Latest news with #Feadship


Daily Mail
13 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Not a latte room for error! £150million superyacht owned by ex-Starbucks CEO squeezes through Dutch canal with inches to spare
A luxury £150 million superyacht owned by the former Starbucks CEO has been spotted squeezing through a narrow Dutch canal with just inches to spare. Jaw-dropping images show billionaire Howard Schultz's 254-foot vessel nearly scraping the land as it sailed through Woubrugge in the Netherlands this morning. The huge ship, named Pi, boasts a range of over 4,500 nautical miles and onboard spa facilities, including a glass-bottomed swimming pool. It also features its own helicopter landing pad as well as a beach club, jacuzzi, and spacious custom interiors. Pi ranks as the 183rd biggest yacht in the world and can accommodate up to 12 guests in six cabins and a crew of 18 people. Built by Dutch boat builder Feadship, the boat was delivered to Schultz at the 2019 Monaco Yacht Show, where it won Best Yacht in Its Class and Motor Yacht of the Year. It is the 21st largest vessel the company has ever made and is 254 feet long and 37 feet wide. Crew members dressed in blue uniform stood on the canal edge to guide the ship smoothly through and prevent it from bumping the side The vessel is powered by MTU engines, which make it capable of speeds up to 18 knots. The Woubrugsebrug, the bridge which spans over the canal in Woubrugge, was open for around 40 minutes to let Pi pass through on Wednesday morning, according to Studio Alphen. It was reportedly heading for Alphen aan den Rijn, a city in the western Netherlands. Pi could be seen towering over the local homes as it cruised along the water accompanied by two support vessels located at either end of the yacht. Crew members dressed in blue uniform stood on the canal edge to guide the ship smoothly through and prevent it from bumping the side. Schultz, 71, made most of his billion-dollar fortune thanks to Starbucks. He is ranked by Forbes as the 209th richest person in the world, with a net worth of £3.68bn. The businessman bought the coffee chain in the 1980s. He is credited as Starbucks' founder despite the company being started in 1971 by Jerry Baldwin, Zev Siegl, and Gordon Bowker at Seattle's Pike Place Market. Back then, Starbucks was merely a coffee bean store but it became a full-fledged cafe after Schultz became involved. Later he transformed it into the international coffee shop brand. He served as the chief executive officer from 1986 to 2000 and returned during the financial crisis of 2007-08. It comes after Pi was spotted entering Cornwall's Falmouth harbour before moving to Pendennis Shipyard under go work in 2022. Pendennis Shipyard is one of the world's leading superyacht refit and custom build facilities. The site employs over 450 skilled tradespeople and has completed more than 300 refit projects and 30 custom-made build projects on some of the most iconic yachts in the world.


The Sun
15 hours ago
- Business
- The Sun
Plush £150m superyacht laden with luxuries like jacuzzi & helipad owned by ex-Starbucks CEO sails through Dutch canal
A LUXURY superyacht owned by the US billionaire who transformed Starbucks into a global brand has been spotted sailing through a murky Dutch canal. Howard Schultz's 254-foot vessel, named Pi, boasts a range of over 4,500 nautical miles and onboard spa facilities, including a glass-bottomed swimming pool. 9 9 9 The huge yacht, believed to be worth $200m (£150m), can accommodate up to 12 guests in six cabins and a crew of 18 people. At a staggering 254 feet long and 37 feet wide, Pi ranks as the 183rd biggest yacht in the world, according to Wikipedia's latest list of motor yachts by length. The vessel is powered by MTU engines, which make it capable of speeds up to 18 knots. It features its own helicopter landing pad as well as various onboard luxury spa facilities. Built by Dutch boat builder Feadship, it was delivered to Schultz at the 2019 Monaco Yacht Show, where it won Best Yacht in Its Class and Motor Yacht of the Year. Schultz's net worth surpasses $6b (£4.5b), according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. He built the bulk of his fortune as the CEO of Starbucks, initially leading the company from 1986 to 2000. Under Schultz, Starbucks grew from a small Seattle-based chain into a global coffee empire. Schultz returned to the helm during the 2007–2008 financial crisis, after the company faced major store closures in a bid to cut costs. He remained CEO until 2017, then returned briefly as interim CEO from 2022 to 2023. 