Top 5 Biggest Yachts Owned by Billionaires
The global superyacht fleet includes several vessels longer than 150 meters, with ownership tied to tech, finance, and energy billionaires. The largest yacht by published length is the 156-meter Sailing Yacht A, followed by the 140-meter REV Ocean and the 136-meter Fulk Al Salamah. Other notable entries include the 135-meter Dilbar, owned by Alisher Usmanov, and the 126-meter Eclipse, formerly owned by Roman Abramovich. These yachts are tracked by yacht databases, broker reports, and regulatory filings that list length overall, gross tonnage, builder, and flag state. For a detailed breakdown of current specifications and ownership, see the latest yacht rankings at https://www.forbes.com/advisor/personal-finance/yacht/.
Rankings shift as new vessels are delivered, sold, or rebranded, but the top tier consistently features yachts built by leading European shipyards such as Lürssen, Feadship, Benetti, and Damen. Many of these projects are announced years in advance through press releases, shipyard portfolios, and classification society records. The race for length and tonnage is driven by privacy, comfort, and engineering challenges rather than speed, with most of the largest yachts classified as motor-sailing or motor vessels. Their owners often use holding companies and trusts registered in jurisdictions such as the Cayman Islands, Monaco, or Malta, which can make final beneficial ownership difficult to trace.
Who Owns the Biggest Yachts and What Do They Cost
Sailing Yacht A was developed by the family office of Russian billionaire Andrey Melnichenko, with design by Philippe Starck and engineering by Nobiskrug, and its estimated construction cost was reported above 300 million euros. REV Ocean is owned by Norwegian billionaire Kjell Inge Røkke through the REV Ocean company and was delivered in 2023, with a reported build cost exceeding 500 million dollars. Fulk Al Salamah was built by Mariotti Yachts in Italy and is owned by Sultan Haitham bin Tariq of Oman, with its cost not publicly disclosed but estimated in the hundreds of millions. Dilbar, built by Lürssen and formerly owned by Alisher Usmanov, is one of the largest yachts by gross tonnage and interior volume, with its value estimated by brokers at over 300 million dollars. For more on yacht valuations and ownership structures, see https://www.forbes.com/sites/alanozlen/2024/01/16/the-worlds-most-expensive-yachts/.
Cost estimates for the largest superyachts typically include hull construction, outfitting, custom interiors, marine systems, and crew facilities, but exclude ongoing operating expenses such as fuel, maintenance, insurance, and harbor fees. Annual running costs for a 130-meter-plus superyacht can range from 10% to 20% of the vessel's value, according to industry analyses and broker reports. Some owners use charter revenue to offset costs, while others treat the vessels as personal assets with limited commercial use. Corporate structures, flag-state registration, and crew nationality all affect tax treatment and total cost of ownership, making these yachts a complex intersection of luxury, finance, and international regulation.
How Billionaires Use Superyachts for Privacy and Business
Billionaires use the largest yachts as floating private residences, meeting spaces, and hospitality platforms for high-net-worth guests and business partners. Many of these vessels include helipads, cinemas, swimming pools, underwater observation areas, and suites for dozens of guests, allowing extended stays at sea with minimal need for shore-based logistics. Yachts like Eclipse and Fulk Al Salamah are equipped with advanced stabilizers, range-extending fuel capacity