The first superyacht ever built by Italian shipyard Fincantieri, the 134-meter Serene was delivered in 2011 to Russian billionaire, Yuri Scheffler. As was later revealed, the oligarch sold his superyacht in July 2015 to Saudi Arabia's deputy crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman for $458 million.
Featuring a salt-water swimming pool, a supersized hot tub, a sauna in front of the sea and a fully-operational helipad, Serene became known in yachting as one of the most inspiring superyachts ever completed.
At the time of her delivery, Serene was the 9th largest yacht in the world, barely topping the Emir of Qatar's 133-meter Al Mirqab and outdone by David Geffen's 138-meter Lurssen, Rising Sun. For the state-controlled Italian shipyard, Fincantieri, Serene was, however, the first yacht the company ever built, having primarily focused on commercial ships before.
Currently the 15th largest yacht, Serene turns heads anywhere she goes, not only due to her giant-like size, but also her exterior lines drawn by Espen Oeino and series of innovations in the interior.
Following the sale, her former owner, Scheffler claimed that Fincantieri's second yacht, the 140-meter Ocean Victory built for Russian billionaire, Viktor Rashnikov, had infringed on his intellectual property by building the superyacht on the same platform as Serene. As a result, Scheffler filled a suit against Fincantieri claiming €20,9 million from the shipyard in damages.
Whereas it is unknown how much exactly Scheffler spent building the 134-meter Serene at Fincantieri, it is widely believed in the superyacht sector that the vessel was sold at a profit by Scheffler to the Saudi Arabian deputy crown prince. As revealed by media as part of the Paradise papers, Serene was sold for €420 million.
At the time of the sale, some publications had reported that the sale was closed within several hours with the buyer having asked Scheffler to vacate the yacht within hours of the purchase. The new documentation that emerged through the Paradise papers leaks, however, tells a different story as the sale took at least 10 days to close. Before it could change hands, Serene had to cruise into international waters.
Stretching over a beam of 18.5 meters, Serene is 6 decks tall and boasts a myriad of amenities that few five-star hotels have. One of her most noticeable features from the outside is her supersized bathtub located aft of the sundeck.
One of the seven pools onboard Serene, the Jacuzzi on the top deck is surrounded by lounging pad for sunbathing. Forward of the hot tub is a fully-stocked, wet bar underneath the yacht's observational deck that features an additional set of sun loungers.
Up on the sundeck is yet another spa pool surrounded by lounging pads, located forward of the deck. This particular pool features bar stools and is connected to a fully stocked bar surrounded by two additional hot tubs. A table for casual dining can also be found in the shaded area of the sundeck.
Serene's interior was designed by British design studio Reymond Langton, incorporating a sophisticated mix of cream and dark colors with wooden fixtures. Offering views from any imaginable vantage point, Serene's sky lounge is equipped with a myriad of sofas, chairs and coffee tables for cocktails and tea.
A more formal location designed for the entertainment of larger groups, the main lounge features white colors with dark tones. At the center of the room is a piano with cocktail tables spread out across the room. Interestingly, this lounge sits just over the main dining room with its chandelier hanging through the two spaces and letting the music spread.
The formal dining area features two tables, capable of each accommodating up to 12 guests, bringing the total to 24 guests. Its layout, however, allows for the possibility to extend the table in order to hold larger banquets. On both sides of the room are floor-to-ceiling windows. In terms of food, Serene features a fire pizza oven as well as a teppanyaki grill.
Each space on Serene features a different set of colors, all coordinated across one central theme that spreads around the yacht with circles both on the floor and on the ceiling to create a sense of symmetry. Some of Serene's unique features include an indoor climbing wall as well as an underwater observation lounge.
The 134-meter yacht can carry a total of 24 guests across 12 staterooms divided into one master suite with essentially an owner's deck, a VIP cabin, three twin cabins and seven double staterooms. Serene carries a crew of over 40 people onboard.
Prior to the yacht being sold to the Saudi Arabian crown prince, Serene was made available for charter to select guests by Scheffler. These have included Microsoft founder, Bill Gates, who reportedly chartered Serene at a price tag of $5 million per week during the summer of 2014.
