New world’s largest yacht in the works

Introducing Triple Deuce, world's first and largest billion dollar yacht at 728 feet (222 meters)

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Better watch your back, (current world's largest) 590-foot Azzam. Project "Triple Deuce" is coming. And at 728 feet (222 meters), she's going to send you, and other yachts in your category, into relative obscurity as she swipes your title as the world's largest yacht.

"Project Triple Deuce is about to set the world on fire as not only the largest private yacht ever built, coming in at a whopping 222 meters, but also the most expensive, at a cost of over $1 billion USD," said Craig Timm, yacht broker at 4Yacht, Inc., responsible for selling Project Triple Deuce to his client.

To put this massive yacht in perspective for the layman, the sheer size of Triple Deuce even dwarfs some cruise ships. As an example, Costa Cruises has a ship named Costa Classic that is 722 feet long and carries 1,308 passengers and 590 crewmembers. But Triple Deuce is a private yacht, and is designed to carry only 36 guests in opulent luxury with a crew complement of 90-100.

In addition to being the longest private yacht in the world at 728 feet, the yacht will have a beam of nearly 82 feet, and a draft of nearly 16 feet.

She'll be no slouch in the speed department either, with top speed projected to be in excess of 30 knots—to be achieved by triple gas turbine engines generating over 100,000 horsepower. The yacht also has no rudders. Electric podded propulsion units will handle maneuvering.

Owner and guests will live like royalty

The owner's suite, at 2,960 square feet (275 square meters) over two stories, will encompass nearly one full deck of space in the seven-deck yacht, and offer unparalleled views. It will feature two staterooms, and will include private access to a helipad and an elevator from an exclusive drive-in dock, as well as all the luxury amenities you would come to expect. The owner's suite also offers a private gym, office and study, private dining area, butler's stateroom and more.

Onboard guests will be similarly pampered in four VIP suites of 968 square feet (90 square meters) apiece, and 12 guest suites, each at over 645 square feet (60 square meters). All guests will have access to the yacht's two pools, one indoor, one outdoor, multiple Jacuzzis, spa facilities, full time masseuse, hair stylist and barber, as well as all the water toys the yacht can carry.

Who Would Buy A Yacht Of This Size?

"It takes a person of vision, someone with a dream to own the worlds largest yacht and to bring it to reality," claims Timm. "For several years, we have advertised the sale of a 200-meter yacht and have worked with several UHNWI as well as several Middle Eastern clients toward the goal of building a yacht of this size. We had many discussions with our buyer that a yacht of 200 meters was of sufficient length, however with the launching of Azzam recently at 180 meters, that all changed.

"What our client was concerned about is that if we built the yacht to 200 meters, then someone would come along like Roman Abramovich when he built Eclipse at 163.5 meters, to barely 'eclipse' Sheikh Maktoum's yacht, the 162-meter Dubai, by only 1.5 meters," said Timm. "By building the yacht to 222 meters, he wants to make it difficult, if not impossible, to be 'eclipsed' himself."

According to Timm, construction of Project Triple Deuce will begin at a European shipyard, which has still yet to be decided, in the next 6-12 months, with a target delivery date of spring 2018. He goes on to say that the yacht will be built under the 100 A1 Passenger Ship Classification and be fully PYC (Passenger Yacht Code) Compliant.

What will it all cost?

Current large superyachts run about €3.5 million to €4 million per meter to build at the best European shipyards.

Doing some quick math, it seems that Project Deuce will cost €777 million to €888 million, or at the current USD exchange rate, $1.1 billion to $1.2 billion.

"Don't forget to add in annual operating costs," Timm said. "On a yacht of this size, it will run the owner an additional $20-$35 million USD per year."

Much like the race to build the tallest buildings in the world, such as the Shanghai Tower at 632 meters (2073'), or the Burj Khalifa at 828 meters (2717'), super yachts will continue to expand their size depending on who needs to have the biggest and best yacht.

How Long Will Project Triple Deuce Hold Its Position As The World's Largest Yacht?

"That's hard to determine, as there is a limit, not in size, but functionality and logistics," Timm said. "We haven't gotten there yet, but if the uber wealthy of the world have their way, Project Triple Deuce will be toppled in the future. How soon? That will be anybody's guess."