On board the new generation of superyachts reviving prestigious Dutch shipbuilding
It’s not yet 8.30am, but the Royal Van Lent Shipyard is a hive of activity.
Carpenters are carefully laying teak decking, engineers are threading a nest of cables through a boat skeleton, and someone is wondering whether paying €1,250 per bottle of Cristal champagne is excessive for a boat's christening.
This isn’t any old name-giving ceremony: this Sunday, a mystery guest called “the VIP” will be on Kaag island in the Netherlands to name "superyacht 814", due for completion in spring 2019.
The 92m vessel, stretching as long as five double-decker buses, has six decks, a swimming pool, Jacuzzi, 12-person cinema, hospital, a mess for 30 crew members and – what else? – a helipad.
Business is cruising in the Dutch industry of superyachts, whose owners include the late Steve Jobs, American billionaire Robert Mercer and Lord Irving Laidlaw.
To meet international demand for ever bigger, more complex pleasure vehicles on the back of a resurgence in demand following the recession, next year Royal Van Lent – part of the Feadship group – is opening a new shipyard in Amsterdam that will be able to build the world's most luxurious yachts up to 160m long.
According to The Superyacht IQ 2018 Market Report, published last month, new and used superyacht sales are up globally, and year-on-year new build sales bounced back 27 per cent last year to 183 – a “healthy market”.
Although Italians build the most superyachts (ships of at least 30m in length) the Netherlands took second place last year, making 14 per cent of the world’s massive yachts and at a record average price of €57m.
It is part of a long tradition of shipbuilding in the small, watery country, whose vessels dominated the world during its 17th century Golden Age and pitted their might against the English in the contemporary Anglo-Dutch Wars.
“We live on the waterfront and there’s a huge maritime history,” explains Jan-Bart Verkuyl, chief executive of Feadship Royal Van Lent.
So what does the modern owner – typically an American chief executive – want? “Golden taps are from the olden days,” says Mr Verkuyl. “We have a sports field on one boat, Joy. One owner wanted to have a wine tasting area in the bottom of the boat, and we made a huge glass window so you can look at the fish while enjoying it. In another yacht, Sea Owl, the owner wanted 100 teak-carved animals: the grandchildren can go on a treasure hunt looking for them, he says, adding: "We are a dream factory.”
These vehicles are, he admits “quite an expensive toy, at the end of the day”, for a small group of extremely wealthy people, and the trend is for ever bigger toys. “Our clients really enjoy being out in the water, and while you’re sitting there, it’s always nice to have more space,” he says. “I’m sure there’s also ego involved.”
There is increasing demand for yachts that can explore further too, according to Merijn de Waard, director of the SuperYacht Times. “More yachts are built to explore the world, and a lot of these are very innovative machines with stronger construction, good communications systems, submarines, helicopters and helicopter hangers,” he says.
Despite the luxury item tag, eco-awareness is also growing, with a focus on hybrid electric engines.
Prices can vary from €10 million or €50 million right up to €300 million depending on the extras a client wants.
Dutch yacht builders stress that this money has a huge economic effect. The Royal Van Lent ship employs some 500, plus it has its own furniture factory, helping further restore ship building prestige in Holland.
“In the past, the wealthy built palaces,” Francis Vermeer, from Feadship says. "Now they build superyachts."