In addition to her vast interior spaces, Serene's exterior lounging spots have been optimized to best utilize the space onboard the 134-meter superyacht. Forward on the bow, for example, forward of the commercial-grade helipad can be found a lounging spot on the bow of the yacht. Although a long walk from the aft deck, these spaces are often used for maximum privacy when moored in a harbor.
Perhaps the most unique space onboard Serene is her swimming pool located aft of the main deck under a retractable glass roof. Up on the main deck, this opening can be closed with glass panels and is surrounded by lounging areas.
One of the most advanced swimming pools ever built on board a superyacht, it is the key element of the beach club that stretches for a large portion of the yacht's lower deck. Within the pool area are two additional Jacuzzis for the yacht's guests to relax in. On both sides of the yacht are lounging areas with access to the sea through foldable platforms.
Serene's beach club facilities, however, do not stop just with its pool. The superyacht features a full-sized spa with a sauna room with glass doors looking out onto the sea through a foldable platform. Next to the sauna are a hammam as well as a snow room.
Lighting systems were installed throughout Serene's exterior to ensure that the yacht could boast a sleek look at night as well as during the day. During the summer, the yacht could previously often have been seen lighting up Monaco and the Côte d'Azur.
Photo by Julien Hubert
Following her sale to the deputy crown prince of Saudi Arabia, the yacht started spending time in the Persian Gulf. During the summer of this year, Serene ran aground on a reef near Tiran Island in the Red Sea. Some damage is believed to have been sustained to her bow at the time, although the superyacht has been repaired since. Several days ago, she cruised to a shipyard in the Netherlands for maintenance work.
Currently valued at $1,6 billion by Forbes, Yuri Sheffler made his fortune in the alcohol business. Venturing into business in 1993, Sheffler made a series of moves that got him the rights to brands of vodka such as Stolichnaya, which was previously owned by a state-owned corporation. This has put him at the center of long litigations with the Russian government over the ownership of the brand.
Having left Russia for Switzerland and the United Kingdom during the early 2000s, Sheffler is currently the main shareholder in SPI Group, a conglomerate that sells alcohol under 380 brands in 160 countries. Earlier this year he acquired an estate in Scotland at an asking price of £25 million.
In 2014, Fincantieri launched its second megayacht, the 140-meter Ocean Victory which was commissioned by another Russian oligarch, Viktor Rashnikov, whose net worth is estimated at $4.8 billion. Prior to its launch in December 2014 however, Fincantieri was ordered to pay €20.9 million to Serena Equity Limited (the company controlled by Shefler that owned Serene) by London courts.
Shefler's main claim was that Fincantieri had used Serene, on which the billionaire says he holds intellectual property, to develop Ocean Victory which he says is a near sistership. In fact, both superyachts boast an exterior design by Espen Oeino and seem to have similar technical characteristics.
As such, English courts have granted Shefler €13,2 million for the violation of his intellectual property and €7.7 million for late deliveries, which were to be paid by Fincantieri where the Italian government holds a 70% controlling stake. Fincantieri, however, filed a motion in Trieste's Court of Appeals in 2015 to dismiss the fact that London's ruling applied.
Mohammad bin Salman, born in 1985, is the deputy crown prince of Saudi Arabia and currently sits as the youngest defense minister in the world and the first deputy Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia.
Julien Hubert
From a technical standpoint, Serene can reach a top speed of 25 knots and cruise at 15 knots. Reportedly, her interior volume comes in at 8,231GT, ie, half of Dilbar, the world's largest yacht by gross tonnage.
Part of the Ferretti Group, Italian sports yachts builder Pershing has announced the launch of its new TØ Project range of high-performance vessels.Along with the builder’s famous X range, the TØ project range and is aimed at the 25- to 40-metre market segment. The TØ project will be emerge from the collaboration between the Ferretti Group's Product Strategy Committee led by engineer Piero Ferrari, the group’s Engineering Department, and yacht designer Fulvio De Simoni. Noteworthy, the latter has been working with Pershing since the very first model.Pershing has been designing, producing and selling open, coupé and sport-fly luxury motor yachts for over 30 years. The yard promises to highlight the new range with very distinctive design, liveability and comfort of both indoor and outdoor spaces, navigation comfort, advanced technologies and high level of performance.The first yacht from the new TØ range will be officially presented at the Boot Düsseldorf 2020 show.
