Does size really matter? When it comes to superyachts, the answer appears to be a firm "yes."
The title of the world's largest yacht once belonged to the same vessel, El Mahrousa, for more than a century.
But in the years since, it has changed hands far more often, as ever-larger superyachts arrive on the scene.
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While demand for big yachts has climbed steadily over the past few decades, sales have surged since 2019 thanks to a growing number of billionaires, along with the impact of the pandemic.
"The market is telling us that shipyards are building bigger and bigger sheds to construct bigger and bigger yachts," explains yacht designer Oliver Stirling of Stirling & Co.
"And as high-net-worth individuals grow wealthier, demand for large yachts will only keep rising."
"The pandemic also showed that commercial cruise ships may not always be the desired choice for holidays, vacations or getaways."
Many of the largest yachts on the water were built by the German shipyard Lurssen, which operates eight shipbuilding facilities across northern Germany.
"For many years we've been in the comfortable position of being able to meet, thanks to our infrastructure, the occasional demand that came up for a fairly large yacht," says Michael Breman, sales director at Lurssen.
"Every large yacht you see leaving our yard is the result of very careful, painstaking discussion with designers, owners and advisers to make sure it reflects the wishes of that particular [owner]."
The current largest yacht in the world measures 180 meters, and a 183-meter vessel is due to be delivered in 2024, but several gigayacht concepts have been floated in recent years, some of them at the very earliest stages of development.
Although Stirling stresses that there will come a point when superyachts "can't grow any further," he believes it's only a matter of time before we see a superyacht longer than 200 meters become a reality.
"Someone will want to build the first motor yacht over 200 meters long, and I'm certain it will simply carry the trend forward," he adds.
From private megayachts to those available for charter, and even vessels still under construction, we take a look at the 10 largest superyachts in the world.
Azzam
She has held the record for the world's largest private superyacht since 2013, but this 180-meter vessel was originally meant to be 35 meters shorter.
Built by Lurssen under the direction of engineer Mubarak Saad al Ahbabi, Azzam, which cost roughly $600 million to build, grew longer and longer during the optimization process.
With room for up to 36 guests and no fewer than 80 crew members, she comes equipped with an onboard gym as well as a golf practice room.
The superyacht's exterior lines are the work of Nauta Design, and studio founder Mario Pedol has previously described how observers often note that she looks far smaller from a distance.
Unlike vessels of a similar size, Azzam is as fast as she is large, reaching speeds of up to 31.5 knots.
Eclipse
When Eclipse was launched at the Blohm + Voss shipyard in Hamburg in 2010, she was the largest private yacht in the world.
But the 162.5-meter vessel was overtaken by Azzam a few years later, and the delivery of the 164-meter Fulk Al Salamah in 2016 saw her slip even lower in the ranking of the biggest yachts.
Even so, Eclipse remains one of the largest and most impressive superyachts ever to put to sea.
Owned by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, Eclipse is powered by four MTU diesel engines and has a top speed of 25 knots and a cruising speed of 22 knots.
Fitted with 18 guest cabins and two helipads, the yacht can accommodate up to 36 guests and 66 crew members at once.
Among her standout features are a 16-meter pool that converts into a dance floor, and a wood-burning fireplace.
Dilbar
Dilbar may not be the longest yacht in the world, but she is without doubt the largest by interior volume, with a gross tonnage of just under 16,000 tons.
Named after the late mother of her owner, Uzbek-born billionaire Alisher Usmanov, the 156-meter vessel was designed by naval architect Espen Oeino and delivered by Lurssen in 2016.
Built with a steel hull and an aluminum superstructure, Dilbar can reach a top speed of around 22.5 knots and is equipped with a 25-meter pool, the largest ever installed on a superyacht.
With room for up to 24 guests and around 100 crew members, she also boasts a spacious garden and two helipads on board.
The superyacht is fitted with a diesel-electric hybrid power system that helps reduce her emissions while still delivering a top speed of 22.5 knots.
"One of the things we're seeing, and clients are very sensitive to this, is the search for further ways to improve the sustainability of the product we create," says Breman.
"Not just in the manufacturing process and the materials you use for the boat, but also in how the boat operates."
"We hope that in the next 10 to 15 years we'll be able to deliver a yacht that is emissions-free. We see that as a positive step."
El Mahrousa
Measuring 145.72 meters, the Egyptian presidential yacht was launched in 1865 by the Samuda Brothers shipyard.
Although she lost the title of the world's largest yacht to the 147-meter Prince Abdulaziz in the 1980s and has since fallen further down the list, El Mahrousa remains a significant vessel in the yachting world thanks to her rich history.
Designed by British naval architect Oliver Lang, who also created Queen Victoria's steam yacht Victoria & Albert II, El Mahrousa was originally built for Khedive Ismail, the Ottoman governor of Egypt.
The five-deck yacht became the first ship to cross the Suez Canal in 1869, and later served as a training ship for the Egyptian government.
Driven by three Parsons steam turbines, she is the oldest active superyacht in the world and can reach a top speed of 16 knots.
Flying Fox
Another vessel built by Lurssen, Flying Fox measures 136 meters and is the largest charter vessel in the world.
While that means you don't need an owner's invitation to experience what it's like to be on board, anyone hoping to rent this luxurious superyacht for a week must part with at least 3 million euros ($3.5 million) for the privilege.
