In June 2015 it was announced that yet another superyacht with a name inspired by a James Bond movie would be built, the 66-meter Spectre. The order for the vessel was placed by American businessman, John Staluppi as the owner's 7th yacht.
Moving up from an 18-meter Viking boat, Staluppi commissioned the 36-meter For Your Eyes Only from Denison as his first yacht. The semi-displacement yacht was eventually launched in 1985 and became the first motor yacht to have a combination of MTU engines with water-jets in the US, which allowed it to reach a top speed of 30 knots.
In the late eighties, For Your Eyes Only hit a sandbar which led to her taking in water from a crack in the engine room. The yacht was eventually salvaged, refitted and renamed with some speculating that the following alleged legal actions, combined with the sinking of two other Denisons within a short amount of time, led to the bankruptcy of the US shipyard.
In 1988, Octopussy was launched as Staluppi's second yacht in a successful attempt to build the fastest yacht in the world. A defining moment for Heesen Yachts, Octopussy had to reach 50 knots in order for Staluppi to take ownership of the boat, which it ultimately did, reaching a top speed of 53 knots. Staluppi eventually sold the 44-meter yacht after having used her for close to a year in and a half, which allowed him to start working on his next project, Moonraker.
By the time Octopussy was sold, HH the Aga Khan, was building a yacht to overtake the crown of the world's fastest yacht. Staluppi therefore set out to build an even faster one and the 36-meter Moonraker was eventually delivered in 1992 by Norship with a design done by Dutch-based Mulder.
In 1998, Staluppi set up his own business in yachting, Millenium Superyachts that was to handle his project in the superyacht industry. In 2004, the newly created label delivered The World Is Not Enough, a 40-meter yacht with 20,600hp that could reach a top speed of 70 knots but couldn't steer past 66 knots according to the owner.
In October 2007, Staluppi acquired a project in-build from Henry Luken, co-owner of Christensen Shipyards. In 2008, the 49.6-meter Casino Royale which can cruise at a more regular speed of 12 knots, was delivered to her new owner. Built out of composite, the full displacement yacht came in at just under 500GT. It was later listed for sale in December 2008 and sold in April 2009 to Californian businessman, David McDonald.
In July 2009, Staluppi acquired Midlandia, a 52-meter Benetti with an asking price of €19,950,000, which he renamed to Quantum of Solace and extensively refitted. In August 2009, he listed the boat for sale again at an asking price of $24,995,000 and eventually sold it, two years later, in July 2011.
In November 2011, Diamonds are Forever was launched for Staluppi who had acquired the yacht whilst in-built, 18 months prior to its delivery. Throughout the construction project, Staluppi made several substantial improvements including the addition of an extra top deck.
Originally intended to be chartered out by its owners, Diamonds are Forever was listed for sale in August 2012, asking $63 million. In October 2012, her asking price was reduced to $59.5 million and she was eventually sold in December 2013.
Commissioned in July 2015, Spectre will become Staluppi's seventh superyacht named after a James Bond film and will also be designed by Mulder.
Basrah Breeze was built in 1981 by Danish shipyard Helsingor Vaerft for then president of Iraq Saddam Hussein and was launched as Qadissiyat Saddam (the name is a reference to a 7th century battle in which Arabs triumphed over Persia). The yacht's current captain - Hussein Ghazi Khalifa said the cost of yacht at that time was $25 million, but now it would cost approximately $100 million to build such a superyacht.Saddam Hussein’s 82-metre superyacht Basrah Breeze was recently used by Iraqi marine researchers from the University of Basrah’s Marine Science Center to explore the changing Persian Gulf. The Basrah Breeze came to Basra in 2010 with the government ownership, but she was rarely used since then. In the year 2014 professors at the university asked the government to allow them to use the yacht as part of their research fleet.The Basrah Breeze was fitted with marble-tiled bathrooms, numerous guest cabins and a large presidential suite. The superyacht’s indulgent interior then has been modified to accommodate Iraqi scientists but much of the original decor still remains. Saddam Hussein was never able to enjoy the yacht because of the war with Iran and she was left moored in Oman for many years. In the middle 1980's Hussein gave her as a gift to King Fahd bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia. The yacht then changed hands several more times before ending up under the ownership of a Cayman Islands company. Following the execution of Saddam Hussein the Cayman Islands company tried to sell the yacht in 2007, but documents were discovered that legally confirmed it to still be an Iraqi vessel. Following a difficult legal battle the Iraqi government was able to claim ownership.The king size bed in Saddam Hussein's superyacht is made, the silk curtains around it have been drawn back and, in the gold-rimmed bathroom next door, a barber's chair awaits its occupant. But then Iraqi president never boarded the 82-metre "Basrah Breeze" built for him and now its amenities will be enjoyed by the pilots who guide shipping in and out of the port of Basra, the main southern city.Equipped with a presidential suite comprising Saddam's private quarters, dining rooms and bedrooms, as well as 17 smaller guest rooms, 18 cabins for crew and a clinic, the opulently equipped and decorated vessel was put on the market for $30 million. The government failed to find a buyer, and for the past two years the Basrah Breeze has served Basra University, hosting researchers on trips to study marine life. "The presidential yacht is in a very good condition. Its two engines and generators are functioning," said Abdul-Zahra Abdul-Mahdi Saleh, its captain. "It only needs periodic maintenance."But authorities have now decided to moor it permanently as a hotel and recreation facility for the southern port's pilots, many of whom live in distant cities. "The port needs the boat to be a station where sea pilots can rest," said Basra port spokesman Anmar al-Safi.While the Basrah Breeze survived the turmoil of Saddam's decline and demise, its sister ship "al-Mansur" - which he also never boarded - suffered a different fate, sinking in the Shatt al-Arab waterway that passes through Basra after it was hit by U.S. planes and then stripped bare in the chaotic aftermath of his overthrow. As regards Basrah Breeze, Basra museum has not given up hope of persuading the port to allow it to dock the vessel next to its exhibition halls in one of Saddam's former palaces overlooking the Shatt al-Arab.
