Yacht news

he team behind the 182.9-meter research expedition vessel REV has posted a construction update on the project. This world's largest superyacht is taking shape at the VARD shipyard in Tulcea, Romania. Week by week the REV vessel is slowly coming together. It currently sits in 6 large blocks and will be assembled over the coming months into one large superstructure. The ship is scheduled for delivery early 2021.Built for environmental research missions in partnership with WWF Norway, the Research Expedition Vessel (REV) will also be available for charter for recreational purposes and expeditions. George Gill the Director of Miller Compton Maritime Ltd was asked by Norwegian businessman and owner of the project Mr Kjell Inge Røkke in May 2016 to develop the enormous 183-meter research expedition vessel which is expected to secure the title of the world’s largest yacht, both in terms of length and volume.REV is a very important project for all Norwegians. As Norway is one of a world-leading maritime nation and has the opportunities for taking on a global leadership role for exploring and taking care of the ocean. The Prime Minister of Norway supports the vision that ‘oceans are under pressure due to climate change, overfishing and waste pollution. To ensure the future growth of the ocean economy, we need to harvest resources in a sustainable way’.The Executive Secretary Vladimir Ryabinin of IOC of UNESCO also are very looking forward to REV: ‘It is exciting to know that a newest and most advanced research vessel will soon ply the global ocean and that she will be available to host scientists from all the world, especially from developing countries’.REV is a unique vessel: is designed to operate in remote and vulnerable waters for long periods without additional external support, the ship will be equipped for research and investigation of the entire marine ecosystem. The ship has the range and equipment to explore, document and collect. It also applies the Polar Code adopted by The International Maritime Organization for ships operating in Arctic and Antarctic conditions and can operate autonomously for 114 days. Depends on request of the project the capacity of the ship is up to 90 persons total including passengers, crew, scientists. Designed by famous Espen Øino, REV is tailored for research and expedition activities. Her robust exterior lines and modern features ensure she is able to cruise in arctic and tropical areas alike, with a hull built to ICE PC6 for navigation in ice. Two helipads can host drones and helicopter, while overhead cranes can lift and launch equipment weighing up to 20T over the side. Her drop keels enable echo sounders and sonars to be placed in undisturbed water below the hull for research of the world’s ecosystems, and built into her stern is a trawl hangar and pelagic trawling system.Built to the highest standards for both expeditions and recreational purposes the ship includes such features as a hospital with a medic cabin, High-tech equipment to monitor and survey marine areas, currents, the seabed, fish and plant life, while cutting-edge laboratory facilities enable onboard analysis. There will be an auditorium for lectures, and the capacity for live streaming, also a Moonpool, an eco-harvesting system for live catch and release of biomass and pelagic samples, and an underwater hydrophone system for listening to ocean mammals.Photos via REV Ocean

Yacht Harbour looks at the best images from the social media world over the past week.#1. 115m superyacht concept Art of Life Art of Life concept released by Sinot during Monaco Yacht Show 2018, represents a statement of elegance and a synthesis of beauty and functionality. Her striking exterior style, with its overhang at the stern and forward projecting bow, is reminiscent of a 16th century Dutch icon of shipbuilding, the schooner yacht. With ’Schoon’, meaning both ‘good looking’ and ‘clean’ in Dutch, the term ‘schooner’ stands for the yacht’s fast, versatile and efficient hull.The yacht is trademarked with panoramic stern lounge, fitted with a large floor-to-ceiling slanted window and a 384-inch retractable cinema screen, along with vast exterior al fresco spaces.#2. 91m Lady LaraPhoto by @loriansmithBuilt by Lurssen in 2015, the yacht features the exterior and interior design from Reymond Langton. Lady Lara's alluring amenities include VIP suites with fold down balconies, a large beach club, a gym, Jacuzzi, a swimming pool and a helipad.The yacht features feminine elegance when viewed at a distance, thanks to her sweeping curves and elegant proportions that allow her masculine details to emerge. #3. 123m Al Lusail captured in Gibraltar Photo by @superyachts_gibraltarLaunched in 2016 by Lurssen, the yacht features extravagant exterior by H2 Yacht Design and interior styling by March&White.This highly secretive build features a full-displacement steel hull that supports an aluminum superstructure and teak decks. This adds up to a gross tonnage of nearly 8,500 GT. Al Lusail boasts a top speed of 15 knots with a cruising speed of 12 knots.As to the yacht’s name, Lusail is the newest planned city in Qatar, located on the coast, 23 km north of the city centre of Doha. Construction is still ongoing but it is planned to have marinas, residential areas, island resorts, luxury shopping and leisure facilities.#4. 98m Aviva captured in Sardinia Photo by @p.gonschorekThis yacht was built by Abeking & Rasmussen in 2017 for Joe Lewis, becoming the 4th Aviva in the UK billionaire’s fleet.This latest Aviva boasts exterior and interior design by Reymond Langton that teamed up with Toby Silverton to developed her sleek and elegant profile. The boat’s modern interior notably features a 20x10x6-metre tennis court. Her efficient hull shape is said to reduce drag by up to 20%. While she cruises at the maximum speed of 30 knots, a very special hybrid drive system allows Aviva to run at up to 11 knots, using electric motors only.#5. 142,8 m S/Y A by NobiskrugPhoto by @julien_hubertThe yacht delivered in 2017 features masts stunningly taller than Big Ben. With the height of nearly 100 meters, S/Y A boasts over 12,600 GT of interior volume, just 3,100 less than Dilbar, the most voluminous yacht in the world. By this measurement, she's also 4.6 times larger than the largest sailing yacht in the world, the 108-meter Black Pearl.The yacht powered by twin MTU engines of 4,827 HP each, is projected to reach her top speed at 20 knots without using her sails and feature cruising speed of 16 knots under transatlantic range of 5,320 nautical miles.

