105m Oceanco superyacht H3 begins sea trials

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The biggest yachting news stories of May 2023

1 June 2023

From the biggest brokerage sale in history to the winners of this year's World Superyacht Awards, the month of May saw plenty of attention-grabbing yachting news stories. Catch up on all of BOAT International's most-read articles below...

1. Lürssen Ahpo sold in three months and renamed Lady Jorgia

Credit: Guillaume Plisson

In May, Moran Yacht & Ship concluded the sale of Lürssen's 115-metre superyacht Ahpo in what is understood to be the biggest brokerage deal in history. The Nuvolari Lenard-designed superyacht was one of the biggest launches of last year and sold in just three months. Ahpo was asking €330,000,000 and has now been renamed Lady Jorgia.

2. The winners of the World Superyacht Awards 2023

The winners of the 2023 World Superyacht Awards were revealed in a lavish ceremony at the Mandarin Oriental in Istanbul, Turkey this past month. This year, the judges panel handed out nearly 20 prizes including the coveted Motor Yacht of the Year and the prestigious Voyager's Award. Find out which yachts scooped up this year's coveted Neptunes in a celebration of the world's most outstanding superyachts...

3. 110m superyacht Kaos arrives in London

Credit: BOAT International

The 110-metre Oceanco superyacht Kaos was spotted on the Thames in London after a nearly 4,000-nautical-mile transatlantic passage from Miami. Her instantly recognisable metallic blue exterior is the work of Barcelona-based designer Lobanov Design, who used faux decks to give the impression of a taller vessel. Following a 2020 refit by Lürssen, Kaos' AIS signal suggests she may be returning to the German yard for further refit or maintenance work.

4. 90m Lürssen superyacht Norn delivered

Credit: Carl Groll/Lürssen

Lürssen's 90-metre superyacht Norn, formerly known as Project 1601, set off on her maiden journey towards Norway following her delivery, according to BOATPro's exclusive AIS function. The yacht was commissioned by experienced owners who previously collaborated with design legend Espen Øino on a previous 70-metre Lürssen. Exterior design features include a reverse bow, narrow rectangular windows and greenhouse-style glazing on the upper deck. Interior design, meanwhile, comes courtesy of Dölker + Voges.

5. Vanquish Yachts launches first 35m VQ115 Veloce

Vanquish Yachts celebrated the launch of its flagship 35-metre VQ115 Veloce, which hit the water on 15 May. The high-performance motor yacht features three MTU Rolls Royce 2,650hp engines and an efficient Petestep hull design from Studio Delta, making the VQ115 one of the fastest aluminium yachts on the water with a top speed in excess of 40 knots. A sporty exterior by Guido de Groot features a contemporary hull and integrated flybridge, whereas the yacht's interior has been described as "futuristic" with a "casual groove" by the shipyard.

6. New shipyard Leapher Yachts enters the market with 61m in-build explorer

A new shipyard called Leapher Yachts announced it has commenced operation with the introduction of three custom expedition yachts, including a 60.5-metre project codenamed Lazarus. The yacht recently underwent its keel-laying ceremony and is on track for delivery to her owner in October 2025. The other two models include a 48-metre and a 60-metre explorer, all of which will be built at the yard's Tolkamer facility in the Netherlands.

7. 105m Oceanco superyacht H3 begins sea trials

The 105-metre Oceanco superyacht H3 was spotted undergoing sea trials in the North Sea this month, following a full-scale rebuild at her home shipyard in January. Originally delivered in 2000, the Dutch yacht emerged sporting a brand new superstructure and a reimagined interior from Reymond Langton. The shipyard said it hoped H3 would inspire similar rebuild projects as a more "eco-conscious approach" to yacht-building.

8. Feadship launches 27m Catch following 10-month refit

Originally delivered in 1984, Feadship's 26.6-metre sportfisher Catch had returned to her home shipyard last year where she underwent a ten-month "no expense spared" winter refit. The classic yacht emerged in May with a full repaint, new teak decks and various technical upgrades. Additional interior updates saw the addition of a new crew cabin, which was made available by reconfiguring the yacht's internal layout.

9. IYC sells trio of 70m Admiral superyachts in record deal

In another record-breaking news story, The Italian Sea Group (TISG) and IYC announced that three new 70-metre GC-Force superyachts had been sold at the same time to a single family. The milestone also represents the sale of "the first Admiral GC-Force fleet", which was designed by TISG's in-house studio Centro Stile, featuring smooth lines, expansive deck spaces and large amounts of glass. Delivery of the three yachts will take place in consecutive years beginning in 2026.

10. Damen Yachting launches first YS 53 support vessel for legendary sportfisherman

Finally, the month of May saw Dutch yard Damen Yachting launch the first unit in its new support vessel YS 53 series for legendary sportfisherman Anthony Hsieh. Now christened Bad Company Support, the 53-metre support vessel was rolled out of the yard's Antalya facility in Turkey as part of an exclusive ceremony attended by Hsieh and members of the BOAT International team.