November 21, 2019
Dutch shipyard Icon Yachts has shared timelapse video of the 68.2-metre explorer superyacht Project Ragnar nearing completion in Harlingen. The vessel that had been initially built as an icebreaker called Sanaborg, entered Icon' shed in July 2017 for an extreme make-over.Built in 2012 with a steel hull, Sanaborgis is undergoing dramatic refit with interior and exterior styling by British design studio RWD. Final outfitting works are now underway on the vessel, with her delivery to take place later this year.The vessel’s owner is excited about her new style that was inspired by medieval war craftsmanship, combined with modern sleek lines and British heritage. She will be one of the few explorer superyachts with a certified ICE Class A1 super hull. Project Ragnar is LY3 classed with arctic explorer capabilities, full ice breaking functionality with its unique ICE class PC5 rated electric driven ice pods, giving the vessel its range of 6,000 nautical miles meaning she can go to the most remote areas of the planet.The yacht will offer accommodation for up to 16 guests across 8 cabins, including two owner’s suites. During the conversion, several tanks need to be removed and converted into superyacht spa area complete with massage room and snow room. Project Ragnar also has a ski storage for ski gear, a boot room, 1 swimming pool and a Jacuzzi. What is more, the 68-metre conversion project is set to be one of the best-equipped explorer superyachts on the water. At her aft toy storage areas, Ragnar will have options for a Luxury Ripsaw EV2, Eurocopter EC145 helicopter, two 8-metre tenders, a sea explorer submarine, two laser sailing boats on board and much more.Icon Yachts is particularly famous in the yachting world for their refit and conversion projects. Recently, the yard has converted a martime school vessel into a superyacht and relaunched the 1914 vintage yacht Tirrenia II and 60-metre CRN Ramble on Rose after refits.Photos via Icon Yachts
November 21, 2019
IYC brokerage has announced the sale of the 47.5-metre Bilgin superyacht Lilium. The vessel’s premiere took place during Cannes Yachting Festival and Monaco Yacht Show 2019. The vessel asking €24,500,000 at the time of her sale, is now renamed Snow 5.Snow 5 was launched in Turkey earlier this year as the second yacht in Bilgin's 47.5-metre series, after her sistership Starburst III (ex. Nerissa). Built of steel and aluminium, Snow 5 is a four-deck full displacement yacht of 494 GT. She features exterior design by Unique Yacht Design and interiors by H2 Yacht Design.Snow 5 was initially named after the beautiful white flower since her interior has light colours. Besides bright colours in the living areas, the yacht’s main difference from her sistership Nerissa is certainly her galley. The layout changed in order to make it easy for the crew to move around without coming across with the guests. There is a pantry located between the galley and the living room. The vessel offers accommodation for 10 guests across a master suite and four spacious guest cabins. The master suite comes with in-house designed headboard, a skylight elevated above the bed and a balcony overlooking the water. Marble-decorated bathrooms of each cabin meanwhile add luxury feeling to the area.Two key guest spaces are the main saloon and the sky lounge surrounding a stunning art-like staircase. The latter reflects light from the sundeck Jacuzzi connecting all decks of the yacht. The sundeck also embraces a seating area with a large fold down television, a bar, sun loungers and a cabana. There are also a formal dining for twelve, skylounge with a large al fresco dining table and sheltered outdoor movie area to be found on-board.Conceived as a world traveller, Snow 5 boasts a maximum speed of 16 knots with a range of approx. 5000 nautical miles on cruising mode, thanks to twin MTU 12V 2000 diesel engines. Meanwhile, Bilgin Yachts is currently constructing three units of the 80-metre Bilgin 263 series. The first hull of Bilgin 263 is expected for launch later this year, with to others to make their debuts in 2020 and 2022.