Superyachts are fascinating creations destined to the world's highest net worth individuals, and for that reason alone the space has always drawn interest from the mainstream public. Yet, many surprising events in yachting are often overlooked even by most knowledgeable experts. Yacht Harbour looks at yacht trivia you should really know.#1 Donald Trump used to own AmelsBack before he became US President, Donald Trump was a prolific billionaire most known in yachting for his 86-meter Trump Princess, which he bought from Adnan Khashoggi in 1988 for $28 million."Khashoggi probably spent $200 million building this yacht, probably the best yacht ever built." Trump then commented in the media. "I purchased it for a business. I use it for my hotels. I use it for a lot of different charities."Following the purchase, Trump spent near $10 million at Amels to refit the yacht according to the LA Times. In June 1989, he announced he would build the world's largest yacht, 'something in excess of 400 feet long', for which he was accepting bids from shipyards. Amels, then owned by a group of 4 British investors, won that bid to build a 128-meter Trump Princess II.This project, in part, led to financial problems for Amels, a significantly smaller shipyard then. A year later, Trump then acquired Amels, shortly after canceling the construction of Trump Princess II, as was announced in 1990. In September of that year, he sold Amels to American businessman, Peter Kutell due to financial problems according to Dessert News. For nearly half a year, however, Trump essentially Amels.#2 Business Insider thought a $4.8 billion yacht was sold in AsiaIn the summer of 2011, Stuart Hughes, a UK-based designer, claimed he had been commissioned for the world's most expensive yacht, the 100ft History Supreme. Hughes claimed on his website that the yacht was bought by a Malaysian businessman for £3 billion. 100,000 kilograms of solid gold and platinum were supposed to be used for this project in addition to railings and anchor made of precious metals.With such a reported price, the story spread like wildfire across national media based on Hughes' statement. Italy-based, Baia Yachts however later came forward with a statement saying that the story was fake and that Hughes had taken pictures from their website, which he then tried to pass off as his own concept.#3 A Broker Pretended He Sold A 222-meter yachtIn October 2014, the yachting community was baffled to read in mainstream media about 222m Triple Deuce, a project supposedly sold by 4Yacht. Not only was the length of the superyacht baffling but the wording of the press release was also off-putting. The project, for which the designers were never announced, was supposed to have an "agressive" delivery schedule and to supposedly be handed over to the client in 2018.With us now in 2019, it is clear no signs of such a project were never real, as Yacht Harbour first reported in 2016. CNN and many other mainstream media were, however, quick to publish that the world's largest yacht was now Triple Deuce.#4 An owner's captain asked for a €3 million commission to help broker a dealIn early 2004, the late Boris Berezovsky set out to build a 110-meter yacht at Lurssen to be called Darius, at a price of €148,540,000 plus interior fitting costs. As the economic crisis hit, he was unable to pay the seventh tranche in May 2008 and decided to put the yacht up for sale for €300 million as it was a few months away from delivery.Eventually, the listing agent, through a second broker found a pathway to a serious potential client via his captain. To bring the deal forward to his employer, the captain asked for a €3 million commission as was later shown in court fillings. Eventually a deal closed directly between the buyer and the seller for €240 million.#5 The world's largest yacht will be used to carry scientistsBrain child of Norwegian Billionaire Kjell Inge Rokke, the 182.9-meter REV will become the world's largest superyacht. Instead of being simply a luxurious vessel, however, its owner intends to let WWF operate it as a base for scientists to help research and protect the oceans. "The REV will be a platform for gathering knowledge." Rokke explained."There may not be any economic rationale for the private construction of such a ship, but the case is compelling from the ocean's point of view." Rokke detailed.When not used for research, REV will also engage in traditional charter activity for ultra high net worth individuals on a weekly basis, with the ability to carry up to 36 guests and a crew of 54 under that configuration.#6 All of the top yacht shows are owned by the same conglomerateInitially founded in the 1990s by Maurice Cohen, the Monaco Yacht Show used to be a much smaller event than it is today. In 1994, the rights to it were acquired by show management company IRR, which organised at the time the much larger Superyacht de Nice show. Ultimately, IRR itself was acquired by Informa, along with the MYS.With a market cap of near $5 billion, Informa now often highlights the Monaco Yacht Show as one of its most well known events. In 2017, it tightened its grasp on the yacht show market by acquiring the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show, the Palm Beach Boat Show and 3 others in the US for $133 million. Now all major yachting shows are owned by Informa.#7 A Broker Pretended to have sold a 405ft yacht on Ebay4Yacht, the same brokerage company that claimed years later it had sold a 222-meter yacht, draws its publicity stunt roots much deeper. In 2005, as research by Yacht Harbour, found the company had already announced it had listed a 405ft yacht on Ebay, a novel approach at the time.A year later, however, the broker claimed the yacht was sold on eBay via the "Buy Now" button with the buyer paying a 50% deposit for $85 million, yielding a total sales price of $170 million. When Forbes looked into whether the sale was real, no information was found. More than a decade later, this yacht still doesn't exist.

