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Yachting : The 10 Largest Yachts in the World

10. Project Solaris (476 feet) Lloyd Werft

A concept drawing of Lloyd Werft's "Project Solaris" by Guillaume Conti

A concept drawing of Lloyd Werft’s “Project Solaris” by Guillaume Conti.  Guillaume Conti

Little has yet been revealed about 476-foot Project Solaris, scheduled for delivery in 2020. The vast explorer yacht currently in build at German shipyard Lloyd Werft features a displacement steel hull with bulbous bow and steel superstructure with teak decks. Rumored to be owned by Roman Abramovich, Lloyd Werft built the Russian billionaire’s previous explorer yacht Luna, which he reportedly sold for $360 million to his close friend Farkhad Akhmedov in 2014

Solaris 

Value: £430 million

Length: 460ft

Tonnage: 11,000

Top speed: 18 knots (20mph)

Cabins: 48

Decks: 8

Guests: 36

Crew: 60

Engines: Two Azipod electrical propellersThe 10 Largest Yachts in the World

Extras: Helipad, swimming pool, beach club area, jacuzzi and spa .

9. ‘El Mahrousa’ (478 feet, 1 inch), Samuda Brothers

"El Mahrousa" Yacht, Samuda Brothers

Egypt’s royal yacht, “El_Mahrousa.”  Screengrab

El Mahrousa, which means “the protected” in Arabic, is currently Egypt’s presidential yacht, though the 478.1-footer has a separate history as that country’s royal yacht. The London-based Samuda Brothers began the build in 1863, and it was launched in 1865. It was originally built for the Ottoman governor of Egypt, Khedive Ismail, and later carried three Egyptian kings into exile. The yacht was also at the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. The world’s oldest superyacht features external design by the British naval architect Sir Oliver Lang, and has had multiple modifications over the years, including a lengthening by 40 feet in 1872 and another 17 feet in 1905. During the second refit, the owners replaced its paddle-wheel engines with turbine-driven propellers. The yacht, in care of the Egyptian Navy, occasionally goes to sea for a day or two. In 2015, it was used to inaugurate the new Suez Canal

 

000-Al-Mahrousah Royal Egyptian Yacht.jpg

El Mahrousa as Egypt’s royal yacht, c. 1940
History
Egypt
Name: El Mahrousa
Builder: Samuda Brothers, Cubitt Town, London
Laid down: 1863
Launched: 1865
Reclassified: Rebuilt 1951 and became a naval training vessel[citation needed]
Status: Active
General characteristics
Tonnage: 4,561 GT
Displacement: 3,762 tons
Length:
  • 146 m (478 ft)
  • Lengthened in 1872 by 12 m (40 ft)
  • In 1905 lengthened by a further 16 ft 5 in (5.00 m)
Beam: 13 m (43 ft)
Draught: 5.3 m (17 ft 5 in)
Propulsion: Steam turbine, 3 screws, 6,500 hp (4,800 kW)
Speed:
  • 16 knots (30 km/h) maximum
  • 13 knots (24 km/h) cruise
Crew: 160

A telegraph was installed in 1912

El Mahrousa (Arabic: المحروسة‎, literally “The Protected”), officially renamed for a period of time as El Horreya (Arabic: الحرية‎, “Freedom”), is a super yacht[1] that currently serves as Egypt’s presidential yacht, and before that as the country’s royal yacht. It was built by the British ship building firm Samuda Brothers in 1863 at the order of Khedive Ismail Pasha and the ship was handed over to its Egyptian crew two years later. It is the oldest active super yacht in the world and the ninth largest one.

El Mahrousa underwent a number of important alterations during its years of service, including the replacement of its paddle wheel engines by turbine driven propellers in 1905; the installation of a telegraph in 1912 and a diesel-fueled system in 1919; as well as multiple-feet lengthenings throughout that period.

It also witnessed much of Egypt’s modern history since it was first commissioned in the 19th century up till now. The yacht carried three Egyptian rulers to their exile abroad, namely Khedive Ismail, Khedive Abbas II and King Farouk I, along with the latter’s recently born son, Fuad II, the last ruling members of the Muhammad Ali dynasty.