November 21, 2019
Italian builder Overmarine Group has announced the sale of the fifth hull in the Mangusta 110 series. The previous one had been sold to a European client back in 2017 and successfully launched in the beginning of 2019.Mangusta’s Commercial Director Francesco Frediani stated:This sale is the result of great teamwork. The Owner is an American who already knew our brand but fell in love with it while spending his summer holidays in the Mediterranean Sea. Mangusta’s network closely cooperated and played a vital role in this important achievement.Mangusta 110 boasts an extensive flybridge that is able to house a second helm station. The main deck has a forward lounging area and a vast space aft with a spa tub, which may be converted into a sun pad. The semi-customizable interior layout offers accommodation for up to nine guests across four staterooms.The vessel is powered by MTU 16V 2000 M96L engines, which push her to a maximum speed of over 33 knots. Her limited draught of 1.70 meters meanwhile makes her very suitable for the havens of Florida and the Bahamas, where cruising in shallow waters is essential. The vessel comes with water-jet propulsion, enabling her to glide elegantly and noiselessly on the water. Furthermore, there is a gyroscopic stabilisation system on-board, ensuring comfort both at anchor and when cruising, as well as at lower speeds. Easy to manoeuvre by joystick, the yacht is fitted with the dynamic positioning function, to maintain a set position by interfacing with the GPS system and the anemometers installed on-board. The second control station lays on the sundeck.The fifth unit of the series will feature a typically American layout. The Shipyard’s Interiors Department is already working with the owner to select furniture and décor. The completion and delivery are expected in 2020.
November 20, 2019
When one intends to buy a yacht, sooner or later they will come across yacht brokers. A bad broker would opt for selling their yachts by all means, while a good one could even dissuade a customer from buying a vessel instead. Yachts’ maintenance costs sometimes are so high, that it might be easier to confine to chartering. Still, in any case, it is important to first try several different yachts on charter before buying your own.The largest international brokers such as Burgess, Fraser, Moran Yachts & Ship, Edmiston and several others act as central agents of the «best» yachts: they manage them, select the crew and sometimes oversee the construction. However, one can book a yacht even through a small company, if it has the appropriate certification. Below, you will find 9 significant steps to consider prior to buying a yacht.#1. Define the goalFirst of all, one has to define answers on such questions, as: why they need a yacht, where they are going to use it, whom they are planning to invite on-board, whether there will be children among the guests and many other issues. That is where the information about a customer, his or her tastes and lifestyle matters. A good broker would have a detailed conversation with a potential buyer, even asking some rather personal questions. Ideally, they should spend with a customer several days to understand how they dress, what kind of car they have, where they prefer to have dinner, how social they are etc. Those things are crucial as a yacht represents a continuation of her owner’s personality. Like your own home, it may or may not be suitable for parties, sports, the presence of children, it may be chamber or large-scale, high-speed or slow-moving, with or without a helipad. Dozens, if not hundreds of details, will affect the final choice, and the cost here is by no means the main criterion. After all, you can find a yacht at a comfortable price, but she may not suit you at all.#2. Set the styleFirst, it is important to understand whether you need a sailing or motor yacht, since these are two fundamentally different styles of yachting. Usually, those who prefer to be closer to the water, lead an active lifestyle on the yacht, delve into the nuances of management, seek to obtain a captain's license and are interested in sails. Those people in the first place can be called yachtsmen. On the contrary, motor yachts, even the fastest ones, are floating boutique hotels, where the owners will be served at the highest level. As to sports racing yachts, they are not generally suitable for recreation.It should be noted that in the sailing segment, not all yachts are the same. For example, superyachts above 40 metres, produced by such builders as Perini Navi, are not inferior to motor yachts either in design and comfort, or in high-technology equipment. They might even outperform motor yachts of the same size in price. #3. Consider your lifestyleHow and with whom do you want to spend time on a yacht? For parties, one would need large open spaces, and it would be nice to have a Jacuzzi or a pool with a backlight. Naturally, a yacht must come with built-in audio and video systems and wireless Internet. For gambling, you would need a special zone. If you like cooking, a yacht should have a specially equipped separate kitchen. If you plan to invite parents to the yacht, you need to make sure that there is a VIP suite on-board. If the yacht has three or more decks, older people will need an elevator. If you have children, the system of fences is crucial so that they do not fall overboard or on the lower deck, plus a cabin for the governess should be provided, etc.