PODs represent a fundamental reimagining of marine propulsion. Unlike traditional shaft systems, these units can rotate 360 degrees, combining propulsion and steering in a single package. They come in various configurations, from compact 0.2mW units to powerful 7.0mW systems and above, each suited to fit specific vessel requirements.

The technology behind these units falls into two main categories. The first uses mechanically gear-driven propellers, with electric motors mounted above in either a Z-drive (horizontal motor alignment) or L-drive (vertical motor alignment) configuration. The second, more integrated approach places electric motors directly in the propulsion module.

BY MATT VENNER AND OLLIE COOPER

Propeller configurations vary too. Direct-mounted motors typically employ fixed-pitch propellers, while mechanical systems can accommodate controllablepitch propellers for enhanced efficiency. Some units even utilise contra-rotating propellers, where a rear propeller works in harmony with the energised flow from the front propeller’s swirl, maximising power density and minimising losses.

The performance question

Perhaps the most pressing question is how PODs compare to traditional shaft systems in terms of performance, and our research reveals some interesting tradeoffs. From our Large Yacht Statistics database, and using recent new-build data and experience, Figure 2 shows that POD-equipped yachts typically achieve maximum speeds about two knots slower than comparable shaft-driven vessels.

Although we are not POD designers, we postulate the lower speed stems from a reduced power density at the propeller disc, affected by factors such as strut strength requirements, larger propeller hub sizes and higher RPM operations. However, it must also be considered that across the fleet, superyachts are generally transiting at slower speeds due to the associated environmental benefits, so the speed limitations of PODs are not necessarily a concern in the modern industry.

Raw speed isn’t the whole story, though. When comparing resistance and efficiency between podded and shaftline vessels, multiple factors come into play. A case study conducted on an 88-metre yacht reveals that POD-driven vessels can demonstrate up to 8 per cent less appendage resistance at top speed, thanks to the elimination of shaft brackets and rudders. Wouldn’t it be great for PODs if the story ended here?

The concept of efficiency becomes more complex when considering the entire propulsion chain. While some POD configurations showed delivered power requirements ranging from 14 per cent less to 6 per cent more than traditional shaft systems at top speed, the final brake power demand at the power source typically ended up being 0 to 17 per cent higher for POD systems once all transmission and electrical losses were considered. This variation highlights that the question of efficiency can be argued in more ways than one, and with different outcomes. In the example we investigated, it was concluded that electric pods have a higher power demand than a mechanical shaftline solution.

However, an electric energy architecture does offer great opportunities when it comes to power supply. So although the power demand may be higher, an electric power supply presents many cases for efficiency or

Figure 2: Speed vs length, diesel mechanical with shafts vs diesel electric with PODs.

Figure 3: Draught design loop.

Figure 1: Illustration of the key POD arrangements.

Integrating PODs into a superyacht design requires a fundamental rethinking of hull design principles. The underwater profile must balance multiple competing factors, from resistance and seakeeping performance to efficiency and comfort.

sustainability gains. These include batteries, alternative fuels, hybridisation and power diversification optimised to a specific yacht’s operational profile.

Reimagining hull design

Integrating PODs into a superyacht design requires a fundamental rethinking of hull design principles. The underwater profile must balance multiple competing factors, from resistance and seakeeping performance to efficiency and comfort. Five key areas demand particular attention:

First, draught considerations become crucial. The lower power density of PODs means that larger units often require deeper draughts as power requirements increase, creating a design loop that can impact vessel specifications. When operational requirements restrict draught, designers may need to compromise on contract speed.

Second, transom design takes on new importance. PODs favour U-shaped sections (Figure 4, arrangement A) with shallow deadrise angles and outboard bilges, while curved or rounded sections can complicate mounting and may require tilting that reduces interior space (arrangement B). Fairings can help accommodate excessive tilt but they typically increase resistance by 1 to 2 per cent (arrangement C).

It’s also less complex to mount PODs on flatter underwater section shapes but it’s key to avoid shallow flat sections to minimise stern slamming. Making the transom deeper would reduce the slamming risk but could come at the cost of increased resistance. A fine balance must be struck.

Third, the transverse positioning of PODs requires careful consideration to enable full rotation while staying within the vessel’s beam waterline. This positioning must balance manoeuvrability with practical consider-ations such as whether we should discuss access to stern between the PODs rooms.

Fourth, longitudinal positioning affects the entire aft ship design. PODs need dedicated technical spaces with adequate maintenance headroom, often pushing the units further forward in the hull. This affects buttock line design and can influence the vessel’s overall balance.

Finally, weight distribution presents its own challenges. Diesel-electric pro-

Figure 4: Varying POD arrangements.

Figure 5: Polar plot comparison.

pulsion systems with PODs typically increase the lightship displacement compared to conventional diesel-mechanical systems, requiring careful consideration in the impacts to overall weight distribution and hull design.

The comfort factor

One area where PODs truly shine is in noise and vibration control. By concentrating thrust loads at the aft end of the vessel, PODs significantly reduce vibration transmission through the hull. This isn’t the same for traditional shaft lines, where propulsion-related disturbances can be heightened due to mechanical configurations.

