Why a superyacht is the only mode of travel for intrepid billionaires
How to scour hidden corners of the globe in the utmost luxury
by HOPE COKE
THURSDAY 10 DECEMBER 2020
OCEANXPLORER
In days gone by, plucky explorers would endure the most testing conditions, from sleeping in freezing tents to living off meagre rations. Now, however, wealthy travellers have taken to enjoying adventures in the most lavish surroundings, thanks to the rise of the highly developed superyacht.
According to the Times, recent years have seen a growing demand for 100-metre plus superyachts equipped to traverse even the most inaccessible parts of the world. A new study by Boat International Media reports that 23 privately commissioned yachts measuring at least 100 metres are currently under construction; a rise from 21 last year and 18 in 2018.
Nick Candy is selling his £54m superyacht while he builds a better one
YACHT
Nick Candy is selling his £54m superyacht while he builds a better one
This year’s study found that the increased demand is due to an interest in ‘explorer yachts’, which are able to operate in harsh conditions such as those of the South Pacific or Arctic Circle. Equipped with cutting edge technology, they allow their billionaire owners to carry out special expeditions and research.
Boat International Media discovered that the largest yacht under construction right now is the REV Ocean, which, upon its completion in 2022, will be just under 183 metres long – making it the biggest private yacht in the world. Commissioned by Norwegian billionaire businessman Kjell Inge Røkke, who made his fortune with his worldwide fisheries company, the yacht is intended for carrying out environmental research missions. Yet with its three swimming pools and a 35-seat auditorium, there’ll be plenty to do when enjoying leisure time too.
The best superyachts to self-isolate aboard right now
![]()
The new edition of Boat International’s ‘global order book’, out this week, reveals that 821 yachts of more 24 metres long are currently being built, compared to 807 in 2019. The largest single yacht delivered this year is thought to be the Nord, which was built by the German shipyard Lürssen. It comes complete with an ice-class hull equipped for Arctic waters, two helipads, a hanger to store helicopters in inhospitable climates, a submarine and a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) for exploring the sea bed; plus luxury amenities like a spa, sauna, gym and 25-metre swimming pool.
![]()
THE NORD
Another yacht currently under construction is the 87-metre OceanXplorer, designed for billionaire American hedge fund manager Ray Dalio and his youngest son, Mark Dalio, a wildlife filmmaker. The scientific research, media production and exploration vessel is being created as part of the father and son’s OceanX not-for-profit initiative. It will feature a giant A-frame crane on its stern to launch submersible pumps, two submarines designed for manned dives of up to 1,000 metres, and an ROV for filming at depths as great as 6,000 metres.
Boat International Editor Stewart Campbell has credited the pandemic with driving the rising interest in such yachts, having ‘clearly accelerated an established trend; the desire to escape crowds and explore the farthest reaches of the earth’. He went on: ‘We hear of owners now wanting to tackle the Northeast Passage across the top of Russia, not just the Northwest Passage, and it is exciting to see designers and builders in our industry responding with some of the most capable superyachts ever conceived’.
The new edition of Boat International’s ‘global order book’, out this week, reveals that 821 yachts of more 24 metres long are currently being built, compared to 807 in 2019. The largest single yacht delivered this year is thought to be the Nord, which was built by the German shipyard Lürssen. It comes complete with an ice-class hull equipped for Arctic waters, two helipads, a hanger to store helicopters in inhospitable climates, a submarine and a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) for exploring the sea bed; plus luxury amenities like a spa, sauna, gym and 25-metre swimming pool.
THE NORD
Another yacht currently under construction is the 87-metre OceanXplorer, designed for billionaire American hedge fund manager Ray Dalio and his youngest son, Mark Dalio, a wildlife filmmaker. The scientific research, media production and exploration vessel is being created as part of the father and son’s OceanX not-for-profit initiative. It will feature a giant A-frame crane on its stern to launch submersible pumps, two submarines designed for manned dives of up to 1,000 metres, and an ROV for filming at depths as great as 6,000 metres.
Boat International Editor Stewart Campbell has credited the pandemic with driving the rising interest in such yachts, having ‘clearly accelerated an established trend; the desire to escape crowds and explore the farthest reaches of the earth’. He went on: ‘We hear of owners now wanting to tackle the Northeast Passage across the top of Russia, not just the Northwest Passage, and it is exciting to see designers and builders in our industry responding with some of the most capable superyachts ever conceived’.