The construction of a luxury sea vessel unlike any other is currently underway in Norway. Billed as the worldโs largest superyacht with an impressive length of 728 feet (222 metres), as well as being the worldโs first โyacht linerโ, Somnio is due to set sail in 2024.
Derived from the Latin phrase for โto dreamโ, Somnio has been conceptualised by UKโs Winch Design alongside Swedenโs Tillberg Design; while the build is being handled by Norwegian outfit VARD with the support of its renowned Italian parent company, Fincantieri, as we speak. With a reported cost of approximately US$600 million (AU$797 million), whatโs even more groundbreaking/borderline dystopic than the notion of both the worldโs largest superyacht / first yacht liner is the ongoing ambitions to establish a โhyper-exclusive oceanfront communityโ thatโs only accessible by โinvitation or referral only.โ
Yes. thatโs right. Unless a Bezos, Buffett, or Musk decides to cop this ambitious 33,500 GT bad boy wholesale โ the former having just stepped down from his post as Amazon CEO for retirement (convenient) โ Somnio will be owned by several wealthy elites who only want to socialise with their own kind.
RELATED: Jeff Bezosโ New Superyacht Needs Its Own Support Yacht To Fit A Helipad
39 opulent apartments will be fitted across six floors, accompanied by all the usual resort-like amenities of exclusive, 6-star resorts: fully-equipped kitchen, inside + outside dining spaces, dressing rooms, library, gym, so forth; along with communal niceties such as a lounge in the shipโs bow, bars, restaurants, 10,000-bottle capacity wine cellar + tasting room, onboard beach club, water sports facilities, with concierge services catering for every possible need. The starting price for a Somnio sea apartment? US$11 million (AU$14.6 million). And theyโre already selling fast.
The co-owners will also enjoy a truly unique and private high-end lifestyle at sea, with a โnever-ending global itineraryโ of curated destinations to fulfil a lifetime of travel dreamsโ on the cards. Hence the name, I suppose. Focusing on your more leisurely and slow-paced adventures, Somnio will apparently explore the four corners of the globe โ from the Mediterranean, to a casual week in New York, sailing straight across South Pacific, the odd remote island, and even offering the cheeky expedition in Antarctica.
According to Elite Traveler, the team behind this gargantuan vessel are collaborating with scientific research & development organisation Somnio Global to incorporate advanced eco-friendly tech to safeguard the ocean from potential harm. Renewable energy sources, chemical-free water treatment, and recycling plastics have already been adopted. Other features to be trialled will challenge issues such as carbon emissions, invasive species migration through the transference/release of ballast water, micro + macro plastics pollution, and ocean acidification.
RELATED: Inside The $100 Million Superyacht Featured In Christopher Nolanโs โTenetโ
Additionally, the worldโs largest superyacht will actually carry out environmental expeditions โ not just leisurely ones. Conducting research concerning the state of our oceans, this component of Somnio will be spearheaded by international experts โโฆ enlisted to update owners on how best to approach key issuesโ and uplift the natural world in any way they can. World-class medical care included.
โSomnio will be the only residential superyacht in the world and has been designed to exacting standards that are commensurate with a life of opportunity,โ says Captain Erik Bredhe, Co-Founder of Somnio Superyachts and former Master of The World; the largest private residential yacht at this moment, measuring up to 643 feet and due to set sail again next month.
โOwners will share a truly unique lifestyle at sea, with a hand-picked crew and a never-ending global itinerary of carefully selected destinations and experiences befitting a yacht of this nature.โ
Keep an eye out for when Somnio officially becomes the worldโs largest superyacht in 2024 โ find out more below.