This marked the end of the monarchy in Egypt following the 1952 revolution and the founding of the Republic of Egypt, after which the yacht joined the Egyptian Navy and was renamed El Horreya (English: Liberty).

The ship continued to play a role in the country’s post-revolutionary history and participated in the 1976 United States Bicentennial celebrations. It took Egypt’s president, Gamal Abdel Nasser, to numerous locations and it notably sailed with President Anwar Sadat to Jaffa, Israel, during the 1979 peace talks between Egypt and Israel. It was renamed back to El Mahrousa in 2000 and recently became the first ship to cross the New Suez Canal extension in 2015.

8.Prince Abdulaziz’ (482 feet, 3 inches), Helsingør Værft

IBIZA, BALEARIC ISLANDS, SPAIN - OCTOBER 26, 2016: Prince Abdulaziz, one of the largest motor yachts in the world, moored in harbor on October 26, 2016 in Ibiza, Balearic islands, Spain.; Shutterstock ID 516017752; Notes: top 20 largest yachts in the world

Helsingør Værft’s “Prince Abdulaziz.”  Photo: Shutterstock / Artesia Wells

This custom yacht, launched by Helsingør Værft in Denmark in 1984, was most recently refitted in 2005. The 5,200-tonne Prince Abdulaziz is one of the Saudi Royal family’s yachts, its first owner being King Fahd. Designed by Maierform, the yacht was the longest and tallest in the world at the time of its launch. At 482.3-feet, Prince Abdulaziz held the title for 22 years until Dubai launched in 2006. The late David Nightingale Hicks, known for his use of bright colors, was the interior designer. The lobby is said to be a replica of the Titanic. Last refitted in 2005, it is rumored to be carrying surface-to-air missiles, though that may be an urban legend.

7. ‘A+’ (483 feet, 1 inch), Lürssen

Lürssen Topaz largest yachts in the world

Lürssen’s ‘A+.’  Photo: Klaus Jordan

Very little is known about A+ (formerly Topaz), which was launched by Lürssen in 2012, other than it is the fourth-largest yacht ever built by the German shipyard. Tim Heywood Designs did the exterior, which features helipads on the foredeck and amidships on an upper deck. A lower aft deck includes a swimming pool. The German yard has not released any images of the Terence Disdale interior. Reported to be owned by Manchester City Football Club owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al Nahnan – Emirati royalty and deputy prime minister of the UAE – A+ has a top speed of 22 knots, and can carry 62 guests and up to 79 crew.

6. ‘Al Saïd’ (508 feet, 5 inches), Lürssen

Al Saïd Lürssen

Lürssen’s “Al Saïd.”  Courtesy of Shutterstock

Another 500-plus-foot yacht from Lürssen, the original Project Sunflower gained its official name of Al Saïd following its launch in 2016. Espen Øino’s exterior is akin to a classic cruise liner, complete with the twin exhaust stacks in the center of the superstructure. Owned by the Sultan of Oman, six-decked Al Saïd can carry 154 crew and, according to some sources, 70 guests. Lürssen says Al Saïd has a top speed of 22 knots. The London-based Redman Whiteley Dixon studio designed the interior, which includes a concert hall that can hold a 50-piece orchestra.

5. ‘Dilbar’ (511 feet, 8 inches), Lürssen

Espen Øino Dilbar yacht

Lürssen’s “Dilbar.”  Photo: Josep Baresic

The 2016 launch of Dilbar gave Lürssen the distinction of not only building the longest yacht ever (Azzam), but also the largest in terms of volume. Espen Øino designed the exterior, creating a full-bodied superstructure of long, flowing decks, along with two helicopter pads. Dilbar also has an 82-foot swimming pool that can hold an incredible 6357-cubic-feet of water, and according to Lürssen, is the world’s longest on a yacht. The interior by Winch Design is defined by its “rare and exclusive luxury materials,” says the builder, declining to go into detail. Lürssen added that the world’s largest motor yacht was one of the most complex and challenging yachts ever built, because of its dimensions and technology. Despite Dilbar’s volume, the designers did a masterful job making the yacht look relatively svelte, with no obvious bulges along the length of the light ivory and bronze-accented hull. In June 2020, Dilbar returned to Lürssen for a significant refit, the details of which are yet to be revealed.