PODs, with their adaptable strut lengths, allow for optimised propeller tip clearance during design which, coupled with their lower power density, reduces pressure pulses on the hull. Combined with the elimination of shaft alignment issues and wear-related vibrations, these factors can contribute to a notably quieter and more comfortable on-board experience.

Masterful manoeuvrability

Perhaps the most compelling advantage of POD systems lies in their superior manoeuvrability. Underway, full-scale tests have shown that PODs can reduce

the turning circle diameter by up to 38 per cent compared to traditional shaftrudder systems. And when undertaking close-quarters operations in harbour at slow speeds, improved dynamic positioning and station-keeping capabilities outshine shafted vessels, with POD systems able to maintain position in wind speeds up to 30 per cent higher than conventional arrangements.

Design freedom and future prospects

The adoption of PODs, particularly in conjunction with diesel-electric systems, opens up new possibilities in superyacht design. Without the arrangement constraints of traditional shaft lines, designers gain greater flexibility in engine-room placement and capability to distribute the power sources.

However, as with all change, this freedom comes with its own constraints. PODs require dedicated ‘POD rooms’ above their steering modules, which can affect beach-club areas and stern access – key locations for owners to enjoy their yacht.

Our solution to this issue is to integrate POD propulsion without impacting the general arrangements, what we call the ‘Free From Bulkheads’ concept. By increasing the freeboard of the vessel, all technical spaces, including POD rooms,

can be kept below the lower deck while allowing a full-length guest experience above.

Looking ahead

While traditional shaft lines remain the dominant propulsion method in superyacht design, the industry’s growing focus on adopting electric architecture makes POD systems an increasingly attractive option. Their benefits in manoeuvrability, comfort and design flexibility often outweigh their limitations in top speed.

The key to successful POD implementation lies in early consideration during the design phase, allowing for optimal integration of all systems. As technology continues to advance and electrical efficiencies improve, we can expect to see POD systems playing an increasingly important role in the future of superyacht design.

For owners and designers considering POD propulsion, the decision ultimately depends on specific project requirements and priorities, with speed being the dominant factor. While they may not entirely replace traditional shaft lines in the immediate future, PODs represent a compelling alternative that aligns well with the industry’s trajectory towards more optimised, comfortable and manoeuvrable yachts. MV & OC

Figure 6: Lateral’s ‘Free From Bulkheads’ platform.

yachts

Photo: Tim McKenna

Are sailing-yacht owners the smartest owners?

Martin H. Redmayne takes a deep dive into some of the most iconic sailing-yacht projects … and says it’s easy to see what stimulates billionaires and UHNWIs to invest in them.

We recently posed the question on LinkedIn of why are sailing yachts such a small percentage of our market (read the responses on page 95). I suppose I know the answer and we got lots of comments about volume, rig costs and the heeling topic. Some of these comments are integrated into this feature, but over the past 36 years, the happiest owners with the best crew relationships seem to have always been on big sailing programmes.

To reinforce the message and to explain the thinking behind this report:

• Sailing is fun

• Sailing is relaxing

• Sailing is energy-efficient

• Sailing is romantic

• Sailing is competitive

• Sailing is majestic

• Sailing is relatively silent

The aim is to put all this into perspective and to perhaps invigorate the sailing market a little because I’m a huge fan of sailing. I raced Fireballs as a boy and enjoyed many a regatta over the decades from New Zealand to St Barths to Newport to Palma to Monaco to Porto Fino to Porto Cervo and other wonderful locations; it was always incredible to be part of this unique community. The spirit and camaraderie seem to replicate itself, no matter where, who, what and when the sailors all get together. Talk of close roundings, near collisions and protests are often balanced with admiration for each other’s yacht – the more beautiful the more the admiration.

In the past few years, when you look at some of the majestic yachts delivered by the custom brands

Huisman, Vitters, Perini, Holland Jachtbouw and the primary sailing brands of Swan, Baltic, Wally and Southern Wind, every time a new yacht emerges and steps the mast, there are market ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ at the elegance, the balance and the sheer lines or elongated bow. To be honest, I rarely do this when I see a new motoryacht, although there are a few exceptions.

So are the sailing owners the smartest owners? This may sound a little controversial, but there’s something to this when you look at the people behind some of the most impressive and famous sailing yachts over the years. They are best described as ‘legacy projects’, where the yacht name and the owner’s name stick together for the lifespan of the yacht, no matter who owns the yacht in the future. I suppose the late Tom Perkins and Maltese Falcon is the best example of this, no matter who owns the yacht today – it was his vision, confidence and commitment to being brave with the Falcon rig and building an icon.

Tom was an incredibly smart and focused individual who I had the pleasure of sharing the stage with and sailing with on a few occasions. He hated to lose and challenged the market to build something incredible, with a rig system that, once proven, made so much sense for the superyacht category. He was a venture capital (VC) pioneer in Silicon Valley and made big sailing yachts his life and, with reference to the Tech Billionaire feature on page 70, he exposed big yachts to some pretty incredible people from his financial and tech neighbourhood. Unfortunately, we lost Tom in 2016 and, surprisingly, very few followed his lead with the Falcon rig.

