Gibraltar has welcomed quite a lot of superyachts lately-in the past week we have spotted latest Lurssen delivery Amadea and Feadship Vertigo as one of the guests. Now the Port of Gibraltar has seen the 9th largest yacht in the world, 141m Yas, arriving.






She is based on the hull of a former Dutch navy frigate, the 130m HNLMS Piet Hein, a Kortenaer-class frigate of the Royal Netherlands Navy which was built by the Koninklijke Schelde Groep and launched in 1978. The frigate was sold in 1998 to the United Arab Emirates Navy where she was operated under the name Al Emirat and was decommissioned in 2008.

The megayacht’s refit took place under the banner of Abu Dhabi MAR, ADM Shipyards in Abu Dhabi and naval architect and marine engineer, Johan Valentijn. Mr Valentijn, in cooperation with key subcontractors and Paris based Pierrejean Design Studio restyled the yacht with the latest technology as well as modern interior and exterior design.

With a steel hull and composite/glass superstructure, the megayacht has a one-of-a-kind shape and design. Classified by the DNV (Det Norske Veritas) and MCA, Yas is fitted with under-water sonar systems and ultra-modern navigation system.

The plan was to have the yacht ready in 9 months, but eventually she was launched in 2011.

Photos by @superyachts_gibraltar