The exceptional appearance has given YachtBuyer an opportunity to photograph one of the world’s most private yachts in unprecedented detail. Exclusive drone imagery captured by Julien Hubert reveals Al Said from angles rarely, if ever, previously seen, providing what is believed to be the most comprehensive aerial coverage of the yacht since she left the Lürssen shipyard nearly two decades ago.
According to YachtBuyer Intelligence historic AIS data, which extends back to 2011, there is no previous recorded visit by Al Said to French waters. A wider review of publicly available historical records likewise reveals no evidence of an earlier French appearance, making this her first known visit to the country.
Commissioned by the late Sultan Qaboos bin Said in 2006 under the codename Project Sunflower, Al Said was built by German shipyard Lürssen and delivered in 2008 as the flagship of the Omani Royal Yacht Squadron. Following Sultan Qaboos' death in 2020, ownership passed to Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, with the yacht continuing to serve as one of Oman's most important state assets.
At 15,850GT, Al Said ranks second in the YachtBuyer YB100, trailing only the 15,917GT Lürssen Dilbar by just 67GT.
At 15,850GT, Al Said ranks second in the YachtBuyer YB100, trailing only the 15,917GT Lürssen Dilbar by just 67GT. While many World's Largest Yacht rankings are based purely on Length Overall, the YachtBuyer YB100 measures yachts by Gross Tonnage (GT) - the internationally recognised measure of enclosed internal volume and a far more accurate reflection of a yacht's true size. The result is a different perspective on the world's largest yachts, where beam, volume and usable interior space matter just as much as overall length.
To see how the world's two largest yachts by volume compare side by side, explore YachtBuyer's interactive Al Said vs Dilbar comparison, featuring dimensions, Gross Tonnage, performance and engineering specifications. Al Said vs Dilbar comparison
Designed by Espen Øino with interiors by RWD, Al Said combines royal luxury with engineering on an extraordinary scale. Built with a steel hull and aluminium superstructure, she is powered by twin MTU 20V 8000 M70 diesel engines producing more than 22,000 horsepower, enabling a top speed of 22 knots and a transoceanic range of approximately 7,700 nautical miles. An advanced waste heat recovery system recycles energy from the engines to generate freshwater, an innovative feature that enhances self-sufficiency during extended voyages.
Her immense internal volume accommodates up to 70 guests in 26 cabins, supported by a crew of 174. While relatively little has ever been revealed about her interior, Al Said is renowned for a dedicated concert hall capable of hosting a 50-piece orchestra, a 50-seat cinema and a fully equipped medical complex that reportedly includes treatment rooms, a dental surgery and even an operating theatre. Together with a helipad and extensive support facilities, the motor yacht was designed to operate as a self-sufficient floating royal residence capable of spending prolonged periods away from port.
Unlike many of the world's largest superyachts, which spend each summer cruising between Monaco, Antibes, Cannes and St Tropez, Al Said has historically remained close to Oman, spending much of her time around Muscat and the Arabian Gulf. YachtBuyer Intelligence records previous appearances in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Qatar, the Maldives, Singapore, Barcelona and Croatia, but no earlier recorded visit to France.
Her usual operating area has also contributed to the rarity of quality photography. Strict airspace controls around Muscat have made drone operations exceptionally difficult, leaving Al Said one of the least photographed yachts in her class despite ranking among the largest private vessels ever built.
Among the never-before-seen details revealed by YachtBuyer's exclusive drone photography is Al Said's custom-built wooden limousine tender, captured as it is carefully lowered into the water from the yacht's starboard aft tender garage. The rare images offer an exceptional glimpse of one of the royal yacht's most closely guarded features, seldom seen outside Oman.
Her arrival in France therefore represents far more than another Mediterranean port call. It provides an exceptionally rare opportunity to document one of the world's most secretive and technically impressive superyachts, offering a closer look at a vessel that has remained largely out of public view throughout her 18-year history.
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