Opposite: S/Y Sea Eagle.

Another super-smart sailing-yacht owner from the same world, who joined Tom Perkins’ VC firm, was the genius Bill Joy, co-founder of Sun Microsystems fame, renowned for writing the Java script (Google it), allegedly over a weekend. I met Bill Joy during a long weekend event he hosted at the Royal Huisman Shipyard, at a brainstorm called a ‘Charrette’, which brought together astronauts, physicists and technologists to push the boundaries of efficiency, hybrid propulsion and future-proof design. The result was S/Y Ethereal, the world’s first hybrid superyacht, delivered in 2009 – a groundbreaking ketch that set new standards in energy management and intelligent system integration. A major refit in 2023 further enhanced its sustainable capabilities, ensuring its pioneering journey continues.

Another episode in the life of super-sized sailing yachts was shipyard tours with owners. One involved touring the Royal Huisman Shipyard again, viewing S/Y Athena, an elegant three-masted schooner commissioned by Dr Jim Clark, who explained with real passion the ideas, innovations and solutions that he and his team had developed. His fleet also includes the racing machine S/Y Comanche, the J-Class Hanuman and the technologically advanced S/Y Hyperion, all built at Royal Huisman and all of which blazed trails and challenged the market to push boundaries in terms of innovation and performance.

The common theme became clear: these sailingyacht owners were all extremely bright, wanted to do something different and make a statement, but also loved the idea of racing, sailing, performing and smiling as they crossed the finish line, or enjoying admiring remarks from other owners as to the beauty and elegance of their latest projects.

In addition to Clark, Joy and Perkins, we were introduced to a new potential owner (name withheld) during Covid. He was looking to take a global tour sabbatical on a large sailing yacht, with a very clear plan and budget. As is often the case, having reviewed the market and having explored his options, based on what was available and what he wanted to do, nothing ticked the boxes. An email came through one day, asking what he thought of S/Y Sea Eagle, an 81-metre schooner that was almost triple the planned budget and 30 metres longer than his target asset.

This was a relatively brand-new pedigree build from Royal Huisman, with a high-performance rig configuration, a sleek elongated hull and designed to cover thousands of nautical miles in absolute comfort. The decision was made and the journey of superyacht ownership started with this 80-metre-plus project, considering all the owner’s previous yachts were in the 50 to 80-foot range. Very recently, the proud owner was all smiles in the Southern Hemisphere, having just competed in the Millennium Cup in New Zealand. We plan to catch up with him shortly to get

88-metre S/Y Maltese Falcon, the legacy projct of Tom Perkins.

Photo: Perini Cup

EXPERT

COMMENTS AND OPINIONS ON THE QUESTION POSED ON LINKEDIN: WHY ARE SAILING YACHTS SUCH A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF OUR MARKET?

Jim Pugh – Reichel Pugh Yacht Design

Sailors have a passion for the sea, it’s in their blood, which means understanding and respecting the constantly changing environment. It’s the opposite for many sitting on a motoryacht. I’m surprised more younger tech guys and girls aren’t attracted to sailing, with the challenges of learning the wind, the sea and teamwork. Yes, time is short but what a superb way to escape the boardroom and be at one with the ever-evolving sea and skies. Yes, a powerboat has more volume, but to do what with?

Malcolm Jacotine – Sustainability Consultant

Studies suggest that yachts are stationary 90 per cent of the year. In addition, winds can be far from accommodating: too light, too strong, wrong direction, so sails may not always be deployed and the alternative is conventional power.

Kevin Laverty – Hill Robinson

Motoryacht vs sailing yacht – similar product, different owner motivation. Yachtsmen and women will always prefer sailing yachts. Refreshingly, I am seeing more owners questioning their choices and I do forecast an uptick in demand for large sailing yachts.

Alastair Heane – Hill Robinson

We have created a yachting society where the imbalance is somewhat contradictory to energy efficiency and sustainability. The need for garages, toys, decks, cranes and helipads became vogue. Now it’s who has a shadow vessel. We have created some vulgarity in the sector, powered by snobbery, you could say. I still maintain that a sailing vessel with its hardware and brightwork majestically sailing along the coast will always attract the eye.

Don Edwards – Captain

From my perspective, the sailing superyachts are mostly extremely high-maintenance motoryachts with the ability to harness the wind only when the conditions are perfect – with a few exceptions, of course.

Joe Hodgdon – Engineer

I think owning a sailing yacht is an opportunity to actually buy class and be cool.

Neil Cheston – Consultant

For any given LOA, you get more living space on a motoryacht than a sailing yacht. I’ve tried many times to persuade motoryacht owners to consider the joys of sail and that’s where the conversation usually comes to a stop.

The motoryacht user possesses a floating apartment; the sailing yacht user shares a work of art with nature.

Oscar Siches – Marina Consultant

Sailing yachts were the first – and only – available craft to be used for recreational navigation. The Dutch used the term ‘jacht’, then ‘yacht’ by the Brits, and with Amsterdam’s official gift of HM/Y Mary to Charles II to commemorate the return of the monarchy in 1660 (he lived in exile in Amsterdam), the trend of creating sailing yachts as recreational marine objects took off and expanded quickly. Sailing yachts of all sizes were associated with royalty and big fortunes.