The price tag, however, doesn't seem to put off any of her admirers.
In fact, a spokesperson for Imperial Yachts, the yacht broker that manages Flying Fox and also oversaw its construction, reports that interest has intensified over the past year, prompting the minimum rental period to be extended beyond seven days.
Spread across six decks, Flying Fox can host up to 36 day guests and 25 overnight guests, who can enjoy her state-of-the-art dive center as well as a 400-square-meter spa fitted with a cryosauna.
"Over the past 10 to 15 years we've seen developments in areas like spa and fitness, which have moved from a home or city lifestyle into a boating lifestyle," says Breman. "Some of the spas we've installed on boats have been exceptional."
Celebrity couple Beyonce and Jay-Z were spotted on board the superyacht, which has a top speed of 20 knots and a cruising speed of 15 knots, earlier this year.
Sailing Yacht A
Sailing Yacht A is one of several notable superyachts by the prolific designer Philippe Starck, and its construction is said to have cost more than $400 million.
Delivered by the German shipyard Nobiskrug, the 143-meter sail-assisted motor yacht is driven by two engines that deliver a top speed of 21 knots.
Spread across eight decks, the futuristic vessel can accommodate up to 14 guests and 37 crew members.
Although details of her amenities are mostly kept under wraps, Sailing Yacht A is rumored to feature a glass observation deck as well as a helipad and a submarine.
"Born from the owner's desire to 'push the boundaries of engineering and challenge the status quo in the industry,' Sailing Yacht A is without question one of the most forward-thinking projects Nobiskrug has ever been involved in," said Holger Kahl, then managing director of Nobiskrug, at her launch in 2017.
Dubai
The largest yacht in the world by volume at the time she was built, Dubai was originally commissioned by Prince Jefri Bolkiah of Brunei.
The ambitious project, with a gross tonnage of 12,488 tons, changed hands during construction before being taken over by its current owner, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum of Dubai.
The 162-meter superyacht, designed by Andrew Winch of Winch Design, was built by Platinum Yachts in Dubai (where else?) at an estimated cost of $400 million.
On board, Dubai has it all: from a disco to a cinema, plus a submarine and a lobster tank across eight decks. She is powered by four MTU-20V diesel engines capable of delivering a top speed of at least 25 knots.
Nord
Delivered by Lurssen in 2021, Nord is one of the newest and largest superyachts on the water.
Formerly known as Project Opus, the 142-meter superyacht with a steel hull and aluminum superstructure was designed by the Italian design studio Nuvolari Lenard.
"Nord was designed with one idea in mind: she should stir strong emotions in every observer, not only through her enormous size but through the design itself. No one should be left indifferent," said Dan Lenard of Nuvolari-Lenard in a statement, before describing the vessel as a "warship in a tuxedo."
"Whether you like the design or not, it has to make an impression on you. Nord is first and foremost a serious ship, but it also breaks away from the traditional language of yacht design."
Powered by four engines, Nord has a top speed of around 20 knots and a volume of 10,154 gross tons.
She spans six decks and can accommodate up to 36 guests across 20 cabins, with amenities such as a beach club, a spa and two helipads on board.
REV
Developed by REV (Research Expedition Vessel), a non-profit organization set up by Norwegian billionaire Kjell Inge Rokke, REV is an entirely different kind of superyacht.
The 183-meter expedition vessel, currently under construction at the Norwegian shipyard VARD, is scheduled for delivery in 2024.
Designed by naval architect Espen Oeino, REV will be fitted with an ultra-quiet hybrid propulsion system and will have a top speed of 17 knots.
Once launched, she will technically surpass Azzam as the largest superyacht in the world.
There has, however, been considerable debate over whether REV can be classified as a superyacht, given that her primary purpose is to study the world's oceans, though she will be available for charter for recreation and expeditions.
With room for 28 guests across 18 cabins, the vessel is built with a steel hull and an aluminum superstructure and has a gross tonnage of 17,440 tons.
Project Y910
Unlike many of the other superyachts featured here, Project Y910 is still under construction.
But the 120-meter conversion project, now up for auction, could join the ranks of the world's largest superyachts within the next two years if it finds a buyer soon.
Originally built by the Polish shipyard Stocznia Gdynia, she was launched as a 90-meter passenger ship named Vladimir Chivilikhin in 1990, serving as a commercial vessel for nearly a decade before being converted and extended.
The project was later put on hold, however, and remains unfinished.
Project Y910 was put up for sale as a conversion project earlier this year with an asking price of 25 million euros, and it is now being offered at online auction through Concierge Auctions in partnership with Boathouse Auctions.
Although yachts of this size typically take around five years to build, Project Y910 is already partly finished, which means the process is likely to be far shorter.
"This is a remarkable vessel in terms of what it could offer a potential owner," says Stirling, who has been involved in the project's development for more than 20 years.
"She's designed as an explorer yacht. She can go anywhere, whether it's the polar regions, the Pacific Ocean or the Mediterranean. Any adventurous places you'd like to go."
The vessel is generating strong interest among bidders in the auction, which ends on November 23, and, since no reserve price has been set, she is set to become the largest yacht ever sold under the hammer.
"It would be fantastic to see her completed," Stirling adds.