Y.CO has announced the sale of the 77,4-meter expedition superyacht Legend. She was built in 1974 and called Giant I like an ice-breaking tug and firstly was used to clear passages for nuclear submarines into and out of Russia’s ports. She was built by IHC Verschure in Holland and extensively rebuilt in 2016 at Icon Yachts into a luxury expedition superyacht. In 2017, she was first listed asking €46.5 million.Since her re-launch, Legend has cruised from Antarctica to Greenland and beyond. After the completion of the technical and system upgrades, extensive modifications to her exterior were made. Her stern was extended by 3.6 meters and it was equipped with a swim platform. The project became the second led by her former owner, Jan Verkerk, following Sherakhan.She has a helicopter pad, on the forward deck there is the garage for a submarine and 4 tenders and many toys you can imagine from paddle boards to jet-skis to snow scooters and ice-diving equipment. So many features as a gym, a Balinese spa with sauna and massage room, Jacuzzi and beauty salon are available for guests. Also, a cinema room and entertainment system, a medical suite, and a swimming pool provide you with all the needed facilities. Legend can accommodate up to 26 guests in 13 luxurious guest cabins, consisting of a grand master suite, two VIP suites, five double cabins and five twin cabins. Also, she is capable of carrying up to 19 crew on board, plus an extra 10 expedition crew to include doctor, ice-pilot, expedition leaders and naturalists. All these features help to ensure the most relaxed luxury yacht experience combined with the unforgettable discovery adventure which is available for charter.

“With the proven engineering of the Johnson 80 in place, we can work with the owners to create a yacht with the flexibility to accommodate their needs, whether they wish to entertain friends on board one day or depart for a month-long cruise the next,” said Andy Huang, president of Johnson Yachts. The Johnson 80 has just launched and it is making quite a splash in Taiwan. Johnson Yachts describes the new 24-meter hull as an entry-level superyacht, mainly because the Taiwan yard offers this model with the same high level of interior customization that has helped make the Johnson Yachts name over the last 30 years. Bill Dixon at Dixon Yacht Design designed her exterior, keeping her lines consistent with other Johnson builds. The 180-degree vertical windows on the front of the superstructure offer a panoramic view from the main-deck interior. With the usual Johnson extra living and storage space, she provides everything that is necessary for comfortable cruising on different ways such a weekend or long-distance trip. The Johnson 80 has a 6.30-meter beam that carries well forward, helping to create the interior volume. While Johnson Yachts has designs in place for multiple layouts, the owner of each hull is encouraged, to create their own one-of-a-kind yacht.Comfortable interior spaces created by Karen Lynn Interior Design let the owner welcome family and friends relax in large groups or more private parties. The Johnson 80 has a space in the main-deck saloon, a living area located aft with a roomy L-shaped sofa and a pair of armchairs. The aft opens wide with a sliding door, combine interior and aft deck spaces. The main deck is also a kitchen, where an open galley is set off with marble countertops with an island and breakfast bar. A table made from marble is surrounded by an expansive L-shaped dinette to take of the 180-degree views through the forward windows.She can accommodate up to eight guests in four staterooms. The full-beam master's cabin features an en-suite closet, and the forward VIP stateroom will include an island berth and dressing table. A pair of inside double guest staterooms round out the accommodations, and can each a double berth or a pair of twins, with the option of a Pullman berth to increase the compliment.Johnson Yachts has always paid close attention to engineering, as well as handling and cruising performance. The new Johnson 80 has completed a sea trial and the yacht had a cruising speed of 19 knots and a top speed of 27 knots. Power comes from a pair of MAN 1550 HP engines.The main idea of Johnson 80 is the customization – the key to the owner - with his choice of layout, finishes, style of the interior. Johnson 80 SpecificationsLength: 24.1mBeam: 6.30m Draft: 1.85mDisplacement of 65 tonsOne of the latest projects of Johnson Yachts was 34,14-meter yacht 'Mitan'@Photo by Johnson Yachts