Charlie Barr used to work as skipper for US syndicates on his way to being considered the best skipper ever. Sir Thomas Lipton was very close to the British Royals when racing his Shamrock beauties. Kaiser Wilhelm II had the 85-metre and 120-metre motoryachts Hohenzollern, but they were second to his Meteor I to Meteor V sailing boats. They were sailing yachts not only related to royalty and power and money, but also they kept the aura of mystery and playing with nature and highly skilled crew and defying the elements.

Power boats were more practical, show-off with big comfortable spaces that could navigate from A to B whenever. No style needed, no need for tradition. The motoryacht user possesses a floating apartment; the sailing yacht user shares a work of art with nature.

The sailing elite remains a select group among the nautical enthusiasts. They join yacht clubs that keep the tradition alive until today, including regatta racing under strict honourable rules (Vendée Globe, America’s Cup, Admiral’s Cup, Sydney-Hobart) and bear names with undisputable meaning (NYYC, YCM, YCCS, RYS, RCorkYC, YCF, RSYC, YCRJ). The sailing fan has limitless horizons, interacts with nature, is at one with his boat, communes with it and is part of that elite which is one-fifth of the nautical world.

Top: Sea Eagle participating in the New Zealand Millenium Cup. Above: Stunning aft deck details of the next-generation Apex 850 from Royal Huisman – cooler and more private than most beach clubs on today’s motoryachts Right: 90-metre S/Y Athena , owned by Jim Clark.

Photo: Jeff Brown

Photo: Franco Page

Black Pearl’s operating budget equates to an average of 6 per cent of the value per annum, perhaps less than half that of a similar sized motoryacht.

his personal insights into his journey and to find out if his decision was the right one.

It also makes sense to talk about the iconic Oceanco and Vitters-built sailing giant – essentially Maltese Falcon’s big sister – the 106.7-metre S/Y Black Pearl, built for the late Oleg Burlakov, a victim of Covid. This was another passion project, designed, built and engineered to be a market challenger, driven by a super-smart billionaire who was determined to focus on smart technologies, energy efficiency and sustainability. Burlakov and his project team were determined to explore, analyse and research nextgeneration technologies and, similar to Bill Joy, always thinking to the future.

We caught up with Derek Munro, who essentially lived and breathed the project alongside Burlakov and explained how ideas were explored and dismissed or adopted to ensure the yacht really did make a difference. The projected plan was to sail the Atlantic without the use of fossil fuel, with solar sails discussed and explored but eventually dismissed due to lack of energy created. While Black Pearl has crossed the Atlantic a few times since delivery,

Munro explained that the yacht has covered more than 60,000nm under full sail, with approximately 85 per cent of its time under sail, helmed by rotational captains Christian Trotter and Chris Gartner, the renowned ex-captain of Maltese Falcon. Energy consumption, regeneration and heat recovery all form a key aspect of Black Pearl’s operational mission: including lighting systems that simply turn on/off to logical modes depending on who is on board or which rooms are occupied, heated wash-down technical water from the systems to allow the crew to clean the yacht knowing there’s very limited waste and many more simple, intelligent systems driven by the owner’s passion to build a super-smart sailing yacht.

Munro was equally passionate when describing the yacht’s operational profile, something that may be of interest to many owners of very large motoryachts, explaining that Black Pearl’s operating budget, based on its sailing percentages and covering 60,000nm over its current life time, equates to an average of 6 per cent of the value per annum, perhaps less than half that of a similar sized motoryacht.

106.7-metre S/Y

Black Pearl , built for Oleg Burlakov.

The Superyacht Intelligence Team

Overall sailing-yacht fleet performance and average LOA(m), 2010 -2028

Top six sailing-yacht-builder deliveries, 2010-2024

All analysis was undertaken by our data and research consultants. We provide bespoke consultancy projects that help clients make informed, data-driven decisions. Scan the QR Code to see examples of our work.

Baltic Yachts Nautor's Swan

Over ten years of operation, this number is significant and, when combined with the sustainability and energy-efficiency credentials, is something for owners to seriously consider. The yacht is still owned by the Burlakov family and is now offered for charter, so anyone can encounter this super-sailing masterpiece and feel good that their ocean footprint and consumption figures are seriously credible.

Finally, if you Google the words ‘Project Zero’, you find a plethora of projects and innovations that are all planet-focused in various industry sectors. However, perhaps one of the most exciting and sector-challenging projects in our industry also bears the name and is in an advanced stage of construction at Vitters shipyard in Holland. Much has been written on this project and everyone seems to be drooling at the idea of a sailing yacht without an engine, pushing the ultimate boundary and being truly ‘zero’ in its operational mode.

Very little is known about the owner, but having read much of the open-source content provided by Foundation Zero, the team challenged to make this project a reality, one can only assume a supersmart owner is sitting in the background pulling the strings and pushing the team. Even though the Project Zero website foundationzero.org mentions a group of investors, we anticipate that there may be one or two principals at the helm. The beauty of this project isn’t the fact that a zero-emission sailing yacht has been conceived and is now being built, but the commendable decision to make all the research and analysis open-source, so everyone can benefit and we can start to build really smart yachts in the future. In the case of Project Zero, the future is now.