9 9 9 It comes as the superyacht was spotted in Cornwall's Falmouth harbour in May 2022. Meanwhile, the luxury Four Seasons hotel franchise recently announced its plans to launch a superyacht cruise ship, dubbed the Four Seasons. The superyacht promises to be decked with "sea limousines", luxury restaurants, a cigar room and even a four-story private penthouse suite. Set to launch in January 2026, the 'sea hotel' will sail on over 30 voyages in its first year, cruising through the Bahamas, Caribbean, and Mediterranean. Seven nights along the rivieras of Cassis, France and Portofino, Italy, for example, will cost north of $25,000 (£18,500). While reservations for the first voyages opened in January 2024, they are on an invitation-only basis for loyal Four Seasons guests. The exclusivity is "driven by the need to manage extraordinary demand", according to the luxury hotel franchise. 9 9 9


Forbes
20-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Feadship Unveils Two More Superyachts
Feadship Project Valor is launched It's no surprise that superyachts measuring from 262-feet to well over 300-feet long take thousands of skilled workers years to design and build. You know what is surprising? The fact that Feadship has unveiled three new superyachts (with a combined length of over 700 feet) in nearly as many weeks this spring. The 235-foot-long Project 827 was announced first. But that was only the beginning. Feadship's latest launch is an explorer yacht featuring a distinctive bow and paint scheme. Previously known as Project 715, the just launched Valor features styling that was requested by a repeat American owner and includes a battleship's distinctive dreadnaught bow and a modern guided missile frigate's silhouette along with the requisite amount of luxury you'd expect of yacht of this size. Such a bold exterior look is the result of designer Chris Bottoms at Studio De Voogt listening to the owner's ideas. 'The owner requested something that 'would be recognizable from outer space' as a unique design and eschewed the both the wedding cake and common curvaceous designs found on so many yachts,' Bottoms said. I say, 'mission accomplished.' The new Feadship Valor has a luxury warship vibe. Meanwhile, the Bannenberg & Rowell Design interior is elegant featuring highest quality wood, metal, glass and stonework. The interior also features a mix of vintage, mid-century and custom new furnishings from the some of the worlds most best furniture builders including George Nakashima, Linley, Pollaro, and Silver Lining. Linley made the bespoke billet titanium directors chairs for some of the exterior dining spaces. The interior stone was personally selected in Italy. Even the main salon features unique, American-made McIntosh stereo equipment, including one of their famous record players with a selection of reference albums. The owners' deck has a forward-facing stateroom offering views out over the helideck, al fresco lounging with a private hot tub, a large ensuite dressing room, and an office. The owners deck also has a sky lounge and a large formal dining area. Feadship Project 824 emerges from the shed Accommodations are for fourteen including the owner's suite. There are six guest suites on the main deck, along with the main lounge, covered outdoor dining and the spacious deck surrounding the large pool heated with latent and recycled energy. The beach club features oversized doors that fold down to the water and provide easy access to the water toys, exercise equipment and dive gear. Meanwhile, the hybrid-diesel-electric propulsion system developed through the Feadship Advanced Electrical Drive (FAED) program is state of the art. Instead of main engines and auxiliary generators, the yacht draws propulsion energy and power for her household systems from four variable speed, ultra-efficient generators linked to a DC power grid and a water-cooled 5.34-megawatt hour lithium-ion battery bank. A high efficiency solar cell array on the mast augments this highly efficient system with extra carbon-free energy. Valor can operate for up to 48 hours on battery power alone, with a zero-carbon footprint and ultra quiet operation, allows visits to sensitive marine areas in zero emission mode. Valor will also be trialed using Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil BioFuel (HVO), that's reported to be able to reduce carbon emissions by up to 90 per cent. Feadship Project 824 dwarfs the surrounding boats near the Feadship facility in Kaag Valor is now in the final stages of outfitting, will soon begin sea trials and will attend the Monaco Yacht Show in 2025 in September. The other yacht to emerge from a large shed at Feadship's Kaag location is simply called Project 824. And while information is limited, I can say the exterior was designed by Jamsen. The interior was designed by Liaigre. And oh yeah, it's 328-feet-long. Watch this space.


