From Germany to the Netherlands, Italy, and the United States, the superyacht industry employs highly skilled craftsmen and women at shipyards around the globe. The handcrafted vessels can be seen in bodies of water from the Mediterranean to the Bahamas, providing enjoyment—and jobs—for those on board. Here we highlight the top 20 superyacht shipyards in the world.
Lürssen
The German name tops the list, having built 11 out of 20 of the world’s largest superyachts in the last two decades. The 145-year-old family shipyard’s largest yacht, Azzam, spans 592 feet, 6 inches. Imagine six football fields laid end to end, with dozens of staterooms and saloons filled with beautiful woodwork, custom furniture, and art, all inside a high-tech hull. That 2013 launch was followed by others like 512-foot Dilbar and this year’s 364-foot Project Tis.
Still owned and managed by the Lürssen family, the company’s ability to consistently produce so many floating masterpieces is directly proportional to its skilled workforce and vast facilities. After recent acquisitions, including the famed Blohm & Voss yard, Lürssen owns eight shipyards across Germany. Its staff, some of the most experienced of any superyacht builder, include 400 designers, 600 engineers, 1,600 skilled workers, and 200 apprentices.
After launching the company in 1875, Friedrich Lürssen declared: “My firm shall be known as a leader in both quality and performance.”
With his name attached to the world’s largest yachts, Friedrich’s words have taken on a greater significance than he could ever have imagined.
Abeking & Rasmussen
Located across the river from Lürssen’s Lemwerder yard, Abeking & Rasmussen has created advanced running surfaces, like its Swath hull that skips over turbulent ocean waves rather than pounding across. The name is known for commercial and military vessels as well as custom yachts.
Its award winners include the 237-foot Cloudbreak, which set new design standards for expedition yachts, and the 244-foot Elandess, featuring its “Nemo Lounge” with a window below the waterline. Abeking’s flagship, the 321-foot Aviva, is unique among yachts its size with an unmatched interior volume that includes a regulation-sized paddle-tennis court.
Nobiskrug
Specializing in made-to-measure, custom-built superyachts, award-winning builder Nobiskrug produces its vessels out of three different facilities in northern Germany: Rendsburg, Kiel-Gaarden, and Kiel-Friedrichsort. The yard was established in Rendsburg in 1905, shortly after the Kiel Canal opened in 1895. Today Nobiskrug employs more than 1,000 highly skilled craftsmen and women across the three shipyards. In-house production includes hull construction, steel cutting, mechanical work, fitting, pipe fitting, paint, electrical, and carpentry, with these workshops organized under one roof.
Shown above is the brand’s Best of the Best winner A, designed by Philippe Starck and built by Nobiskrug, the yacht is a 470-foot sail-assisted motor yacht that was delivered in 2017.
Amels
Amels celebrated its centennial in 2018, but the superyacht builder has modern facilities and one of the industry’s smartest business plans. It was acquired by the Damen Group in 1981, which gave it the financial resources and vision to become one of the most respected custom yacht builders. Ten years ago, it launched a Limited Editions range. Built on proven hull platforms from 180 to 272 feet, owners have a choice of customizing both the interior and exteriors. Twenty yachts have been delivered since, proving that the disruptive concept has a place in yacht-building.
Oceanco
Oceanco is a relative newcomer, but it has created some of the world’s most beautiful custom superyachts. Names like the recently launched 295-foot Dar are great examples, but the yard has also built technically advanced vessels like the 350-foot sailing superyacht, Black Pearl, with some of the most advanced sails ever designed. Its other award winners like Jubilee, Aquijo, and Infinity, retain their own unique DNA. The yard has worked with the most sought-after yacht designers, including Terence Disdale, Nuvolari-Lenard, Espen Øino, Sam Sorgiovanni, Igor Lobanov, Tim Heywood, and Andrew Winch.
Heesen
Among the Dutch builders, Heesen has seen the greatest expansion of its model line, which is available in aluminum and steel. Its recent launches range from the 164-foot futuristic hybrid, Home, to more conventional designs like the 180-foot Laurentia. The yard really started its upward trajectory in 2011 with the simultaneous launches of Quinta Essentia and Satori, two very different yachts that captivated the superyacht world.
Benetti
Benetti is not only the world’s largest superyacht builder, it is also one of the oldest. Started in 1875, the Italian builder always has a parade of custom and semicustom builds. The Azimut Benetti Group now has 97 yachts under build over 78 feet. In the last year, Benetti has launched a range of yachts, including Ironman, its sixth Fast 140, 207-foot custom Metis and 226-foot Spectre.
Benetti also recently launched its largest-ever build, 351-foot FB277, one of three gigayachts currently being built in its Livorno yard. The other two are due to launch this year. The world’s largest superyacht builder continues to push the boundaries in design and technology, as it moves into gigayacht territory that the yards in Northern Europe have dominated for years.
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