Summary

As a lifelong lover of sailing and admirer of the beauty and balance of sailing yachts, it’s clear that the vast majority of superyacht owners are focused on volume, real estate and value per GT. However, there are other parameters to consider when it comes to smart owners and the yachts they design, build and buy. It’s easy to see the factors that stimulate billionaires and UHNWIs to invest in sailing yachts, and it’s not all about racing or heeling or speed.

There is such pleasure of being at the helm under full sail in the Pacific, the emotion of converting the wind energy into performance and going where it takes you, the camaraderie of connecting with other owners at regattas or in remote anchorages, and, bizarrely, the uniquely positive feeling of other people from all walks of life appreciating the beauty and elegance of a stunning sailing yacht sitting in a marina or harbour.

Note the perception of and the relationship between people walking around a marina and the neuro responses to seeing a vast white superyacht with multiple decks towering over the landscape with a constant stream of exhaust puffing out of the stack versus a curvaceous sleek sailing yacht that has all the elegance and balance that the human eye immediately appreciates the camber, the sheer line and the tumble home. Even beasts like Black Pearl or the iconic Maltese Falcon draw crowds of admirers for their innovation and individuality. It would be hard for any eco-warrior protestor to consider a random attack on something so magnificent and intelligently built.

Are super-sized sailing yacht owners, the smartest owners? When they invest in visionary, sustainable projects, the answer is a resounding yes. MHR

There is such pleasure from being at the helm under full sail in the Pacific, the emotion of converting the wind energy into performance and going where it takes you, the camaraderie of connecting with other owners at regattas or in remote anchorages, and other people from all walks of life appreciating the beauty and the elegance of a stunning sailing yacht.

Demystifying HVO … and its role in reducing the environmental impact of the yachting industry

Water Revolution Foundation’s environmental expert explores HVO as an opportunity for transition and its potential role in reducing emissions within the superyacht industry, including specific examples for superyachts.

BY AWWAL IDRIS

The internal combustion engine, mostly powered by fossil fuels, is still the primary energy source for many industries, including boating and yachting. But as our society evolves and the scientific community reliably measures the impact of our reliance – its significant pollution and greenhouse gas emissions – our industry is at the forefront of responding to the urgent need for new technology and policy changes.

Phasing out diesel

In Europe and throughout the world, diesel engines are widely used for their greater efficiency, which allows them to produce 10 to 40 per cent less CO2 than gasoline engines. However, diesel engines struggle to meet strict emissions standards, such as the International Maritime Organization Tier III, which

sets limits on nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from marine diesel engines. This challenge arises from the unique operational hours of yachts, which often involve prolonged periods at lowengine regimes. As a result, emissions control systems like selective catalytic reduction (SCR) – which need to attain a high temperature for efficacy (240°C -450°C) – are less effective in reducing NOx and particulate pollution. Most yachts with engines above 130kW would need a modern SCR system to meet Tier III regulations when operating in designated Emission Control Areas (ECAs), where strict NOx limits apply.

Plant-based biofuels offer a promising way to reduce emissions. Biodiesel, often called FAME (fatty acid methyl esters), a first-generation biofuel, is the most common alternative to

regular diesel. It’s made from crops such as soy or rapeseed using a process called transesterification. Biodiesel helps reduce pollutants such as carbon monoxide, unburned hydrocarbon (HC) and particle emissions. However, it does have drawbacks: it breaks down more easily, performs poorly in cold weather and can damage fuel-system parts. Due to these issues, the EU limits biodiesel blends with regular diesel to a maximum of 7 per cent.

Hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) – a paraffinic fuel made from diverse biobased feedstocks (second generation), such as plant oils, animal fats and waste materials – avoids many of biodiesel’s problems. Made by treating vegetable oils with hydrogen, HVO produces fuel similar to regular diesel but without sulphur or other pollutants. Making HVO is also

cheaper than making biodiesel and it works easily in standard diesel engines without any modifications required.

Prominent engine manufacturers active in yachting have recently certified most of their engine models for HVO. In fact, HVO can be mixed with diesel in any amount or even used 100 per cent on its own without major engine adjustments. Many research studies1,2 have highlighted the potential advantages of HVO with respect to FAME and regular diesel.

What is HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil)?

Hydrotreated vegetable oil, commonly known as HVO, is a renewable fuel produced from feedstocks such as vegetable oils, waste fats and animal fats. HVO is created through a process that treats these feedstocks with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst, removing oxygen and producing hydrocarbons similar to those in traditional diesel. The resulting fuel has properties that closely resemble fossil diesel but lacks sulphur and other harmful compounds like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are present in fossil diesel. HVO has a much lower carbon footprint over its entire lifecycle because it uses renewable resources and emits fewer greenhouse gases (GHGs).

Key benefits of HVO

One major advantage of using HVO as fuel is the significant reduction in CO2 emissions it offers. Here’s an example: let’s assume a superyacht operated for about 1,500 hours and consumed 300 litres of fuel per hour. If this superyacht runs on conventional diesel, its CO2 emissions would be around 1,205,380kg CO2. This is roughly equivalent to the emissions of 903 average European new passenger cars or the annual carbon footprint of about 166 European citizens [see https://waterrevolutionfoundation. org/demystifying-hvo/ for calculation details here].

