Sunseeker is pushing ahead into metal-built superyacht production by launching an in-house superyacht division at the Monaco Yacht Show.
The British yard has teamed up with Pendennis and Icon Yachts to build a new range of metal-built superyachts ranging from 30.7 metres to 49 metres.
The 40 metre 133 Yacht, which was unveiled earlier this month at the Cannes Yachting Festival, will be built at Pendennis. The 49 metre 161 flagship meanwhile will be built at Icon in a partnership announced last year.
The move is part of major expansion plans spearheaded by new chief executive Andrea Frabetti, which will see the yard double its range to a total of 22 models by 2022.
The launch of the superyacht division has been motivated in part to Sunseeker losing customers on the hunt for larger, metal built superyachts.
Speaking at the Monaco Yacht Show, global sales director Sean Robertson, said: “Beyond the 30 metre mark, we’ve been losing clients. We’ve not been able to keep Sunseeker clients in the Sunseeker family. We’ve come to a stop and we have to move forward.”
Speaking at the Monaco Yacht Show last year, Robertson explained the ambition behind the 161 Yacht, revealing it was born from the company’s desire to “build large vessels for some time.”
“A move into metal means there is no ceiling as to how big we can go in the future, but obviously this requires different expertise and so it was essential to find the right partner to support the project,” he added.