Heesen Yachts in the Netherlands makes so much news about yachts starting construction, being sold and having owners take delivery, it can be hard to keep up.
The shipyard’s announcements this year began back in January with the delivery of the 180-foot Iris Blue. Just one month later, in February, the yard announced the sale of the 164-foot Project Jade. In April, the 164-foot Cinderella Noel IV was delivered to its owners, followed in June by delivery of the 164-foot ALP. One month after that, in July, Heesen announced the sale of the 180-foot Project Venus, about a week before the joining of the hull and superstructure on the 164-foot Project Sophia. Then the 180-foot Project Agnetha was announced for sale in late July, the same month that Heesen announced the naming of the 187-foot Santosha (formerly Project Akira), which was on track for delivery before the end of this year. In August, Heesen launched the 180-foot Serena, with delivery expected to take place to the owners this month.
And the year’s not even over yet.
“There is no other shipyard in the world where you can sign for a yacht in June and they deliver in 10 months a high-quality yacht customized to our needs,” says Rupert Connor from Luxury Yachts, which represents the owner of Project Venus. “Their revised 55-meter platform offers a best-in-class layout and engineering platform. Our whole build support team is thrilled to be working with Heesen again.”
The trick is in Heesen’s ability to offer not just fully custom builds, but also semi-custom designs that the shipyard starts building on spec and then usually sells to the owners with enough time left to customize interiors, in particular. Peter Wilson, the owner’s representative on Santosha, also is a return collaborator with the shipyard for that and other reasons. “Collectively, we have been working as a cohesive team, with each party doing their utmost to achieve a world-class superyacht—one that is distinct from her peers,” Wilson says. “This was our second project with Heesen, and we look forward to many more in the future.”
The earlier that owners commit to a project, of course, the more expansive their customization requests can be. On Serena, which began construction in spring 2022 and should be delivered this month, the owners got involved early enough that the bar areas on the main deck and in the sky lounge could be outfitted in bronze. The atrium was redesigned to span three decks and then adorned with hand-blown glass and hand-sculpted metal light fixtures by John Pomp. In other areas, the interior was filled with light woods in velvet finishes, smoked eucalyptus, bronze metal accents, soft fabrics and leather. Amazonite marble inlays added elegant, colorful accents, while chevron-patterned wood panels enhanced the vertical surfaces in the atrium and lobbies.
And again, it was not the first project for an owner’s representative working with Heesen. In this case, according to Richard Kaye of Arcon Yachts Monaco: “Following the successful delivery of Reliance in 2023, Serena marks the second yacht in Heesen’s 55 class that we have had the pleasure to sell and project-manage. We are delighted to continue our close partnership with Heesen Yachts, fellow experts in the superyacht industry.”
By many accounts, the yard’s formula is winning fans for all the intended reasons. As Kaye puts it: “Serena is special within the boundaries of building a superyacht on a proven platform, offering a personal touch while benefiting from a reliable base.”
New Chief Commercial Officer
After 16 years with Heesen Yachts overseeing the sales of custom and semi-custom builds, Mark Cavendish is retiring. Heesen’s new chief commercial officer is Ruud van der Stroom, who most recently worked at Keppel Offshore and Marine and the Damen Shipyards Group. Earlier in his career, he trained as a Dutch Royal Navy officer and studied naval architecture.
Increasing Middle East Demand
Heesen Yachts recently welcomed Hisham Abushakra as the shipyard’s agent for the Middle East. The yard says the region has a thriving community of high-net-worth individuals who are showing increasing demand for premium yachts. “Heesen Yachts is committed to establishing a strong presence catering to their specific needs and preferences,” the shipyard announced.