It’s important to note that these emissions account only for diesel combustion in the yacht’s engines used for propulsion and don’t include the generators for the ‘hotel power’ –essentially the non-propulsion needs on board, such as heating, cooling, lighting and appliances, all of which are vital to the comfort and functionality of the vessel. If we were to factor in both propulsion and hotel power, the total emissions would, on average, double. When viewed in the context of the global superyacht fleet, these emissions highlight the importance of pursuing solutions that can mitigate emissions.

HVO offers a promising solution for reducing these emissions, with up to a 90 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions compared to fossil diesel over its entire lifecycle. This includes emissions from sourcing and production (well-to-tank) to combustion in the engine (tank-towake). The exact reduction percentage can vary based on factors such as feedstock type, production process and specific supply-chain emissions.

While HVO and diesel release comparable amounts of CO2 during combustion, the key difference lies in the source of the carbon. HVO emits biogenic CO2, which comes from plant-based materials that absorbed CO2 during their growth. This creates a short-term carbon cycle, where the CO2 released is reabsorbed through natural processes such as photosynthesis. In contrast, the CO2 from diesel combustion comes from fossil sources – carbon that has been locked away for millions of years. Once released, this ‘new’ CO2 remains in the atmosphere, adding to the long-term carbon load and contributing to climate change.

HVO’s lower carbon intensity is particularly evident in the well-to-tank stage, especially when sustainable, wastebased feedstocks are used. By switching to HVO with a conservative 80 per cent CO2 saving (well-to-wake), this example superyacht could save approximately

THE BENEFITS OF HVO

• HVO offers up to a 90 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions (wellto-wake) compared to fossil diesel; the CO2 produced during HVO combustion is biogenic in origin and reabsorbed in the carbon cycle, unlike diesel that adds ‘new’ CO2 to the atmosphere, contributing to global warming.

• HVO is a drop-in fuel fully compatible with existing diesel engines and requires no modification. Most leading engine manufacturers in yachting have certified their diesel engines for HVO use.

• HVO also reduces harmful local air pollutants, including particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxides (NOx), while containing no sulphur or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).

• Sustainable sourcing and certifications like ISCC or REDcert ensure HVO is produced responsibly, minimising environmental impact and supporting a circular economy.

Disclaimer: HVO is a valuable resource in reducing emissions. However, we encourage reducing on-board energy demand first and foremost; avoiding just switching fuel type for reduced emissions only.

964,300 kg of CO2 – a reduction equal to the yearly emissions of about 133 EU citizens. This saving is also comparable to the emissions from around 723 average new European passenger cars.

The potential reduction in CO2 emissions achieved by transitioning to HVO demonstrates the significant positive impact low-carbon fuels can have on the yachting fleet industry’s overall carbon footprint. As more vessels adopt HVO, this shift could play a crucial role in advancing the sector’s decarbonisation efforts.

Renewable and sustainable feedstocks: HVO is produced from renewable sources, primarily waste oils and fats, which significantly reduces our reliance on fossil fuels. It’s important to differentiate between primary (or virgin) feedstocks, such as soybean or palm oil, and byproducts from waste materials. Virgin feedstocks require considerable land, water and energy to produce, often leading to environmental concerns such as deforestation and competition with food crops.

In contrast, by-products such as used cooking oil (UCO) and animal fats are often discarded; using these materials not only minimises waste but also reduces the need for new resources. This approach helps achieve greater carbon savings because waste-derived feedstocks typically have lower life-cycle emissions. By prioritising these more sustainable options, HVO production supports a circular economy. Yet the secondary status of the feedstock is critical for this to work as such.

Less emissions: When used in diesel engines, HVO produces much less air pollution compared to regular diesel. HVO can cut carbon-dioxide emissions by up to 90 per cent (W-T-W, depending

HVO can be used in existing diesel engines without modification, making it an immediately applicable solution for reducing emissions across the superyacht industry.

on its feedstock and production), reduce particulate matter by 40 to 80 per cent and lower nitrogen oxides (NOx) by an average of up to 8 per cent without any engine modification.3 Additionally, it contains no sulphur or PAH compounds, making it a cleaner alternative overall. Compatibility with diesel engines: HVO can be used in existing diesel engines without modification, making it an immediately applicable solution for reducing emissions across the superyacht industry. This is particularly advantageous for the existing superyachts in the fleet, where environmental upgrades to on-board systems can add cost and complexity. HVO might come at an upcharge in some countries, but more adoption will result in lower costs. The yachting community can pioneer the uptake of HVO, allowing the larger society to benefit from increased availability and more competitive pricing.

Certification is critical

The Renewable Energy Directive (RED), introduced by the European Commission in 2008, sets mandatory sustainability standards for biofuels, including HVO. These standards establish minimum requirements for reducing GHG emissions and guidelines for assessing the risks of Indirect Land Use Change (ILUC) associated with different feedstocks. When first-generation biofuels are produced from crops grown on existing farmland, the demand for food and feed crops doesn’t disappear. This can lead to increased food production in other areas, potentially resulting in land-use changes, such as converting forests into agricultural land, with deforestation, significant release of CO2 emissions and biodiversity loss as a result.

