A 105m Trimaran by Echo Yachts | Source: Superyacht Australia

Fancy Boats

European countries like the Netherlands and Italy are the spiritual home of superyacht manufacturing. However, there’s a handful of up-and-coming shipyards in Asia and Australia that are changing that.

According to Polaris Market Research, the Asia Pacific region is the third largest yacht market in the world after Europe and North America. Recent increases in the sales of new yachts, particularly by shipyards in Taiwan and China, have boosted their global standing in yachting circles. Asians own 5.8 per cent of all superyachts over 40 metres in length. Approximately 109 superyachts over 40 metres had owners from Asia in 2021 and there is speculation that number will increase.

Two superyacht manufacturers are located in Australia and they are both on the west coast. The country enjoys a 34,000-kilometre coastline and there are many unforgettable destinations accessible by superyacht in the land down under.

Silver Yachts’ state-of-the-art shipyard in Henderson, a coastal suburb south of Perth, Western Australia, is one of the premier shipyards south of the equator where some of the world’s most desirable superyachts are built. High standards and a keen eye for detail mean the vessels produced here command a huge amount of respect from buyers around the world.

Sergey Brin, one of the founders of Google, purchased a Silver Yachts superyacht, 73-metre Dragonfly, back in 2011 when the sleek-looking vessel was reputedly the fastest superyacht in the world.

Speed is something close to the hearts of the company’s design team. Elongated hulls with long waterlines and efficient design allow their superyachts to glide through the water and of course the latest, most powerful engines make the Australian shipyard’s luxury creations uniquely fast.

To date, Silveryachts have produced five custom superyachts for clients around the globe; the 36-metre Spacecat, 77-metre Silverfast, 85-metre Bold, 85-metre Globalfast and 79-metre Silver Edge.

They build their yachts exclusively from aluminium, a notoriously difficult metal to work with, but lightweight and strong. The yacht builder employs some of the best yacht designers in the world to help plan their creations, including legendary Norwegian naval architect, Espen Øino.

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Taiwan-based Ocean Alexander was established in 1977 by Alex Chueh who received the shipyard as payment for a debt. He was determined to break into the luxury yacht market and some of the company’s early models sell for three times their original price.

In 2021, the company was the fourth largest yacht builder in the world by metres of yacht produced. Its yachts are mostly in the 25 to 35-metre category but feature assertive exterior design and sleek, comfortable interiors. This year at the Sanctuary Cove Boat Show, they previewed their Ocean Alexander 28 Explorer yacht.

Set for launch in 2023, this model has been designed for the 30-metre market, using 100-metre plus mega yacht design strategies such as main deck access to the full beam master suite and inventive aluminium-beam engineering.

Extended swim platforms are good for water activities and make a spacious outdoor lounge area, extensive storage for water toys gives a hint as to the direction Ocean Alexander is taking their designs, catering for owners or charter guests who like to travel to more remote locations.

Ocean Alexander is one of the fastest growing shipyards not only in Australia and Asia but the world, reporting double-digit growth in 2021, selling eight brand new yachts to owners across the globe in just three months. The company’s success in the competitive US market means the delivery date for a new yacht is now expected to be late 2023.

They see Europe as a huge opportunity, observing encouraging sentiment from the market and their recent models are selling well.

Another Australian shipyard, Echo Yachts, is also located in Henderson at the Australian Marine Complex in Western Australia. Established in 2014, they produce multi-hulled superyachts and built the award-winning tri-hulled superyacht, White Rabbit, in 2018.

Producing luxury superyachts, as well as commercial passenger ships and defence vessels, Echo Yachts employs the services of the very best in the business like Sorgiovanni Designs and One2three Naval Architects when planning their superyachts.

They produce 60-metre and 80-metre monohull explorer yachts as well as catamaran adventure yachts and enormous cutting-edge trimarans, pushing the boundaries of superyacht innovation. Their facilities take up an impressive 2,600 square metres of space and comprise two fabrication halls, 80 metres and 103 metres in length respectively.

