Announced on 18 March 2026, the project will see the Kiel shipyard build a steel hull and aluminum superstructure before delivery to fellow German builder Abeking & Rasmussen for the next stage of the build.
Early details on the Abeking & Rasmussen build
At this stage, details remain limited, but the scale alone makes the project notable. German Naval Yards said it has signed for the hull and superstructure construction of a 100m-plus yacht for Abeking & Rasmussen, one of Germany’s best-known names in bespoke yacht construction.
The structural specification follows a familiar formula for yachts of this size, with a steel hull paired with an aluminum superstructure. Beyond that, no design, layout, or performance details have been disclosed, and the yacht remains unnamed.
Even so, the announcement points to a substantial project for both yards. For German Naval Yards, it adds another major superyacht structure to its current workload. For Abeking & Rasmussen, it signals continued activity at the very top end of the custom build market.
A major build for Kiel
The hull and superstructure will be built at German Naval Yards’ facility in Kiel, where the shipyard has the infrastructure to handle projects on an uncommon scale. The yard is part of the European group CMN Naval and traces its roots back more than 185 years, having emerged from the surface shipbuilding division of HDW.
This endeavor not only highlights the strong collaboration between the two companies but also showcases their capability to successfully deliver complex projects in the global yacht-building industry."
- German Naval Yards
German Naval Yards highlights a 426-meter dry dock - described as the largest in the Baltic Sea region - as well as a 900-ton gantry crane. In practical terms, that gives the yard the capacity required for very large hull sections and technically demanding motor yacht construction work.
Parallel construction at the Kiel facility
This new contract arrives while German Naval Yards is also progressing work on the 114-meter Project ELF, currently under construction in the covered dock at Kiel. The yard signed an agreement to complete the yacht in October 2025, and the project has since become the clearest sign of German Naval Yards’ return to large-yacht work.
That yacht, according to the material provided, features exterior design by Andy Waugh Yacht Design in collaboration with Pindaros, with interiors by Pindaros alongside Laurent Champeau. Planned features include a 20-meter swimming pool with a hydraulically raised section to create additional deck space, broad exterior decks, a central spiral staircase through the guest areas, and a large owner’s suite. Accommodation is arranged for 18 guests and 39 crew.
A new entry in A&R’s large-yacht lineup
The new yacht’s final dimensions have not been disclosed, but its 100m-plus size places it in rare company within Abeking & Rasmussen’s superyacht fleet. The benchmark in that conversation is Liva, which at 118.2 meters remains the shipyard’s current flagship.
Alongside its flagship Liva O, Abeking & Rasmussen’s custom fleet includes several notable large yachts across different size brackets. Aviva, delivered in 2017, measures 98.4m and is known for her padel court and 4,999GT gross tonnage, positioning her as 49th in the YachtBuyer YB100. The 79.95m Excellence, delivered in 2019, stands out for her reverse “eagle bow,” extensive glass structure, and Winch Design styling. The 60m Dream, originally delivered in 2001 and extensively refitted in 2023, adds further depth to the yard’s long-running custom yacht portfolio.
Dream is listed for sale on YachtBuyer and is currently asking €33,900,000.
There is still much that has not been said about this new 100m-plus project, and for now the story is defined by scale, contract scope, and shipyard positioning rather than design detail. But even in that early form, the announcement carries weight, particularly given German Naval Yards’ track record on complex builds such as Sailing Yacht A.
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