For second-generation biofuels such as HVO, these are produced from nonfood sources, such as agricultural waste, wood chips and other residual biomass. Since they don’t rely on food crops, they typically have a lower impact on food supply and are less likely to drive land-use change for agriculture. However, if second-generation biofuel production scales up significantly, it could still indirectly influence land use by increasing demand for certain waste products or residuals, but this is still generally less impactful compared to first-generation biofuel.

Certification for first-generation biofuel verifies that feedstocks are responsibly sourced, minimising competition with food crops and reducing negative land-use impact such as deforestation. It also verifies that the biofuel meets required GHG savings. For second-generation biofuels, certification guarantees that feedstocks come from non-food, waste or residual sources, helping avoid land-use changes related to food production. It ensures transparency and traceability in the supply chain, proving that materials are sustainably sourced.

To verify that biofuels (both first and second generation) are truly a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels, RED II outlines specific criteria for the sourcing and environmental impact of biofuels sold in the EU. The key requirements under RED II are:

• Transport biofuels must achieve a GHG saving of at least 65 per cent compared to diesel.

• Biofuels used for electricity, heating and cooling need to have a GHG saving of at least 80 per cent.

Biofuel producers must obtain cer-

tification from an independent third party to demonstrate compliance with these standards. This certification process includes auditing the entire supply chain to ensure that sustainability and sourcing criteria are met. Additionally, producers and suppliers are required to submit regular reports to confirm ongoing compliance to the certification requirements and RED II regulations.

What

this means for the superyacht owner or operator

For superyacht owners and operators looking to purchase HVO fuel, it’s essential to know what questions to ask suppliers when ordering HVO. Below are some key considerations for due diligence that yacht owners and operators should keep in mind or inquire about when sourcing HVO fuel:

Ask for a certification scheme recognised by the EU RED: There are several certification organisations that comply with RED II regulations and criteria. Some of the most well known include the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC), REDcert and the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB). These certifying bodies not only adhere to the standards set by RED II but they also engage independent third parties to conduct audits and certify compliance with both RED II and their own certification schemes. By choosing certified suppliers, you can ensure a thorough audit of the supply chain that aligns with regulations and contributes to real CO2 savings.

Request impact assessment documentation: More biofuel-producing companies are now focused on calculating the actual GHG emissions across their entire supply chain using a full life-

cycle assessment (LCA) approach. This allows them to effectively communicate their environmental footprint to stakeholders and customers because lower emission-intensity fuels are increasingly advantageous for business owners. By reviewing this inform-ation, one can gain insight into the GHG savings associated with their biofuels, as well as the potential Indirect Land Use Change (ILUC) impacts linked to their supply chain. A low ILUC risk suggests that the production of biofuels didn’t interfere with food production or encroach on ecologically sensitive areas like forests.

As we work towards the goal of netzero emissions by 2050, the operation of yachts is evolving. Using HVO can offer an immediate and significant reduction in emissions and is therefore highly recommended to be adopted widely by the international yachting community as the new fuel for yachts. AI

References

1. Hunicz, J., Krzaczek, P., Gęca, M., Rybak, A., & Mikulski, M. (2021).

Comparative study of combustion and emissions of diesel engine fuelled with FAME and HVO. Combustion Engines, 60.

2. Dimitriadis, A., Natsios, I., Dimaratos, A., Katsaounis, D., Samaras, Z., Bezergianni, S., & Lehto, K. (2018). Evaluation of a hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) and effects on emissions of a passenger car diesel engine. Frontiers in Mechanical Engineering, 4, 7.

3. Bohl, T., Smallbone, A., Tian, G., & Roskilly, A. P. (2018). Particulate number and NOx trade-off comparisons between HVO and mineral diesel in HD applications. Fuel, 215, 90-101.

ENGINEERING A SEA CHANGE

The propulsion sector has been dominated by Caterpillar and MTU Rolls-Royce for decades, but now the MAN engine portfolio is also making big moves into superyachts, it’s finally time for the industry to make a clean break from conventional fossil-fuel-burning engines.

Analysis of the fleet delivered since the turn of the millennium indicates that the superyacht sector has relied on consistent horsepower from the major engine brands of Caterpillar and MTU Rolls-Royce. However, in the past five years, we’ve seen the emergence of MAN as a supplier of energy to the fleet.

This has been in part because of supply-chain and delivery issues and some changes in focus, but as we saw during the early phase of Covid, lead times for new engines had become unworkable for some shipyard delivery schedules. Gear boxes and spare parts were at a premium, suppliers were unable to meet the demand and the market opened up for MAN to grab a piece of market share pretty quickly, especially in the semi-custom superyacht fleet.

The most important aspect of this brief look at the engine market is the fact

BY MARTIN H. REDMAYNE

that the majority of the fleet is still being delivered with conventional fossil-fuelburning engines and some form of hybrid package. Now, if we look at the report on the previous pages by environmental expert Awwal Idris at Water Revolution Foundation, our biggest opportunity as an industry is to build a strategy to migrate their fuel source to HVO now and over the coming years.