Forbes
01-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Newest Feadship Superyacht Unveiled
Newest Feadship emerges from its build shed in Holland With new superyachts of staggering sizes emerging from shipyards all over the world this spring, you might think it would be easy to say 'Ho hum, just another superyacht launch.' Well, as one of the lucky few who's been able to visit many of the most respected superyacht shipyards in the world (who's also been granted a glimpse of just how many gifted artists, craftsman, designers, naval architects, welders, electronics and computer experts, furniture makers, carpenters, propulsion and propeller experts, sound and light engineers, and a myriad of other highly talented people working together like a 3-dimensional symphony of shipbuilding for up to four years it takes to build a superyacht like the one that just emerged from a Feadship build shed in Holland), I'm here to say… 'No superyacht launch is ever 'just another superyacht launch!'' The new Feadship Project 827 just before she emerges from her build shed. In my opinion, every new superyacht launched not only occupies the absolute pinnacle of luxury. In many cases, they're also the largest, custom-built, one-of-a-kind, and yes…most expensive products (that entire villages of highly skilled craftspeople build by hand) humans can buy. They're mobile private islands of awesome. They're the ultimate flex. And they are ultimate family escape craft too. So, without further ado, may I introduce you to the newest 235-foot-long Feadship superyacht that's simply called Project 827? According to the specs, the exterior design and styling featuring clean lines and perfect proportions by is Studio De Voogt. It has five decks of living space and generous interior spaces that feature gobs of floor-to-ceiling glass, angelic natural light, and community spaces that are conducive to chilling. A dedicated owner's deck offers a panoramic and secluded master stateroom with wrap-around glass, direct access to a private breakfast area, and my personal favorite—a hot tub. This secluded level is made possible by the raised pilothouse. TaDa! The new Feadship Project 827 sees the sun for the first time. On the main deck aft, the saloon is wraped in floor-to-celling glass, and opens onto an large aft deck area with a 23-foot-long pool and lots of comfortable places to lounge in the sun. The guest accommodation areas are located on the main deck too. Four staterooms and two VIP suites offer flexible comfort, with the VIPs able to combine into a full-beam suite. Beneath the aft deck, a wellness space sits just steps from the swim platform and is easily accessible to everyone on board. Richard Lambert, Senior Partner at Burgess says, 'It has been a pleasure to have worked hand in hand with the owner and Feadship for Project 827; our close collaboration has resulted in a contemporary, elegant design with an impressive volume.' Meanwhile, Project 827's propulsion is driven by a next-generation diesel-electric system that shows Feadship continues to innovate hybrid propulsion systems that combine IMO Tier III-compliant generators with electric thrusters to create cruising experience that's quieter, cleaner, and engineered to support future sustainable energy solutions. All I have to say is…congratulations to everyone involved! And I can't wait to see Project 827 in the wild (with a new name of course) when the lucky new owner takes delivery.


Forbes
21-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
In Yacht Shows, Is Palm Beach The New Monaco? That Depends.
Let's be clear. The Monaco Yacht Show has always been in a class by itself. It is a nonesuch destination reigning as the undisputed leader in all things luxury. In light of this question posed ahead of the Palm Beach International Boat Show, or PBIBS, is Palm Beach the New Monaco? The recent environment suggests the center may be shifting, with wealth and power finding Palm Beach an appealing alternative. So, a month after all the boat horns sounded to signal the show closure in Palm Beach, how did it measure up to Monaco? It depends on who one asks and what objectives are considered. The 43rd edition of the Palm Beach International Boat Show, PBIBS, officially took place from March 21-24, spanning five days, up from the usual three, for the first time. The show featured more than 200 superyachts over 80 feet, 45 of which exceeded 150 feet. In all, there were 1,000 boats on display, with 80 debut yachts. The 33rd edition of the Monaco Yacht Show, presented from September 25-28, 2024, featured 117 superyachts on display, 81 of which were debuts. An additional 53 sat at anchor in the bay. At the time of writing of this article, Informa claimed more than 60,000 attendees at the Palm Beach show this year, exceeding 2024's tally of 55,000 visitors. Attendance at the Monaco Yacht Show in 2024 was 29,197. Both shows indicate qualified attendees serious about a charter or yacht purchase. The Palm Beach show was compact and easy to navigate. By contrast, Monaco's expanse around the port seemed more