4. ‘Dubai’ (531 feet, 5 inches), Platinum Yachts

DUBAI UAE - DEC 16: Dubai - yacht of the Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum the ruler of the Emirate of Dubai. December 16 2014 in Dubai UAE

Sheikh Al Maktoum’s yacht, “Dubai.”  Bigstock

This Andrew Winch design was originally commissioned for Prince Jefri Bolkiah of Brunei as a joint project between Blohm+Voss and Lürssen, before it was halted in 1998 with just a bare hull and skeletal superstructure. The hull was sold to the government of Dubai, and, under the direction of the country’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, work on the 531.5-footer began again, though this time by Platinum Yachts. Dubai delivered in 2006 and is now the sheikh’s royal yacht, with accommodations for 24 guests and quarters for 88 crew. The seven-decked yacht has an impressive 70-foot-wide atrium, landing pad for a Black Hawk helicopter, submarine garage, disco, and cinema. Full certification was obtained from Lloyd’s Register in October 2006, and it can reach a top speed of 26 knots.

3. ‘Eclipse’ (533 feet, 1 inch), Blohm+Voss

Private white luxury Superyacht Eclipse anchored off the beach. Ibiza, Balearic Islands, Spain. Summer, 05.07.2011; Shutterstock ID 1059530906; Notes: top 20 largest yachts in the world

Blohm+Voss’s “Eclipse” anchored off the beach of Ibiza.  Photo: Shutterstock / R_Pilguj

Stately Eclipse, the 533.1-foot yacht delivered to billionaire Roman Abramovich, took five years to design and build. When it left the Blohm+Voss shipyard in Hamburg in 2010, it was the world’s largest yacht. The interior has 17 staterooms and a palatial master suite, with the capacity to carry 85 crew. Both the interior and exterior are designed by Terence Disdale. A proportional profile is defined by tiered decks that sweep upward and bend ever so slightly at the aft ends. Eclipse has a 185-foot-long owner’s deck and, at the time of its launch, the largest swimming pool on any superyacht (the bottom raises and converts to a dance floor). Other features reflecting its stature: the capacity to hold three helicopters, including one in its belowdecks hangar, a sophisticated stabilization system, six tenders, and an enormous spa, gym, and beach club. Hybrid diesel-electric engines are connected to Azipod drives that give Eclipse a top-end speed of 21 knots, with a range of 6,000 nautical miles.

2. ‘Fulk Al Salamah’ (538 feet, 1 inch), Mariotti Yachts

"Fulk Al Salamah," Mariotti Yachts

Mariotti Yachts’ “Fulk Al Salamah.”  Screengrab

Little information has ever been released about the world’s second-longest superyacht, custom-built Fulk Al Salamah, and it has been shrouded in mystery since first announced in 2014. Even the overall length of 538.1 feet has been estimated from AIS data. However, built and delivered by Italian builder Mariotti Yachts in their Genoa shipyard in 2016, the imposing vessel is believed to be owned by the Omani royal family. Exterior design is by Studio de Jorio, and it is considered by some to resemble more of a support vessel than a superyacht. Nonetheless, aerial photography shows an impressively large helideck, raked masts and a bathing platform.

1: ‘Azzam’ (592 feet, 6 inches), Lürssen

Lürssen Azzam

Lürssen’s “Azzam.”  Screengrab

It’s not surprising that the world’s longest yacht hails from a shipyard with 13 out of the 25 top builds in the superyacht arena. Unfortunately, Lürssen could never really boast about Azzam after its launch in 2013 because of the owner’s penchant for privacy.

Mubarak Saad al Ahbabi directed a team of designers and engineers who started with the bare concept, worked through the technical challenges of what might be the most complex superyacht ever, and finished with an unusually large vessel that can top the 30-knot mark.

Nauta Yacht’s exterior features a long, sleek forward area, with well-proportioned tiers moving up to the skydeck. Lürssen describes the interior by Christophe Leoni as “sophisticated, with luxurious decor inspired by the Empire style of the early 19th century.

” Its gas turbines, connected to water jets, push Azzam to more than 30 knots, giving it the ability to operate at high speed in shallow waters. She also boasts an impressive build time for a yacht of her size, with construction taking only three years after one year of engineering. Azzam was last refit in 2020 at MB92 in Barcelona.

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