Many of the yachts built with modern engines over the past 20 years are capable of being converted or are already suited to burn the green fuel source HVO – if you’re willing to make a few sacrifices and adopt a different operational profile. However, when considering the size of the current fleet versus the number of new builds being delivered and factoring in the number of projects that have zero emission or hydrogen or methanol at their core, the smartest strategy to clean up our act is to focus our attention on the

supply of HVO over the next five years.

Yes, we’re competing for HVO supply with the truck market, as well as the aviation and shipping sectors, but if we want to make big steps in the right direction and demonstrate that our industry really wants to become more sustainable and reduce our impact, perhaps this is where we need to focus our attention now.

If we think purely about generators and main engines, and work with the fuel-supply chain and get the right investment and buy-in from our existing owners, we can make huge strides and even demonstrate in tangible terms what the reduction in emissions would be.

The three big engine manufacturers have all invested in making sure their various yacht propulsion and energy ranges are HVO-ready, but there still seems to be an operational perception barrier, a price sensitivity and a supply-

The energy of the future

Top three engine manufacturers individual year-on-year market share

The Superyacht Intelligence Team

Breakdown of each LOA size segment by the leading engine manufacturer

Engine manufacturers broken down by LOA size segment

chain issue. As the previous article covering the HVO topic highlights, there’s huge value in switching to HVO not only as the core of sustainability, but also for the reduction of soot and the cleaner burning of fuel.

At the end of the day, diesel may be unavailable in certain locations and the burning of fossil fuels will be banned in ports and marinas, so the time has come for the engine manufacturers, the fuel

suppliers, the management companies, the builders, the captains and engineers and the owners to make an industrywide policy decision to change what we consume to reduce our impact.

Some yards such as Feadship are already delivering their new builds with HVO in the fuel tanks, and then it’s up to the owner and captain to keep using this valuable alternative. However, there needs to be a wave of energy, a momentum

shift and powerful surge in changing our behaviour by doing the right thing.

If a few thousand yachts are all demanding HVO and buying it consistently, we may be taken seriously by the fuel suppliers and more capacity will be made available. This is one big step we can make in the right direction of filling those YETI footprints from Water Revolution Foundation. MHR

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WHAT WE FAIL TO LEARN, WE’RE DOOMED TO REPEAT

BY CONOR FEASEY

STERN WORDS

When accidents or scandals occur, owners, shipyards and management companies must stop treating the subsequent hard questions as threats and start seeing them as opportunities to improve.

Yachting is cool by its very nature. There’s a swagger to it, something passed down through generations, an old-school confidence that feels almost untouchable. But that swagger comes from knowledge – hard-earned and time-tested. Some of that knowledge is unwritten, some of it lives in coffeestained notebooks, but most of it exists as whispered wisdom in dockside bars or within shipyard walls. But what happens when we stop listening? When valuable lessons, especially those born from failure, are ignored or brushed aside?

When we think of tragic accidents or scandals, some shocking, others sadly unsurprising, there’s probably an overlap of instances we can all collectively recall. But all too often we wait for an official report that never comes. A fire breaks out, a yacht sinks, a tender crashes, a crewmember loses their life. And instead of a full-scale investigation, the story fades into background noise, leaving us with nothing but unanswered questions.

When mistakes are made, we should be learning from them, not just shrugging and moving on. The number of times I’ve heard people say, ‘I know what happened, but I don’t know’, is staggering. It puts me in a difficult position at times. Reporting simply on hearsay is not something we do at The Superyacht Report, but when the same story is whispered over and over, yet nothing changes, I know that frustration isn’t mine alone.

Regulation exists for a reason, but how often do we see meaningful change

driven by real-world lessons rather than reactive box-ticking? If lives are lost, we owe it to those who were affected to ensure it never happens again. That’s not to say we haven’t made progress. Today’s yachts are safer and more advanced than ever before, as are practices on board and in yards. But that didn’t happen by accident, it happened because people challenged outdated practices, pushed for new processes and paid attention to history.

So how do we move forward? First, we must stop treating incident reports like a PR exercise. If something goes wrong, we mustn’t bury it; we should put it under the spotlight. That means owners, shipyards and management companies must stop treating hard questions as threats and start seeing them as opportunities to improve. Second, stop waiting for regulation to force progress. By the time a rule changes, the industry has already moved on. Instead of reacting, it should be an opportunity to hold your hand up and lead. If a design flaw or operational risk is identified, act on it before it’s written into law.

Silence helps no one. There’s a fine line between discretion and wilful ignorance and too many vital conversations never leave the dockside bars and shipyard walls. Meaningful change won’t ever come from keeping your head down; it will come from asking the right questions and demanding real answers. If we ignore the lessons of the past, we’re not moving forward, just circling back to the same mistakes. CF

The Superyacht Report (ISSN 2046-4983) is published four times a year by TRP Magazines Ltd and distributed from the UK. Postage is paid in the UK on behalf of TRP Magazines Ltd. Send address changes to: hello@thesuperyachtgroup.com