spread out. Palm Beach? It was just easy. Clearly mapped. Easily navigated. Well maintained. And parking? Generally easier than other shows. Traffic, however, still tries one's patience, but is not as lengthy a delay as some of the shows. This year, Palm Beach featured innovations and reveals that proved big news. Like Sanlorenzo's announcement that it doubled its revenue in the past five years while acquiring sailing giant Nautor Swan, with a new 137-foot alloy Swan sailing yacht in the works alongside acquisition of Simpson Marine. And like the Benetti's 280-foot Espen Øino and Zuretti Project Life built on spec with a 2025 build start and 2030 delivery. And like Baglietto's world premiere of Daybreak, a 170-foot spatial magician for its size, with impressive 'Made in Italy' luxury details. Denison Yachting announced partnerships with Northern Jet, set to dovetail with an automotive group, perhaps Holman Motors, for a seamless, full-service experience for charter clients. Feadship emphasized continued advances in sustainable luxury on board superyachts, advancing the efficiency and use of electric drives, biofuels, and hydrogen propulsion, along with highly sustainable interior materials, providing insight, solutions, and options across the marine industry. Tankoa's 52-meter S520 unveiling, and Sunreef's new Las Olas office Ft. Lauderdale just brush the surface of yachting sector news. Comparing the locations of the two shows, which is best? Monaco's extraordinary architecture and lush environments with impressive histories are legendary. There are 16 Michelin Star dining establishments in Monaco, with the three-star Le Louis XV - Alain Ducasse à l'Hôtel de Paris leading the pack. Palm Beach is no architectural slouch, however, with its array of mansions on Palm Beach's exclusive island, surrounded by expansive, impeccably tended landscapes and artistic displays. The unique Flagler style can be seen throughout the region. On the dining scene, Palm Beach in its first year review by the Michelin Guide earned one star for Konro, in a field of nine total nods from the judges. Monaco is graced with many hotel choices, all with exclusive rates pushing $3000 per night with a four night minimum, but with every possible luxurious amenity a prospective yacht buyer could dream up. Palm Beach lists eight luxury hotels, one of which includes a boutique hotel within the iconic Breakers, offering 21 rooms and suites within the confines of the main hotel, which harks back to 1896. Both Monaco and Palm Beach understand what their guests seek in terms of posh digs and attentive service, and guests will want for nothing. Shopping is often a criterion for those seeking superyachts, so it stands to reason that it is a consideration in comparison. Monaco has haute shops in spades, with globally acclaimed designers and exclusive boutiques tucked into every niche. From Metropole and Fontvieille to Marché de la Condamine, it is a challenge to name an important designer without a presence or to find a luxury item not available here. Palm Beach, Florida, USA at Worth Ave. getty Palm Beach, however, has its own designer enclaves dotting Worth Avenue and in The Royal Poinciana Plaza. Kassatly's, Worth Avenue's oldest shop dating back to the 1920s, carries fine linens, luxurious sleepwear, and a cache of cashmere, situated among additional boutiques that rival in their niches. Boats may be the focus here, but other pursuits contribute to making both trips exciting. Monaco's cultural and entertainment menu is diverse, ranging from gaming at the Casino de Monte-Carlo, dancing at Nikki Beach or Jimmy'z, peeking at the Place du Palais, a bit of whale watching, a menagerie of museums, and a little jazz and a Condamine Champagne Cocktail at Le Bar Américain. Palm Beach is a little more casual but offers an eclectic menu. Options include brunch and a sporting match at the National Polo Center, golf at The Ocean Course at The Breakers or Niklaus Bear's Club, a show at Kravis Center, or jumping and equitation events at the Wellington International Equestrian Center. Both locations have lovely beaches. Palm Beach has lovely blue water along the Atlantic coast. Informa states that PBIBS has historically delivered a more than $1.05 billion economic impact to the Palm Beach region. MIAPBC Executive Director Alyssa Freeman stated, 'This year's record-breaking success has driven unprecedented revenue for local businesses, while also generating crucial funding for local nonprofits that strengthen the boating industry.' What hangs in the balance are the actual sales numbers attributed to the show, along with other more subjective stats like which show has the best array of yachts, or which offers the greatest value for exhibitors or buyers, not to mention which is more enjoyable or easier to navigate. The question remains, and the debate is far from over. As both shows continue to refine and improve, both are worth the journey. The 2025 Monaco Yacht Show is scheduled for September 24-27. The Palm Beach International Boat Show will be held March 25-29, 2026. See you there!