Cantiere delle Marche
Building the world’s finest explorer yachts
Based in the Adriatic port city of Ancona, Cantiere delle Marche (CdM) is the world’s leading shipyard specialised in long-range luxury explorer yachts.
Founded in 2010 by experienced shipbuilding professionals, CdM focuses on semi-custom and fully custom vessels designed for owners who seek reliability, autonomy and the freedom to explore remote destinations.
Today, CdM yachts range from 26 to over 50 metres, combining robust engineering with refined Italian design.
A vision of exploration
From the beginning, CdM’s philosophy has been clear: to build true explorer yachts capable of crossing oceans safely and comfortably.
The shipyard quickly gained international recognition thanks to its first two product lines: Darwin Class – traditional, rugged explorer yachts, and Nauta Air series – modern, lightweight aluminium yachts developed with Nauta Design.
The success of these models positioned CdM among the world’s most respected explorer yacht builders within its first decade.
Innovation and new lines
CdM continued to innovate with new explorer concepts, working alongside internationally renowned designers such as Francesco Paszkowski Design, Cassetta Yacht Designers, Hydro Tec, Achille Salvagni Architetti, Horacio Bozzo, Nauta Design and Winch Design to further elevate the design quality of its yachts.
The Flexplorer series, introduced in 2020, combines luxury yacht comfort with the functionality of a support vessel. These yachts feature a distinctive A-frame crane capable of launching large tenders and exploration equipment. The series has expanded with models up to the Flexplorer 165, offering exceptional range and expedition capability.
During the same period, the RJ series was introduced, distinguished by its more sophisticated and sleeker design. The range quickly gained critical acclaim, strong commercial success and several prestigious awards. Models launched to date include the RJ130 (now Nuri), the two RJ115 (Pazienza and Stellamar), and more recently, the RJ155 RJ. The latter won at the BOAT Design & Innovation Awards 2026, winning in both the Exterior Design category for Francesco Paszkowski Design's exquisite exterior lines and the Interior Design category for her beautiful interiors by Achille Salvagni Architetti.
Another notable semi-custom series, which benefited from quick and solid success, is the Deep Blue series by Horacio Bozzo, with four units from 115 to 141 feet already sold.
More recently, CdM introduced the RAW – Recreational All-Weather Watercraft line developed in collaboration with Cassetta Yacht Designers, a new generation of compact explorer yachts designed for durability, efficiency and adventurous cruising.
Custom explorer yachts
Beyond its semi-custom models, all featuring the highest level of customisation, CdM is regarded for fully custom explorer yachts tailored to individual owners. Audace, Crowbridge, Acala, Tremenda and Babbo are one-of-a-kind vessels that consistently embody CdM’s vision and mission.
These projects highlight CdM’s ability to combine engineering capability, design flexibility and craftsmanship.
Expertise and facilities
CdM operates from a modern 16,000-square-metre shipbuilding facility in Ancona, where it manages the entire construction process.
Core specialisations include:
- Yacht design and naval engineering
- Steel and aluminium construction
- Semi-custom and custom yacht building
- New build sales and brokerage
- Fleet service and after-sales support
This integrated approach allows CdM to maintain strict quality control and exceptional build standards.
With iconic lines such as Darwin, Flexplorer, RJ, Deep Blue and the new RAW series, the shipyard continues to expand its capabilities while staying true to its core philosophy: building robust, reliable yachts designed to explore the world.