Echo Yachts refit and conduct repairs as well, their facilities are rarely empty as they maintain a wide variety of commercial and recreational yachts and ships. The Australian shipyard custom fit each superyacht individually and are in constant communication with clients, designing superyachts that complement the lifestyle and vision of the buyer, while retaining a uniqueness of character that is highly sought after in today’s yacht market.

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Based in China’s Yantai Peninsula, Pride Mega Yachts specialise in the development and manufacture of superyachts from 80 metres to 120 metres. In 2018, they produced 88-metre Illusion Plus which went on to win the award for best interior at the Monaco Yacht Show that year.

They work with Sinot Exclusive Yacht Design on many of their projects, including 115-metre Estatement, their biggest concept yet. Employing the best designers and architects from around the world, the shipyard is one of few yacht builders in Asia that rivals the big European builders.

Although China is not usually associated with superyacht construction, Pride Mega Yachts bring over 25 years of experience to their builds, providing a quality option to clients who want their yacht to push the boundaries of technology and innovation.

Their Chinese facilities consist of 4,500 square metres of new sheds, offices, workshops and stores. Pride Mega Yachts offer extensive aftercare and can accommodate customisation requests and build according to each client’s individual wishes.

Another shipyard based in Taiwan, Horizon Yachts is one of the most successful yacht builders in the southern hemisphere. Founders John Lu, Gong Shan Chiai, and Cheng Shun Hui originally wanted to build yachts for the Taiwanese market, but initially found more success in the US and Europe.

Now, they are one of the biggest and most successful shipyards in the world, producing vessels from 15 metres to 45 metres in length that push the boundaries of motor yacht design and innovation. Their comprehensive yacht building facilities cover more than 11 hectares and a small army of master craftsmen make sure every detail is perfect.

Horizon’s network of dealers and service centres located across five continents offer the best in after-care and will expertly maintain your yacht in order to keep it functioning perfectly. Horizon also provides owners and their guests with the best yachting experience possible.

Custom-built cabinets, fine leather and luxe finishes define Horizon’s range of yachts, the biggest being the 45-metre EP Series of yachts. BV Ice Classification makes the EP150 the best option for long expeditions while a steel hull and aluminium superstructure give the model excellent seakeeping.

The bulbous bow and an optimised hull increase stability and ensure a smooth ride even in the roughest of conditions. Horizon uses single shot vacuum infusion technology and proprietary 3D resin flow in the construction of their yachts, increasing strength and reducing wait times for a new build.

An offshoot of Cheoy Lee shipbuilders, who have been constructing commercial vessels for over 100 years, CL Yachts represents their ambitious intention to branch into the luxury yacht sector. Continually expanding their range, CL Yachts most recently released the 29-metre CLX 96 SAV.

The SAV line is designed for rugged, adventurous cruising, with a focus on comfort and a smooth ride thanks to gyro and fin stabilisers. The economy of weight was another priority when designing the CLX 96; carbon fibre and fibreglass are used extensively in the hull and even the stonework in the decadent interiors has been weight-optimised.

Hull design on the CLX 96 is by Earl Alfaro with help from leading marine structural engineer Albert Horsmon. Fuel consumption remains low despite a very impressive 27 knots maximum speed. Safety and seakeeping were a top priority for CL yachts in what is the first yacht made from scratch by the shipyard, and a RINA Hull Construction Certificate is a testament to the shipyard’s commitment.

With a long history of boat building and the experience that comes from being one of Asia and Australia’s biggest and most successful shipyards, Cheoy Lee’s brave foray into the luxury yachting sector looks like it may be the start of something big. One of the first CLX 96 yachts is on its way to the US to be shown at the Newport International Boat Show in September and promises to impress.

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Many shipyards are starting to offer multi-hull superyachts as they have a much wider beam and are more stable, including Silveryachts who just announced the release of their new SpaceCat catamaran yacht.

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