Super yachts are privately owned vessels that have professional crews and are found in the greatest abundance in the Mediterranean, Caribbean and the Middle East.
Each year, SuperYachts.com compiles a list of the largest yachts on the water, giving owners the bragging rights of having one of the world’s largest boats, and at times, competing with each other.
Currently in the works is Project Azzam, a super-yacht under construction in Bremen-Vegesack, Germany. Upon completion, Azzam is slated to take the number one spot as the world's largest yacht.
Due to the highly secretive nature that yacht builders and shipyards work under, details have been kept hush-hush, but speculation has run wild at the prospect of the world’s next largest yacht, coming in around 590 feet (nearly two football fields long), eclipsing the current number one by nearly 54 feet. We do know that it is being built by Lurssen and that it has an estimated price tag $622 million.
So, which super yachts rank as the largest in 2012? Read ahead to find out!
Photo: SuperYachts.com1. EclipseLength: 533 feet
Top speed: 25 knots
Total power: N/A
With a reported price tag of nearly $1.2 billion, the Eclipse is not only the largest yacht, but also the most expensive. The Eclipse was delivered in 2010 to Russian business tycoon Roman Abramovich, who is known worldwide for his opulent spending on everything from super yachts to England’s Chelsea Football Club.
The Eclipse has two helicopter pads, 11 guest cabins, two swimming pools, exterior fireplace and a dance hall. The vessel is also equipped with intruder detection systems and a German-built missile defense system, and bullet-proof glass and armor plating in the master suite and bridge.
Abramovich also made news in 2009 when he had an “anti-paparazzi” shield installed, which reportedly uses lasers to detect a camera and ruin any photographs taken by it with a flash of light.
The Eclipse also features a three-person submarine and can accommodate up to 30 guests and 75 crewmembers. Although much of the details of the ship have yet to be confirmed, estimates place the ship between 533 and 557 feet long.
Photo: SuperYachts.com2. DubaiLength: 531 feet
Top speed: 26 knots
Total power: 38,500 hp
Although currently owned by Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, the ruler of the Emirate of Dubai, the yacht was originally commissioned by Prince Jefri Bolkiah of Brunei. Construction was originally delayed until 2001, when Sheik Mohammed bought out the project for a rumored $300 million.
The vessel includes luxurious interior designs that include fine fabrics and handmade mosaics, a dramatic spiral staircase with color-changing glass steps, numerous VIP and guest suites and seven decks.
The Dubai also has a mosaic swimming pool, several whirlpools and a landing pad that can service a helicopter in excess of 10 tons. The Dubai has room for 115 people, including crew and guest staff and boasts a range of 8,500 miles.
Photo: SuperYachts.com3. Al SaidLength: 508 feet
Top speed: 25 knots
Total power: 21,992 hp
Another royal super yacht makes the list. The Al Said, owned by the sultan of Oman, features six decks and a concert room capable of accommodating a 50-piece orchestra. At its widest point, the ship measures nearly 79 feet across.
The Al Said was completed in 2008 and was designed by Espen Oeino International. The yacht can accommodate 70 guests and 154 professional crewmembers.
Photo: SuperYachts.com4. (tied) Prince AbdulazizLength: 482 feet
Top speed: 22 knots
Total power: 15,600 hp
Owned by the Saudi royal family, the Prince Abdulaziz was the largest yacht built in the 20th century, first setting sail in 1984. The vessel is used for official business and personal voyages.
At its widest point, the Prince Abdulaziz measures 60 feet and has a superstructure and hull of steel. It can accommodate 64 guests and 65 crewmembers, and a gross tonnage of 5,092 tons.
Photo: TheYachtPhoto.com4. (tied) TopazLength: 482 feet
Top Speed: N/A
Total power: N/A
The Topaz was launched in May 2012 and has been kept fairly secretive. Reports said it was designed by Tim Heywood of Britain, who has several other credits on the world’s largest yachts list.
It is speculated to have a price tag ranging from $470 million to $626 million, weighs 12,000 tons, and is thought to have six cabins and with accommodations for 12 guests.
The Topaz was built by Lurssen Yachts and had to be relocated from a 557-foot dry dock in the middle of construction due to its massive size. It is currently unavailable for charter.
Photo: SuperYachts.com6. El HorriyaLength: 478 feet
Top speed: 16 knots
Total power: 19,550 hp
The world’s sixth- largest yacht is also one of the oldest super yachts still in operation. El Horriya was originally built in London in 1865 for the king of Egypt, and the length was extended in 1872 and in 1905 and last refitted in 1987.
The yacht is berthed out of Alexandria, Egypt, and is listed as a training ship by the Egyptian Navy. It can carry 160 crewmembers.
Photo: Dick Holthuis7. YasLength: 462.6 feet
Top speed: 26 knots
Total power: 42,000 hp
The Yas was launched from the ADM Shipyards facilities in Abu Dhabi in December 2011, bumping the Al Salamah from the number six spot. The Yas was the largest launch of 2011.
The steel hull originally belonged to a Royal Dutch Navy frigate built in 1978. The redesign, by the Pierre Jean Design studio of France, features a distinctive narrow hull paired with a lightweight glass superstructure.
The Yas features a swimming pool and spa, a helipad, a highly advanced audio-visual entertainment system, a garage for water toys, as well as a door made of carbon-fiber functioning as a boarding or swimming platform.
Yas also sports an eco-friendly fuel based engine to reduce its carbon foot print, and has SONAR, SATCOM, and night navigator on board. It can accommodate up to 60 guests, and a 56-strong crew.
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