When we talk about the richest Americans, a common thread runs deeper than their immense wealth. Many, both men and women, own not only sprawling estates but also luxurious superyachts, their very own floating palaces that rival five-star resorts. Interestingly, nearly half of these elites on the coveted Forbes list favor Dutch-built yachts, crafted by some of the world’s most esteemed shipyards.
A significant portion of America’s wealthiest set sail on Dutch-made superyachts. Renowned shipyards like Feadship, Heesen, and Oceanco offer an unmatched flair and standard for maritime opulence. Figures such as tech titan Jeff Bezos and Walmart heiress Nancy Walton Laurie are captivated by the prestige of Dutch engineering and the bespoke luxury these yachts offer. While these vessels have garnered plenty of praise, the shipyards that create them deserve recognition too. Let’s explore some of the largest Dutch shipyards which are a favourite of American billionaires.
Oceanco
Where most superyacht builders conclude, Oceanco truly begins. This prestigious Dutch shipyard, founded in 1987 by South African investors and owned by Omani billionaire Mohammed Al Barwani since 2010, specializes in large, full-displacement yachts over 260 feet. The main shipyard for the Dutch superyacht builder, is based in Alblasserdam, Netherlands.
Oceanco has delivered some of the most iconic vessels in the world, 37 to date, including the $300 million Kaos, a 361-foot yacht owned by Nancy Walton Laurie of the Walmart fortune, and Tranquility, a $250 million vessel linked to video game billionaire Gabe Newell.
Other notable builds are Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones’s $225 million Bravo Eugenia and Harbor Freight Tools billionaire owner Eric Smidt’s 384-foot, $350 million Infinity. Additionally, Oceanco constructed Koru, the world’s largest sailing yacht, for Amazon co-founder Jeff Bezos at a cost of $500 million. The boat was so massive that the shipyard even requested permission to temporarily dismantle Rotterdam’s historic “De Hef” bridge so that the yacht could reach the sea.
Another notable owner is award winning filmmaker Steven Spielberg who took delivery of his 357 foot long superyacht ‘Seven Seas’ last year. An Oceanco beauty-in-the-making is Gabe Newell’s the $400 million Y722, which is nearing completion and will be the yard’s largest yacht by volume. Only seven yachts from the Oceanco fleet are owned by Americans, but the shipyard still managed an impressive revenue of approximately $1.7 billion.
Feadship
Founded in 1949, Feadship is responsible for some of the yachting world’s most elegant creations, with headquarters in Hoofddorp, Aalsmeer, Makkum, Kaag, and Amsterdam. Their noteworthy builds include WhatsApp co-founder Jan Koum’s $220 million Moonrise, Oracle Corporation co-founder Larry Ellison’s $160 million Musashi, the late Apple founder Steve Jobs widow Laurene Powell Jobs’s $140 million Venus, and casino billionaire Frank Fertitta III’s $250 million Viva.
The shipyard also built the $300 million, 387-foot Launchpad vessel belonging to Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg. Among their standout projects is the superyacht Breakthrough, valued at $645 million, reported to have been commissioned by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates. The 390-foot boat became the world’s first hydrogen fuel-cell superyacht that housed a four-level townhouse, a genius heat recycling system, and umpteen luxuries.
Another Feadship creation worth mentioning is former Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder’s Lady S superyacht. This 306-foot vessel features a helipad that transforms into a basketball court, and to make movie nights on the high seas truly memorable, it boasts a duplex IMAX cinema onboard. Interestingly, the general arrangement of the vessel was designed around this double-decked cinema.
Since its inception, the Feadship shipyard has built approximately four to six custom yachts annually and has completed over 450 superyachts since its founding. With roots dating back to 1849, the shipyard has reportedly sold around $2 billion worth of yachts to American clients, according to Quotenet. To meet the growing demand for superyachts with shorter waiting times, Feadship offers several vessels with essential engineering and naval architecture already addressed. Examples include Sakura Yacht, Project 825, and Project 2024. Feadship has over 16 such projects in the pipeline in 2023.
Damen Yachting
Damen Yachting headquartered at the Vlissingen City shipyard in Vlissingen, Netherlands, offers the Amels Limited Editions, SeaXplorer expedition yachts, and Yacht Support vessels. Since its establishment in 1918, Damen has delivered nearly 100 superyachts. The shipyard is well-known for its shadow vessels that support luxurious motherships.
For instance, Abeona, veiled at $75 million, serves as the support yacht for Bezos’s 417-foot Koru, while Zuckerberg’s yacht is supported by the $30 million Wingman. Nebula, valued at around $40 million, supports Jan Koum’s Moonrise. In 2023, Damen Shipyards Group, which includes Damen Yachting, reported a record revenue of over $3 billion and an order book worth around $12 billion.
In addition to Feadship and Oceanco, other Dutch yacht builders, such as Royal Huisman and Heesen, are also in the spotlight for delivering stunning yachts to wealthy Americans. Examples include the $35 million Ethereal, owned by Bill Joy, co-founder of Sun Microsystems, and the $59 million Athena, owned by Jim Clark, the co-founder of Netscape.
