Followingthe Palma International Boat Showin Palma de Mallorca, Spain;the Mediterranean Yacht Show (MEDYS)in Nafplio, Greece;the Cannes Yachting Festivalin France;the Monaco Yacht Showin the Principality of Monaco; andthe Genoa International Boat Showin Italy, the luxury yachting events here in the Mediterranean have come to a close. The market is constantly evolving, and gigayachts deserve a chapter of their own: according to the biennial report by Boote Exclusiv,23 new yachts have appeared on the list of the 200 longest megayachts on the planet over the past two years, all ranging in length from 78 to 134 meters.
Let’s talk about gigayachts purely out of technical curiosity, because to own those vessels, it’s not enough to be a millionaire—you have to be a multibillionaire! For example, the world’s largest yacht is stillthe Azzam, 180 meterslong, which was delivered in 2013 to the royal family of Abu Dhabi. It’s as big as two soccer fields placed end to end and can reach speeds of 30 knots thanks to a 70,000-kilowatt hybrid diesel-turbine propulsion system that powers four water jets. It can accommodate up to 36 guests, who are pampered by a crew of seventy.
But here’s the best part: the world’s second-largest gigayacht isthe Fulk al Salamah, a magnificent 164-meter vessel that was built in the utmost secrecy bythe Mariotti shipyard in Genoaand delivered in 2016 to the Sultanate of Oman. More than its length, it impresses with its monumental displacement: over 20,000 metric tons spread across eight decks. A yacht that serves as a support vessel for the royal family’s travels. It was this gigayacht that caught my eye when I was in Oman at the end of the year: I had dinner on the balcony of a restaurant in the port of Mutrah called Bait al Louban—I highly recommend it; it’s on the top floor of a building right above the Mutrah fish market. And moored at the dock across from it was that marvel, with a distinctly Italian flair in its lines and colors.
The third-largest private pleasure yacht in the world is stillthe Eclipse(163 meters), linked to oligarchAbramovich, followed by the Dubai (162 meters). It is one of the Gulf’s flagship vessels, built to host ceremonies and diplomatic summits. In fifth place isthe Blue(160.6 meters), delivered in 2022; it is one of the most recent additions to the top ranks.
Sixth on the list is theDilbar(156 meters, 2016): designed by Espen Øino for the exterior and Andrew Winch for the interior, it is famous for its tonnage (nearly 16,000 metric tons) and its gigantic indoor pool. Linked to oligarch Alisher Usmanov, it has been at the center of legal disputes and seizures in connection with European sanctions.
Seventh place by size goes toAl Said(155 meters), another yacht built for the Omani royal family (delivered in 2008) designed for long voyages with a large number of guests and crew.
Eighth place goes toA+(formerly Topaz, 147 meters, 2012), which spans eight decks and features two helicopter pads.
Ninth place goes toPrince Abdulaziz (147 meters, 1984), a maritime icon that was the world’s largest yacht for years and continues to stand out for its history and charm, instantly recognizable by its pair of enormous blue funnels.
Tenth place goes toOpera(146.3 meters, 2023), featuring a modern layout and spaces designed to accommodate many guests.
Other Notable Megayachts
Just outside the top ten isthe OK ( 146 meters), an imposing vessel built in Japan in 1982 by the Oshima shipyard, followed bythe El Mahrousa ( 145.7 meters), the Egyptian royal yacht launched in 1865: a piece of maritime history still in service today after numerous restorations. On November 17, 1869, El Mahrousa was the first vessel to pass through the Suez Canal during its inauguration, with Empress Eugénie of France on board, who played the piano for the occasion. In thirteenth place isDragonfly(142 meters, 2024), where an entire deck has been converted into an executive office, demonstrating how remote work is gaining traction even on megayachts. And we conclude withScheherazade(142 meters, 2020) andNord(141.6 meters, 2021), two behemoths linked to Russian fortunes that have often found themselves at the center of international headlines.