The ‘world’s largest yacht’ is set to house ultra-luxurious floating apartments, complete with an on-board beach club.
The £480million yacht called Somnio was initially scheduled to launch last year but has faced delays.
The entrepreneur behind the project was ordered to settle a hefty bill after London company Winch Design accused them of not paying for initial designs. A High Court judge ruled that the outstanding debt of £733,750 must be paid.
Now that the legal dispute has been resolved, we’ve taken a look inside this colossal yacht, built with only the wealthiest in mind.
Information about the gigantic vessel was released five years ago, and it’s as lavish as you might expect.
Measuring 728 feet in length, Somnio offers 39 “customisable” apartments, each priced at a staggering £8.1million. Some condos span over 6,500 square feet and boast private balconies, with the largest even covering almost the entire top deck.
Seeking to entice prospective buyers, the yacht’s promotional material boasts: “The Beach Club area will open up to the outside deck with a large lap pool and two large spas as well as bars and sumptuous outdoor lounges and seating features.
“At the stern, the Marina area will house a wide range of watersports equipment and boats to facilitate beach landings, excursions, fishing, diving and snorkelling.”
Moreover, for those with deep pockets, there will be access to a 10,000 bottle wine cellar and tasting room. The exclusive apartments on Somnio are spread across six decks, with purchasers also benefitting from “world-class medical facilities” – marketed especially for sheltering from “pandemics and global risks”.
Currently under construction in Norway, Somnio is designed to strike “designed to offer the right balance between generous spaces for the community to enjoy and private residences to call home”. It aims to provide services akin to those at a “6-star resort”, including personal gyms and libraries within the condos.
Around-the-clock concierge services emphasise the vessel’s commitment to “slow-paced travel”.
Not just a hub of luxury, the ship also dedicates itself to environmental causes, supporting eco-missions that engage scientists in researching marine environments with state-of-the-art equipment.
The brains behind this ambitious undertaking include none other than Captain Erik Bredhe, previously at the helm of M/V The World – the sole permanently inhabited sea vessel.
Australian entrepreneur Carl Le Souef, who was recently hit with a hefty £730,000 bill for Winch Designs, had grand visions for the Somnio superyacht that date back to 2007. This dream was sparked aboard The World residential ship, owned by Bredhe, where luxury condos sell for as much as £12 million.
As reported by The Times, Le Souef and Bredhe teamed up to kickstart Somnio, even asking for £100,000 non-refundable deposits for its apartments.
Bredhe has been quoted saying: “Beauty may be found as much on the inside of Somnio as it is on the outside. Our owners will experience only the best, as is befitting of a yacht of this nature.”
He also mentioned that the identities of those purchasing apartments would remain a “tightly guarded secret”.