The biggest yachting news stories of March 2024

Following the events of this month, 2024 is certainly shaping up to be a memorable year for the superyacht crowd. March saw two new flagships unveiled by Azimut and Bering, another delivered by Feadship, and two highly anticipated interior reveals – the iconic 88-metre Maltese Falcon and the upcoming Lürssen delivery, the 122-metre Kismet (ex Project Jag).

BOAT  looks back at a busy month and rounds up everything you might have missed...

1. Feadship crowns new flagship with delivery and christening of project 1010

Feadship crowned a new queen of the fleet this month with the delivery of the 118.8-metre Launchpad, formerly Project 1010. The superyacht, designed by Espen Øino with interiors by French studio Zuretti, features a midnight blue exterior, a main deck swimming pool, a large helipad with a hangar on the upper deck and a distinctive pod-style skylounge enclosed by curved glass. The story was updated shortly after, when Launchpad was spotted in Gibraltar on her maiden voyage.

2. Azimut reveals new 44m flagship with 5 units already sold

Italian shipyard Azimut added a new flagship to its Grande range in the form of a 43.8-metre yacht, which was revealed for the first time at the Palm Beach International Boat Show. Exteriors come from long-time Azimut collaborator Alberto Mancini, while interiors have been helmed by M2 Atelier. Highlights include a completely private 50-square-metre owner's deck with a media room, an infinity pool that creates a "see-through dining area" and a lofty 8.6-metre beam.

3. Interiors of Lürssen's 122m superyacht Kismet (ex Project Jag) revealed

The computer-rendered interiors of Lürssen's 122-metre superyacht Kismet (formerly Project Jag) were revealed by her new central agency for charter, Cecil Wright. The superyacht charters for €3,000,000 per week plus expenses and was commissioned by repeat Lürssen client Shahid Khan, who owns the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars and previously owned the 95.2-metre Lürssen yacht Whisper. Interiors are by Reymond Langton Design, while the exterior has been helmed by Nuvolari Lenard.

4. Fire causes significant damage to 38m Chanson in the Bahamas

The 37.8-metre Delta Marine motor yacht Chanson was seriously damaged by a blaze that broke out while it was docked in Baker's Bay, in the Abaco island chain of the Bahamas. Footage circulating on social media shows multiple fire crews extinguishing the flames of both boats. An official statement is yet to be released, but multiple sources indicate that one individual was injured while working to put out the fire.

5. 85m Lürssen yacht Eye (ex Ace) transformed after multi-year rebuild

The 85-metre Lürssen superyacht Eye (ex Ace) was photographed for the first time in the Port of Gibraltar following a multi-year rebuild that has left her unrecognisable. Details of the rebuild have been kept tightly under wraps, but recent sightings confirm a complete exterior overhaul – including the removal of her trademark superstructure arches and "eye" balconies.

6. Bering Yachts reveals flagship explorer B165 at Dubai International Boat Show

Bering Yachts took the opportunity of the Dubai International Boat Show to reveal its new flagship model, the 49.4-metre B165. Switzerland-based Valentin Design is responsible for the B165's exterior. "The aim was to create a new kind of explorer," explained designer Valentin Weigand. "A true crossover, where usability and practicability combine with an elegant, experience-driven design."

7. New 140m trimaran concept revealed by T. Fotiadis Design and Lateral Naval Architects

Designers Theodoros Fotiadis and Lateral Naval Architects collaborated on a new 140-metre trimaran concept named Spear. The yacht’s innovative, efficiency-optimised design means it would require 20 per cent less propulsion power than a 110-metre monohull at cruise speed, giving it the power demand of a much smaller yacht with around twice the useable GT (at 4650).

8. New interior images of Maltese Falcon released following refit

The newly-refitted interiors of the iconic 88-metre Perini Navi sailing yacht Maltese Falcon were revealed by her central agency for charter, Burgess. One of the world's largest sailing yachts, Maltese Falcon features naval architecture by Dykstra Naval Architects and interior design by Ken Freivokh. She joined the charter market shortly after her full-scale refit at Lusben last year and, among other things, boasts a new cinema room and Japanese-style dining room.

9. 75m superyacht Infinite Jest completes trip to Antarctica following delivery

In August 2023, the 75-metre Infinite Jest left Turquoise Yachts' facility in Turkey for her maiden voyage to the Mediterranean and has since sailed 19,699 nautical miles across five continents. This included a trip to the Antarctic, where she was photographed cruising. "It was at this point that nearly three years of planning and preparation came to fruition. What lay ahead of us was the adventure of a lifetime," said captain Tim Davison.

10. Damen Yachting introduces Xplorer 80 concept at Palm Beach International Boat Show

Palm Beach also saw the reveal of Damen Yachting's  latest 80-metre concept, the Xplorer 80. The shipyard has teamed up with Azure Yacht Design on the exterior, with the yacht carrying signature SeaXplorer trademarks. This includes an open bow, observation lounge and enclosed wheelhouse, while the "Manhattan loft-inspired" interior by London-based studio Harrison Eidsgaard brings "warmth and refinement" to the robust design.