Nautor Swan on the hunt for the ultra-rich. Superyacht market explodes

Let us start with an assumption. Worldwide (2024 data) there are 2,769 billionaires (i.e., those who hold at least one billion U.S. dollars) and their assets total $15 trillion. The ultra-rich are 200 more than in 2023 and the trend is growing. All, or almost all at least, are potential boat enthusiasts. And they are being targeted by the superboat market, which, not surprisingly, is increasingly vibrant.

This is what the 40-meter mega-boat Nautor Swan will look like.

So for those shipyards that have the right production capacity for this “niche” sector, the goal is clear: build more and more maxi boats and sell to the ultra-rich. Nautor Swan (and not only her, as we explain), now owned by Sanlorenzo, is aiming right at them. It will do so by building a 40-meter mega sailing yacht out of aluminum, a lightweight material that is cheaper than carbon. It will not be a boat designed for racing or extreme, but rather a cruising mega yacht that is elegant, comfortable, fast and above all sustainable.

It was precisely motor customers“who asked us for a more sustainable solution for the future of yachting,” said Sanlorenzo CEO Massimo Perotti at the Blue Innovation Dock at Boot Düsseldorf. So the new ownership, in addition to focusing on bifuel (methanol and diesel) engines for motor yachts, has pushed Swan toward the construction of a mega sailing yacht that will also appeal to those accustomed to the space and comfort of motor yachts.

A project that looks to sustainable future

This new Nautor Swan design marks a change of pace for the Finnish shipyard, famous for its performance sailing yachts with unmistakable lines. With the backing of the giant Sanlorenzo, Nautor Swan enters the luxury mega cruising yacht segment. Ensuring the brand’s quality and tradition is a committee formed by German Frers, Massimo Perotti and Leonardo Ferragamo. In addition, Giovanni Pomati, CEO of Nautor Swan, announced that the firm Jüdel & Vrölijk is now part of the team of designers working with the shipyard, and who knows, they may be the ones to design the lines of this new 40-meter mega yacht!

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What we can expect from Nautor Swan

Antonio Santella, Senior Advisor for New Product Development, outlined the core values behind the new product lines that will be unveiled and finalized in the future:“We are keeping the beauty of the lines and working on protection, comfort, long-range cruising capabilities without compromising on sailing performance, and, of course, sustainability.” So we can expect Swan’s new 40-meter mega-yacht to maintain the classic Swan lines we are used to, perhaps declining innovations from Sanlorenzo’s engine world into a sailing key. For example, we might expect significant glass surfaces on the deckhouse and plenty of space on board. The design of the bulwarks might include the elimination of pulpits, stanchions, and draglines with side walkways cha aft opening onto a huge beach club with folding bulwarks.

But these are all guesses for now, as the shipyard is still in an exploratory stage and has not yet submitted a design. The only thing that is certain is that Nautor Swan will move its administrative headquarters to Milan, to be closer to Swan’s hometown of Pietarsaari, and is in negotiations to acquire a new shipyard to build the new mega-yacht line.

Competition is not standing idly by

Nautor Swan’s entry into this market segment is not by chance: other shipyards are also already at work on similar projects. Persico Marine has just announced the launch of the new Magic Carpet 100, a 30-meter yacht designed by Guillaume Verdier for British owner Sir Lindsay Owen Jones. A luxury super fast cruiser, high performance but not extreme, that we will soon see in the waters of Saint Tropez.

Wally, a brand in the Ferretti galaxy, is also moving in this direction. A few months ago the first wallywind110 was launched, the progenitor of a series of sailing yachts that will include models from 110 to 150 feet in length. A concentration of technology and design, with customizable interiors and a versatility that makes it suitable for both cruising and racing, it responds to the demand of a market that is increasingly aiming for larger yachts.

A mega-yacht race that Southern Wind is also banking on, fresh from announcing the start of construction of its new flagship SW123. Designed for fast sailing over long distances, the first hull of this 123-foot mega-yacht will see the light of day in 2027. Finally, we cannot forget the King of sailing mega-yachts: Perini Navi. After making headlines last summer for the Bayesian affair, the Viareggio shipyard last December launched Katana, a 60-foot, 11-foot-wide mega-yacht. With an aluminum hull and a displacement of about 570 tons, Katana is a ketch equipped with two masts, an outdoor swimming pool and a cinema room. Basically a cruise ship.

James Barbaro

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