2024 has been a stellar year for Mark Zuckerberg. According to Bloomberg, the 40-year-old’s net worth increased by $90 billion, pushing him to the position of the world’s second-richest person, with a total worth of $219 billion, which is greater than the GDP of Kuwait. Then came the stunning launch of his superyacht, Launchpad, a Feadship beauty, accompanied by its support vessel, Wingman, which further cemented his billionaire status.
As his wealth soared, so did the nautical miles logged by his luxury vessels. According to Boat International, Zuckerberg owns not one but two stunning yachts, which have amassed remarkable mileage since their delivery. Accompanied by the support vessel Wingman, his $300 million pleasure craft and its $30 million counterpart have traveled 29,522 nautical miles and 27,245 nautical miles, respectively, bringing the combined total to an impressive 56,000 nautical miles. Given that a single individual owns both vessels, they surpass some of the most seasoned explorer yachts, such as the DSSV Pressure Drop (renamed Dagon) and Cloudbreak. The distance covered by Zuckerberg’s motor yachts is enough to circle the Earth twice, and all within just 10 short months.
Both vessels arrived in Zuckerberg’s life in February this year. The second-largest Feadship delivery to date, measuring 387 feet, was a stroke of luck. Originally built for Russian oligarch Vladimir Potanin, it became available for purchase due to United States sanctions against Russia.
On the other hand, 220-foot Wingman, previously known as Dapple, was owned by video game billionaire Gabe Newell. Since taking delivery of these vessels, they’ve become the venue for celebrations and family gatherings. Zuckerberg has done everything from celebrating Father’s Day to his 40th birthday and enjoying the mesmerizing Mediterranean locales, thus creating an extensive accumulation of nautical miles.
In fact, after acquiring Launchpad, the 40-year-old tech mogul sailed in stealth mode for three months, with its AIS (Automatic Identification System) turned off throughout the European holiday. That’s more than 90 days of sailing blind through the busy waters of the Mediterranean. In June, the stunning 4,999 GT vessel, boasting a range of 6,000 nautical miles, caused quite a stir with its blaring red helicopter in Mallorca.
The following month, it became the center of attention for beachgoers after mooring near the Italian island of Elba. In November, the MMA enthusiast once again dispatched his support vessel, Wingman, boasting a range of 8,700 nautical miles and 20 specialized crew members onboard, on a 4,200-mile journey from California to Tahiti to join Launchpad in the pristine locale. Sounds exhausting, right?
We calculated the fuel consumption of these colossal vessels as they journeyed across the globe, based on the nautical miles they logged. The Feadship mammoth, a mothership accommodating 26 guests, consumed approximately 2,081,301 liters (550,000 gallons) of fuel to cover 29,522 nautical miles. Similarly, the Damen Yachting support vessel, built in 2014, which hosts six guests and 20 crew members, burned around 1,064,747 liters (281,276 gallons) of fuel to travel 27,245 nautical miles. In total, Mark Zuckerberg’s two superyachts burned 3,146,048 liters (831,276 gallons) of diesel fuel, enough to fill 52,000 standard car gas tanks.
Moreover, superyachts are known to consume fuel even when they’re not cruising or making a transatlantic journey, simply to keep their systems running for their deep-pocketed owners. According to the WSJ, a 71 meter long superyacht burns 500 liters of fuel even when it is not moving. That’s a single vessel. Zuckerberg has two of them, one of which is 118 meters long. The constant need for air-conditioning to protect the expensive interiors and electronics from sea mist consumes the most fuel. While we never get the exact figures, it’s safe to assume that Zuckerberg’s yachts would have burned far more diesel than the 831,276 gallons we estimated. At the time of writing this article, Launchpad and Wingman are currently cruising around Tahiti, burning tons of diesel.
Note – As per Meta’s 2024 Sustainability report the company matches 100% of their electricity use with renewable energy.
