Motor Yachts, Explorer Yachts, Semi and Full-Custom Yachts
From 28m (92’) to 47m (154’)
New Build, Warranty, Maintenance
From its founding just over a decade ago, Cantiere delle Marche has rapidly become synonymous with excellence in explorer yacht design and build. The shipyard has carved a distinct niche, crafting luxury displacement yachts built to endure far-reaching voyages while combining solid engineering with Italian elegance. That ambition, blending exploration with refinement, defines the CdM ethos today.
Operating from Ancona on Italy’s Adriatic coast, CdM produces custom and semi-custom explorer yachts generally between 26 m and 50 m, under 500 GT. Their portfolio spans the Darwin, Flexplorer, RJ, Deep Blue and Raw lines, each tuned to different owner priorities, whether ultimate range, seakeeping or volume. Over time the yard has evolved, introducing new classes and technical refinements that keep it at the cutting edge of expedition yacht craft.
Yet what truly sets CdM apart is its culture of durability and attention to detail. From thick structural plating to advanced systems integration, the yard is not content with mere aesthetics. Every yacht is engineered for performance, redundancy and long-term reliability. For owners seeking a vessel that can take them to remote latitudes in comfort and confidence, Cantiere delle Marche delivers more than a yacht; it delivers a trusted platform for adventure.
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Cantiere Delle Marche
An Overview of the Shipyard's History, Specialty, Iconic Builds, and Partnerships
Cantiere delle Marche
Shipyard History
In 2010, three experienced yacht entrepreneurs – Ennio Cecchini, the Virgili family, and Vasco Buonpensiere – embarked on a new venture and founded Cantiere delle Marche (CdM). Located in Ancona, their 16,000 square meter facility enabled them to build up to six explorer yachts at once, with their first, the 26 meter Darwin 86 called Vitadimare 3, utilizing a hybrid propulsion system, delivered in 2011.
By 2015, Cantiere delle Marche had become a top producer of explorer yachts, with a total of 22 vessels having been delivered by the time of their 10th anniversary in 2020. Throughout the years, they have also worked to expand their production capacity and model ranges. Cantiere delle Marche's work has been widely recognized in the superyacht industry, with many enjoying the combination of their high craftsmanship and distinctive designs. As a result, the yard remains in high demand for luxury yacht building.
Shipyard Specialty
Cantiere delle Marche specializes in building mid-sized explorer yachts of the highest calibre, ranging from 26 to 50 metres in length and up to 500 gross tonnage. These boats are constructed of steel and built with a full displacement hull configuration, offering exceptional cruising range that make them ideal for exploring the seas. The yard has a reputation for providing semi-custom and full-custom builds with advanced technology and meticulous craftsmanship, as well as the ability to personalize projects for individual clients. CdM prides itself on strong collaborations with top designers and subcontractors that enable them to produce superior-quality yachts.
CdM in numbers
- Three purpose-built sheds covering 10,000 sqm
- 750 sqm private quay with berths for four vessels up to 164’ (50m)
- Wide range covering from 86’ (26m) to 164’ (50m) in length
- More than 18 nominations and awards won to date
- Sustainability, reliability, and unrivalled capabilities at the heart of each design
- Four series with dedicated specificities and explorer capacities as the core DNA
- The DARWIN series: trawler-looking, the real expression of explorer yachts, ranging from 86’ (26m) to 115’ (35m) in length
- The FLEXPLORER series: deeply versatile and flexible explorer yachts, ranging from 132’ (40m) to 146’ (44.5m)
- The DEEP BLUE series: the future of explorer yachts, boasting elegance and style, winner of the World Superyacht Awards 2023 in the Displacement Motor Yachts 499GT and below category, ranging from 105’ (32m) to 141’ (43m) in length
- The RJ series: the most yacht-looking line, but 100% explorer at the heart, ranging from 115’ (35m) to 155’ (47m) in length
Notable deliveries and models
Since its founding in 2010, Cantiere delle Marche has rapidly grown its range of semi-custom explorer models. The shipyard’s debut came with the Darwin Class in 2011, launched with the 26.1m VITADIMARE 3, a Darwin 86, followed by the Nauta Air line, since discontinued. CdM’s semi-custom lineup spans the Darwin Class, Flexplorer, RJ, Deep Blue and RAW ranges. The Flexplorer range debuted with the 39m AURELIA in 2020; the RJ range, which includes the RJ 115 yachts the 35m STELLAMAR and the 34.9m PAZIENZA, is headed by the 46.9m PARATI (ex-RJ), the RJ 155 and the longest yacht built by CdM; and the Deep Blue range, born from the 43.1m one-off ACALA (now ORIXÁ), continued with the 35m OCTOPUS, the first Deep Blue 115.
Cantiere delle Marche has a proven track record of delivering full-custom explorer projects, from the 42.8m AUDACE, its first fully custom yacht, and the 42m CROWBRIDGE to the 43m BABBO and the 45.7m TREMENDA.
Design collaborations on models and projects
At the inception of CdM, Sergio Cutolo of Hydro Tec provided his expertise to create CdM’s Darwin Class, and later the Flexplorer range, handling naval architecture and exterior design; the studio also provided naval architecture for custom projects such as CROWBRIDGE and TREMENDA. Nauta Yachts, meanwhile, is credited with the design of the Nauta Air explorer range, with the 33.8m HYHMÄ and the 33.4m MIMI LA SARDINE, whose hull was developed by Hydro Tec, among its examples. Other renowned Italian designers have since contributed to CdM’s superyachts: Francesco Paszkowski, responsible for the exterior style of the RJ range; Tommaso Spadolini, who designed CROWBRIDGE; and Horacio Bozzo, who styled ACALA and the Deep Blue range.
The 44.3m MAVERICK, the first Flexplorer 146, pairs a Hydro Tec exterior with interiors by Paszkowski and Margherita Casprini and was recognized at the 2025 Robb Report Best of the Best Awards, while the 30.8m Darwin 102 HAZE² features interiors by Lawson Robb. PARATI pairs Paszkowski’s exterior styling with interiors by Achille Salvagni, a combination that won both Outstanding Exterior Design (Motor Yachts 40m to 49.9m) and Best Interior Design (Motor Yachts 1,000GT and below, 40m and above) at the 2026 BOAT International Design & Innovation Awards. Giorgio M. Cassetta designed TREMENDA inside and out, earning her a Judges’ Commendation for Best Naval Architecture at the same edition, and created the interiors of OCTOPUS.
Since March 2023, IYC acts as exclusive sales dealer of Italian shipyard Cantiere delle Marche for the U.S. market.