May 23, 2018
CdM is proud to announce the successful launching of the Acciaio 105 - christened M/Y Gatto - on the17th of May 2018. Her delivery is planned for later in the summer. Responsible for the exterior design as well as naval architecture is Hydro Tec who has given M/Y Gatto a bold yet contemporary exterior accompanied with traditional fresh interior style by Francesco Guida Design.With this model CdM proves, once more, its flexibility and knowledge of the market. Acciaio 105 is also a testimony to the excellent cooperation between all parts involved in her construction. Ultimately, CdM's team, excellent craftsmen included, proved the yard's capacity to meet an exacting brief on time.“We literally started from a drawing made on a restaurant’s table,” Vasco Buonpensiere, co-founder and Sales Director at CdM recalls. “M/Y Gatto is the result of a great teamwork,” he says “and the project kept on growing on a steady pace thanks to the commitment and experience of the Owner Representative, Richard Kaye, the fast responses given by Hydro Tec in terms of design, and the usual intense work of the whole CdM team. The result is simply unique: there is nothing similar on the market, 250 GT, fully custom, so over engineered and built in Acciaio!” [The name Acciaio, Steel in English, has been chosen to emphasize the yacht's robustness and character.] In the words of the Owner Representative, Richard Kaye: “ It has been really refreshing working with a team eager to listen and implement our suggestions every time we asked for it. Thanks to this approach, we succeeded in transferring on M/Y Gatto our previous experiences of many custom yachts built everywhere in the world. The team at CdM is really up to its reputation: skilled, motivated and always aiming to the best for the yacht and her Owner.” Having experienced the behavior of the Darwin 107 Storm into a real storm – wind blowing at 40 knots and more than 3-metre swells – the Owner was attracted by the benefits of a robust and reliable explorer hull, yet asked both yard and designers for softer and more contemporary lines. Thanks to her strong yet gentle lines, Acciaio 105 crosses indeed the ineffable border between sturdiness and robustness.Acciaio 105's design combines beautiful lines with a contemporary flair. Private exterior decks create the perfect retreat for the guests while generous interior spaces host both social and private areas for 10 guests pampered by a crew of 6. “We have been asked to create classic-contemporary interiors with a soft and relaxing feel throughout,” says Italian designer Francesco Guidastrong> who took an architectural approach to interiors. They are the result of a true collaboration among the designer, the Owner and the yard as they negotiated around structural constraints to achieve the best possible result. “We have created a unique look by designing linear furniture enriched with exquisite burnished metal details while combining natural oak with white lacquered surfaces and glossy ebony details, we gave character to the ambiance,” Guida continues. “We did our best to design interiors that are cohesive to the yacht's exterior line.” By boldly mixing dark and bright colours and cleverly contrasting materials, Guida breathed life into M/Y Gatto's interiors.“Acciaio 105 boasts a strong and robust construction, in steel and aluminium,” says Sergio Cutolo, founder and team leader of Hydro Tec. “The vessel features a high performing full displacement hull with bulbous bow, full midship section and smooth, flat aft sections which allow for optimal propeller space and an almost horizontal shaft line. The hull's geometry allows for incredibly low fuel consumption and a remarkable long range.”With a transatlantic range of 4500nm at the economic speed of 10 knots, top speed is 13 knots, which is particularly outstanding given that it is achieved with just two Caterpillar engines 500 kW each – relatively small engines for a yacht of her size and displacement.Thanks to her well-engineered steel hull with bulbous bow, Acciaio 105 will ensure a smooth path through water, and will be the perfect home away from home in all sea conditions. Acciaio 105's Owner, who is extremely pleased with the outcome, is looking forward to enjoying his yacht on her maiden voyage.
