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The 7 superyacht concepts that got everyone talking in 2024

12 December 2024 • Written by Milly Robinson

What defines the limit in superyacht design? For these designers, 2024 marked a year of boundary-breaking, thinking far beyond convention and leaving the ordinary behind. And they’re doing it with submersible designs, "post-industrial" structures and all-electric architectures. BOAT explores what made this year's most remarkable entries stand out...

1. Project Armand

Length: 85m
Designer: Officina Armare
Standout feature: "Man cave" located on the lower deck

At the start of the year, Officina Armare revealed its 85-metre concept known as Project Armand. With a low-profile exterior inspired by automobiles, the standout feature of this design is the "man cave" found on the lower deck. If built, the space would include a lounge, diving station and a "floating" garage. Project Armand's "groundbreaking innovations" would also feature a two-story owner’s penthouse, a main saloon designed with a glass concave structure and an extendable helipad on the bow. Her proposal focuses on capturing "the essence of a personal island".

2. Migaloo M5

Length: 166m
Designer: Migaloo PSY
Standout feature: Able to operate underwater for four weeks

Stemming from the drawing boards of Migaloo PSY (Private Submersible Yachts) comes Migaloo M5, a 165.8-metre submersible superyacht. Believing in the future of "submersibles" as a new category of private design, Migaloo M5 is intended to be able to function underwater for approximately four weeks. Her proposal includes a 200-square-metre spa, an outdoor cinema and a helipad. Two "Midget Submarines" would also be on hand for deep sea exploration, while a 12.5-metre limousine tender and two expedition vehicles would facilitate adventures on the surface.

3. Dunes

Length: 80m
Designer: Touch Studio, Oceanco
Standout feature: An "entirely openable" beach area

Dunes draws her sinuous exterior from the Parque Nacional dos Lençóis Maranhenses in Brazil, "a hidden gem where the interplay of sand and water creates an exceptional natural landscape". She belongs to Oceanco's Simply Custom range and would feature stern terraces that create an "entirely openable" beach area. Taking a "holistic approach" to her design, the interior styling will include a suite of warm colours and turquoise tones, inspired by the sand and the sea. If built, the shipyard promises a yacht which will "harness the latest innovations into our technical foundation".

4. Xplorer 80

Length: 80m
Builder: Damen Yachting, Azure Yacht Design, Harrison Eidsgaard
Standout feature: Capable of up to 40 days of self-autonomy at sea

At this year’s Palm Beach International Boat Show, Damen Yachting unveiled the Xplorer 80, a project designed to "suit any extreme environment or refined landscape". The yacht will be capable of up to 40 days of self-autonomy at sea and has a "home-from-home" interior to match. Xplorer 80's exterior proposal features a bridge wing which doubles as a viewing room, a 30-metre-high crows nest and a signature open bow. Renderings also reveal a gym, wellness set-up and dive centre on board.

5. C

Length: 75m
Designer: Feadship, Studio de Voogt
Standout feature: Infinity-edge hexagonal pools

The 2024 Monaco Yacht Show saw the reveal of Feadship’s 75-metre fuel-cell yacht concept, C. Taking her design inspiration from a diamond, and how its facets reflect and magnify light, C would use glazing to "draw light deep into the yacht’s interior". The project would also draw 100 per cent of its power needs from fuel cells directly running on methanol and complimented by lithium-metal batteries. Key "innovations" include a beach club with sea-level dining and a crow’s nest rising from a private observation deck. Most striking is the main deck, which features a pair of infinity-edge hexagonal pools, fitted with various seating areas of the same angular shapes.

6. Project Maverick

Length: 60m
Designer: Dixon Yacht Design, Lateral Naval Architects
Standout feature: All-electric design

The lynchpin of Project Maverick’s design is her all-electric energy architecture. Intended to harness solar power through a 200-square-metre array, regenerate kinetic energy while sailing and rely on an Energy Storage System to manage onboard loads, her brief is no easy feat. The sailing yacht is penned to suit "clients who are bold and willing to explore unchartered waters". She will be built in partially recycled aluminium, with a main saloon complete with side decks intended to reduce solar heat gain.

7. Anthos

Length: 150m
Designer: Oceanco, Mario Biferali
Standout feature: First "post-industrial" Nacht design

Anthos’ proposal focuses on uniting the separate worlds of commercial shipping and luxury yachting. This conversion project marks the first in a collection of "post-industrial" designs known as Nacht. Her exterior profile is unmistakable, characterised by an extended main deck, sharp lines and a "tower" structure dedicated to a three-floor owner's apartment. Other key features include "super-VIP suites", a helideck and a raised swimming pool.