#4. Think over your activityThere can be many different nuances, but there is something that almost everyone pays attention to: a garage with tenders and water toys on a yacht. You would need a tender in any case. Furthermore, it is good to have the yacht equipped with everything for diving, snorkelling, water skiing, "sea-beans", jet skis and other toys. Many yachts also come fitted with a fitness deck, which usually comprises a gym, massage room, hairdresser, sauna and hammam.#5. Choose the right crewNaturally, owners of yachts assemble the crew according to their own requirements, and the crew is not less important than the yacht itself. Not only should they be sociable people with an understanding of the service, but they should also meet special requirements. For instance, it is important to consider whether a cook is good on a yacht and what exactly he or she can cook. A professional broker would be aware of such things as if there is a massage therapist, yoga and diving instructor on-board and what languages the team speaks. A broker would either know the invited crew members personally, or do a decent research on them in advance. #6. Get directionsIt is important to decide whether you are planning to live on-board during your vacation. For example, if one has a villa in Forte dei Marmi and wants to take a short trip to Corsica for a day, a small 50-60 foot open class yacht or a yacht with a flybridge, with a speed of 30-40 knots. At the same time, if you plan to go on a cruise from Saint-Tropez to Portofino, to Corsica, Sardinia or Sicily and back, then for a two-week trip you would need a comfortable yacht of at least 30–35 metres. If the group is big, the size has to be even larger. The speed of such yachts will make only 11-17 knots. However, low speeds save fuel: megayachts making 30 knots per hour require hundreds of thousands of EUR a year for fuel. In addition, high speeds even on the best yachts might not be comfortable: noise and vibrations increase, and it becomes difficult to talk and walk. If you plan to take the yacht from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean for the winter period, she should boast a transatlantic power reserve, to complete the journey without refuelling. And if you are thinking about traveling around the world, you need not only a large cruising range, but also an Explorer class yacht, which can operate under different weather conditions. To cruise to the Far South or North, you need an Ice-class yacht - although not an icebreaker, she would not be subject to collisions with small ice floes.#7. Choose a hullYacht hulls are mainly built of steel, aluminium and composite. Almost all major European yachts builders rely on steel or aluminium, while in American and Asian yachts (except for the largest yachts) composite is used, since it is a lighter material that is easier to care of; it is not subject to corrosion. However, the composite is not suitable for all operating conditions. Owners of megayachts relate to it without reverence: a 50-metre composite yacht would already be an exceptional case. #8. Estimate expensesA yacht should not be taken as an investment, it is a luxury item and not more than that. Moreover, her cost drops by 10% per year. About the same amount should be saved for yearly operating costs, such as parking and repairing expenses, crew salaries and taxes, not to mention fuelling. Meanwhile, if several years ago green yachting was considered uneconomic since environmental options increase the cost of the yacht, now yachting enthusiasts have concluded that eco-yachts save fuel, and, therefore, are cheaper to operate.Step 9. Set the timelineA fully-custom superyacht of above 35 metres, will take up to four years to be built with such yards as Lürssen, Abeking & Rasmussen, Feadship or Oceanco. A faster option is always a semi-custom-yacht of the same size, where a standard hull is used, and the interior is created on-spec for the owner’s needs. Such yachts take about 2.5 years to build and they are 30% cheaper. In that niche, the most famous shipyards are Dutch Amels and Heesen. Serial yachts of up to 100 feet in size would confine your choice to one of 3-5 typical interior options. However, there are many good yachts on the market that the owners sell after 2–4 years of operation, simply because they want a new one Such vessels with clear and proven seaworthy properties can be acquired immediately.The difference in the price of yachts even for one niche is so great that it makes no sense to focus on it. Everything depends on the interior materials, technical options, the name of the designer, and the class of the shipyard. For example, the cost of a Feadship yacht might be twice as large as a Turkish yacht of the same size. Nevertheless, Feadship will far less fall in price over the years.
November 20, 2019