Roman Abramovich’s Eclipse Yacht
Since it was first mooted, we have followed Roman Abramovich’s superyacht Eclipse with interest. It was billed as the biggest yacht in the world by a distance, but after a recent independent grading it appears the yacht is indeed number one – but only just. The figure that has been espoused by the press and has been in general circulation ranked the vessel at 557 feet (169m).
Judging by Camper & Nicholsons’ newly-released Super Yachting Index a certain Russian oligarch has been exaggerating the size of his new gigayacht. Camper & Nicholsons, the leading international yacht broker established in 1782, has come out with its annual Super Yachting Index evaluating the state of superyachting for the previous year. And according to the their 2010 Super Yacht Index, Abramovich’s behemoth built by Blohm + Voss actually measures 533 feet (162,5m), a full 24 feet (7m) shorter than what was previously thought.
That means Abramovich has an extremely small edge on Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum’s Dubai yacht at 531.5 feet (162m), which held the World’s Largest title until the Eclipse was born. And since the Dubai ruler basically owns his own shipyard now , the U.A.E.’s Platinum Yachts, where the Dubai was finished, it wouldn’t take much for him to have it refitted with an extra few feet of metal to put Abramovich firmly in his place.
Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s Dubai Yacht
In any case, Roman Abramovich is barely holding the line against a flotilla of massive megayachts owned by Middle Eastern magnates. Tthe next four yachts on the list are Sultan Qaboos of Oman’s Al Said Yacht at 155 metres, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia’s Prince Abdulaziz Yacht at 147 metres, the Egyptian-owned El Horriya Yacht at 145.7 metres (oldest yacht within the top 100 list, built in 1865) and Crown Prince Sultan of Saudi Arabia’s Al Salamah Yacht at 139 metres.
Last year, the 100th spot was taken by the 234 feet (67m) Apoise yacht. This year the smallest yacht in the Top 100 list is 10 feet (3m) larger. The average length of the yachts included in the Top 100 list for motoryachts is now 300 feet (90,32m), 10 feet more thet the average length within the Top 10 last year.
Sultan Qaboos of Oman’s Al Said Yacht
King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia’s Prince Abdulaziz Yacht
The Egyptian’s El Horriya Yacht
Crown Prince Sultan of Saudi Arabia’s Al Salamah Yacht
