It has been another headline-making year for the yachting industry. From landmark deliveries and ambitious refit projects to seismic shifts in the brokerage market, 2025 kept the sector firmly in the spotlight. Alongside these achievements, a number of tragic incidents also prompted renewed conversations around safety, responsibility and change.
BOAT rounds up 10 of the most-read yacht news stories of 2025...
1. 111m Oceanco superyacht Leviathan owned by Gabe Newell delivered
In November, Dutch shipyard Oceanco delivered the 111-metre superyacht Leviathan to American video game developer Gabe Newell, just three months after his appointment as the new owner of the shipyard. The milestone marked a notable moment for both Oceanco and the wider industry.
The diesel-electric new build is distinguished by its human-centric design philosophy, developed through close collaboration between Newell, the yard and the crew, with the aim of improving operational efficiency and crew wellbeing. Her striking exterior was designed in-house by Oceanco, while naval architecture was completed by the yard and Lateral Naval Architects. Interiors remain tightly under wraps, though they are known to be penned by Mark Berryman.
Read More/Oceanco delivers 111m superyacht Leviathan owned by Gabe Newell2. 119m hydrogen Feadship superyacht Breakthrough sold
In September, Feadship's 118.8-metre Breakthrough, was sold in-house at Edmiston, in what the brokerage firm dubbed "the most significant brokerage deal in history". Following the sale, Breakthrough was withdrawn from the 2025 Monaco Yacht Show, where she had been due to make her official debut and take the title of the largest yacht on display.
Alongside news of the sale, it was also announced that Breakthrough had joined charter market exclusively with Edmiston at €3,500,000 per week. The headline rate makes her the most expensive charter yacht in the world.
Read More/119m hydrogen Feadship superyacht Breakthrough sold3. Salvage of Bayesian begins
In April, the complex salvage operation of one of the world’s most high-profile sailing yachts, Bayesian, began off the coast of Sicily, Italy. Almost a year after her tragic sinking on 19 August 2024, which claimed the lives of seven people including owner Michael Lynch and his daughter Hannah, the 56-metre Perini Navi sailing yacht was raised from the seabed in June.
The operation followed nearly two months of investigations, the deployment of two specialist salvage vessels and extensive underwater works. Investigations by Italian authorities into the cause of the accident remain ongoing, alongside a death inquest currently underway in Ipswich, UK.
Read More/Everything we know about the Bayesian yacht tragedy one year on4. 120m Amels superyacht Project Tanzanite launched
In September, Dutch yard Amels announced the launch of Project Tanzanite, a 120-metre build that now holds the title of the largest Dutch-built motor yacht in history. The 6,083GT full-custom superyacht features exterior design by Espen Øino, with interiors by Nice-based studio Zuretti Design, conceived with a warm, contemporary aesthetic.
The following month, the yacht embarked on sea trials. Amels confirmed that more than 1,000 craftspeople will work on the project over the coming year as she progresses towards her scheduled delivery in 2026.
Read More/120m Amels superyacht Project Tanzanite on sea trials5. Six injured following Loon superyacht tender crash in the Caribbean
On 24 December 2024, an unidentified chase boat owned by a superyacht crashed onto the rocks of Anse des Cayes Bay in St Barths, injuring six American nationals. Less than two weeks later, in January, the 16.2-metre vessel Reel Time was confirmed to belong to the 67.5-metre Icon superyacht Loon.
In March, further developments emerged when two former crew members who were on board at the time filed a negligence complaint, naming Loon’s former captain, Paul Clarke, as the operator of the vessel. The case remains ongoing, with a formal hearing scheduled for October 2026.
Read More/Motion for third crew member to join Loon lawsuit granted6. Signing of America's Cup Partnership signals new era of "mutual governance"
2025 saw several significant developments in the world of the America’s Cup. In October, the competition entered what was widely recognised as a new era of mutual governance, marking a historic moment for the sport.
The agreement represents the first time in the event’s 174-year history that competing teams have aligned under a shared governance and commercial framework to manage the competition more permanently, share economic interests and maximise global engagement. The announcement followed the signing of the protocol for the 38th America’s Cup in August by Defender Team New Zealand and Challenger of Record Athena Racing, which introduced several landmark proposals. Shortly after the October announcement, however, American Magic confirmed it would not participate in the 38th edition.
Read More/Signing of America's Cup Partnership signals new era of "mutual governance"7. Crew member found dead on 43m superyacht in the Bahamas
In July, a crew member was found dead on board the 43.4-metre Richmond superyacht Far From It in the Bahamas. The body of 20-year-old South African stewardess Paige Bell was discovered in the engine room alongside 39-year-old engineer Brigido Munoz, who was subsequently arrested and charged with murder. The tragedy reignited debate around safety and safeguarding in yachting, including renewed attention on a petition calling for mandatory background checks for all crew.
According to new reports, Munoz pleaded not guilty at an arraignment in front of the Supreme Court of the Bahamas. A trial date is expected to be set in January 2026.
Read More/Engineer accused of crew member's murder enters plea8. 114m Lürssen fuel-cell superyacht Project Cosmos launched
In August, the 114.2-metre Lürssen superyacht Project Cosmos was launched from the German shipyard’s facilities in Rendsburg. One of the first yachts in the world to be fitted with fuel-cell technology, the project represents a major step forward in alternative propulsion for large yachts.
Commissioned for a Japanese owner, the yacht is immediately recognisable for her distinctive explorer-style profile by Australian industrial designer Marc Newson, best known in yachting circles for the 139.7-metre Solaris. The yacht was last photographed in December following successful sea trials near Kiel, Germany and remains on track for delivery in 2026.
Read More/114m Lürssen fuel-cell superyacht Project Cosmos approaches delivery following sea trials9. Princess Yachts returns to superyachts with 106 Odyssey
At the Monaco Yacht Show 2025, British shipyard Princess Yachts confirmed its return to the superyacht sector with the unveiling of the 106 Odyssey, the first model in a planned new series of yachts over 30 metres.
Highlights of the 32-metre model include a flexible main deck cockpit and transom, a light-filled upper deck with floor-to-ceiling windows, an optional spa pool and an owner’s suite conceived as a private retreat with a spa-inspired en suite. “Odyssey represents the next significant step for Princess Yachts – a return to building yachts above 100 feet, without losing the elegance of design or characteristic seakeeping that define us,” said CEO Will Green.
Read More/Podcast: Princess Yachts returns to superyachts with 106 Odyssey10. 38m vintage Pusey yacht Acania undergoing full-scale restoration at Delta Marine
Finally, in October, it was revealed that the 38.4-metre classic Pusey motor yacht Acania had entered a full-scale rebuild at Delta Marine's facilities in Seattle, US. At the time of the announcement, the hull was complete and the superstructure was reported to be “95 per cent assembled”.
Originally built in 1929 at Pusey & Jones’ shipyard in Wilmington, Delaware, Acania is a vessel rich in history. Her varied past includes service in the US Navy during World War II, participation in the TIGHAR expedition searching for Amelia Earhart’s aircraft and a period under the ownership of Hollywood actress Constance Bennett. Redelivery is anticipated in 2027.
Read More/38m vintage Pusey yacht Acania undergoing full-scale restoration at Delta Marine