In the movie business, sequels rarely outshine the original, but in the world of superyachts, they infallibly do. Take the case of Shahid Khan’s Kismet, Arthur Blank’s DreamBoat, or the latest example, WhatsApp co-founder Jan Koum’s Moonrise. The 328-foot Moonrise, delivered by Dutch shipyard Feadship in 2020, now has an elder sister: Project 1013, newly launched and named Moonrise. At 331 feet, the new Moonrise is only slightly longer but emerges as a worthy successor with smarter innovations, extra space, and an even more comfortable design.
What remains unchanged between the two luxury vessels owned by the tech billionaire is the name Moonrise, an exterior crafted by Studio De Voogt, and an interior by Rémi Tessier. However, the new megayacht is a notable improvement in several ways.
While its predecessor featured five large domes housing communication systems, the new 4,000 GT vessel has them fully integrated into the superstructure, enhancing its sleek aesthetics. It also marks a first for Feadship, the shipyard behind groundbreaking projects like Breakthrough, where Starlink satellite receivers are seamlessly incorporated, providing lightning-fast communication and streaming capabilities without disrupting the yacht’s elegant design.
It’s surreal to think that the only child of a housewife and a construction manager, who once lived in a small Ukrainian village where his home lacked hot water, and his parents avoided phone calls for fear of government surveillance, can now stay connected in the most remote corners of the world.
The new Moonrise, with its glazed upper decks and striking grey-and-snow-white paintwork, also boasts a taller mast, a more expansive sundeck with a massage area, a gym, and a hairdressing salon. According to Boat International, it features larger exterior decks and an extended swim platform.
Additional highlights include a private cinema on the bridge deck and an owner’s deck for ultimate luxury. Like its $220 million predecessor, designed for minimal noise levels, the new Moonrise also incorporates specially engineered propellers and appendages to reduce both underwater and interior noise.
Currently, the yacht is undergoing final finishing work before sea trials and its much-anticipated delivery later this year. The question remains, will Koum commission a new support vessel for his new Moonrise, or will his $40 million support yacht, Nebula, featuring the largest hangar ever built on a private vessel, continue to serve as its companion?
WhatsApp billionaire Jan Koum –
From arriving in America as a Ukrainian immigrant with his mother to selling WhatsApp to Facebook for $19 billion, Jan Koum has achieved more before turning 50 than most could in a lifetime. The 49-year-old self-made billionaire, now worth $16 billion, owns a fleet of superyachts, but his journey was anything but easy. He once swept floors to make ends meet and stood in line for food stamps.
Interestingly, Forbes once reported that Koum longs for the rural life he left behind. While he may never return to those simpler times, his Moonrise allows him to find peace in any pristine corner of the planet. The man who once said, “I want to do one thing and do it well,” lived by his own words. At 18, he taught himself computer networking by buying second-hand manuals, and returning them after reading. Look where that took him.