May 23, 2018
CRN wins the prestigious World Superyacht Awards 2018 with 60-metre motor yacht Constance, receiving the Voyager’s Award for the most spectacular cruising itinerary created in 2017. Organized by the editorial group Boat International Media in the elegant Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, the event celebrates the excellence of the nautical world, involving owners and personalities of international yachting. This important acknowledgement once again pays tributes to CRN’s long-standing experience in the construction of state-of-the-art megayachts, characterized by innovative design and engineering solutions that make cruising a truly unforgettable and unparalleled experience. In early 2017, Constance’s owner and his family cruised over 20,000 miles during a long and exciting cruise in the Caribbean Sea and the South Pacific. After sailing off Florida, Constance reached the Bahamas and Cuba, then continued towards the Cayman Islands, crossed the Panama Canal and finally reached Costa Rica. After cruising the pristine natural paradises of the Coco Islands and the Galapagos, the yacht headed towards French Polynesia, Cook Island and Tonga, Fiji, and then started its way back to Florida. Born from the successful collaboration between CRN and design firm Zuccon International Project, 60-metre yacht Constance is a megayacht designed and conceived to maximize the pleasure of sailing and the constant contact with the sea, even during long-range cruising. Constance has proven to be capable of outstanding cruising performance, boasting a range exceeding 10,000 miles at 11 knots, which allows it to easily cross the ocean and return.
May 22, 2018
The new Custom Line yacht, already a multiple-award winner, has triumphed in the “Best Three-Deck Semi-Displacement Yacht” category at the prestigious World Superyacht Awards 2018. The list of awards won by Custom Line Navetta 33 is now as infinitely long as the yacht is beautiful.After receiving the accolade as “Best Interior Design: Motor Yachts below 399GT” at the Boat International Design & Innovation Awards in January, it has now won a new international award as “Best Three-Deck Semi-Displacement Yacht”.This is a cause of great satisfaction, because the World Superyacht Awards are some of the most highly coveted in the international yacht world, celebrating a creative and innovative approach to both technology and design. The prestigious award, assigned by a panel of experts made up mostly of owners of important yachts and leading yacht world personalities, confirms that Custom Line Navetta 33 is a product of unparalleled excellence.The award ceremony, held last May 19 against the fabulous backdrop of the fifteenth century Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, assigned the prize to “Telli”, voted winner not only for its superstar appeal, but also for its peerless harmony of styles, shapes and sources of inspiration. A joint effort by the Product Strategy Committee led by Group Engineering Director Piero Ferrari, whose naval architects and designers created the interiors, and Studio Zuccon International Project, which designed the exteriors, this consummate work of yacht building artistry introduces some important technical novelties that join the innovative features already appreciated on previous Custom Line models.“I have to confess that despite being an owner for many years, I fell in love with Navetta 33 at first sight. It’s by far the most chic yacht I’ve ever sailed on, as well as the most enjoyable. It is therefore with great pleasure that I pay tribute not only to the yacht’s remarkable commercial success, with no less than nine units sold in only ten months since the launch, but also the huge appreciation shown by the most highly-regarded and best-qualified judging panels in the business. This success springs from the excellence brought to bear across the board, from the design team to the shipyard, which worked without respite to build this masterpiece.” said Ferretti Group CEO Alberto Galassi. “To paraphrase Agatha Christie, one award is an award, two awards are a coincidence, but three awards are proof, they are history. The secret of Navetta 33 is as simple as it is inscrutable: this is a boat that doesn’t flaunt its luxury, but chooses instead to express true refinement.”
May 22, 2018
The American actor and film producer Pierce Brosnan, 65 and his wife Keely Shaye Smith, 54 were spotted on the superyacht Carla D'or during the Cannes Film Festival. Carla D'or is a 20-metre motor yacht, built by Princess Yachts in 2003. The yacht was sold in 2016 for €305,000. Yacht charter price for Carla D'or is approximately €3,000/day.The German model, television personality Heidi Klum, 44 and Tokio Hotel guitarist and her new boyfriend Tom Kaulitz, 28 were spotted on the 21-metre yacht Black Star, which is from Prestige Yachts 680S series. While sailing in Cannes, they even got their pizza delivered on the Italian-built Lomac tender straight to the yacht. Charter price of Black Star yacht is starting from €4,500/day.
May 21, 2018