New Construction
Building a Brand New Yacht
Building a custom yacht is a major project that requires close supervision, high attention to detail and strong connections with shipyards, designers and contractors in the industry. When you choose to work with IYC on a new build superyacht, you are in good hands.
IYC employs a team of experts across all fields, including Naval Architects, Marine Engineers and Technical Managers with an excess of 30 years of experience in new builds.
Your IYC project manager will work closely with the owner throughout the New Build process, acting as a liaison between all parties involved, to ensure efficiency, adherence to the specification and the yacht’s timely delivery.
From the very start, we will help put the yacht vision into a brief, select the right shipyard and negotiate favourable contract terms. Clients may have a particular yard in mind, or we can suggest a short list based on key requirements. We will also work closely with the selected design team to make sure design proposals meet the vision.
Our team of experts will provide technical consultation throughout the construction phase until the completion of the delivery sea trials. Even after the yacht is delivered, our team will be available to coordinate the execution of the necessary guarantee works, always keeping in mind the yacht owner’s best interests.
The New Build Process
WORKING WITH YOU THROUGHOUT THE NEW BUILD PROCESS
From design to delivery, the IYC team will work closely with you through every step of the new build process, to make sure it is efficient, cost effective and according to your exact preferences.
THE CONCEPT
Our team of experts will help you articulate your vision and put together a comprehensive and thorough brief to create your yacht. Our team’s insights regarding the vessel’s technical and operational requirements, as well as its market potential, will help you better identify what it is you are looking for and what features to include, depending on the intended use of the yacht.
SELECTING THE RIGHT PARTNERS
Our Yacht Consultants have strong relationships with the world’s top shipyards. IYC will provide valuable insight and help you evaluate the different shipyard options in order to select the one that will best satisfy the requirements for your new build project. Browse our comprehensive guide to leading shipyards below.
FORMULATING THE CONTRACT
As soon as the shipyard has been selected, we will assist you throughout the negotiations and contract phase. As this phase is the most critical step for a successful project, the IYC new build team will provide feedback on the specifications, the general arrangement and the contract. Key contractual elements, such as budget allowances, noise and vibration levels, delays, penalties and more, will be diligently negotiated with the shipyard.
DESIGN
Working closely with your selected design team, IYC will make sure all yacht design proposals are in line with your vision, functional for everyday life at sea, and in line with specifications and maritime regulations. If you do not have a designer in mind, we can work with you and the yard to suggest a shortlist.
NEW BUILD PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Your IYC Project Management Team will be available around the clock throughout the construction of your new build project, acting as a liaison with the shipyard, designers, naval architects and all other parties involved. Our goal is to ensure the process is efficient, cost-effective and according to your preferences, ensuring no surprises. We will closely monitor the project, making sure timelines are met and help resolve any challenges that may arise.
SEA TRIALS & YACHT DELIVERY
Before the yacht is delivered, our team of experts will attend the yacht’s sea trials, a critical step before the completion of the new build project. During the sea trials, our team’s meticulous attention to detail will find any technical issues that need to be addressed or fine tunings that need to be made before delivering your yacht in the best working condition.
AFTER SALES SUPPORT
Once construction is complete it is time to enjoy your yacht. But, even after the yacht is delivered, your project manager will be available to coordinate the necessary guarantee works always securing the yacht owner’s best interests.
The Latest Superyacht New Build Trends
The superyacht industry is evolving faster than ever. Today’s new build yachts are pushing boundaries, and more is demanded from design, technology, sustainability, and onboard experience. Here is what is shaping the most exciting projects:
EXPERIENTIAL AND DESTINATION-LED DESIGN
The most sought-after new builds are designed around experiences rather than aesthetics. Owners and charterers want a yacht to feel like a private resort and a destination in itself. This trend is driving demand for immersive, purpose-built spaces that go further than the traditional layout formula. Beach clubs highlight the clearest expression of this. On large superyachts such as those from Feadship, Lurssen, and Oceanco, expansive beach clubs have become the hub of the yacht, with multi-level, multi-functional spaces featuring wellness amenities, direct sea access, integrated entertainment, and bespoke furnishings that blur the boundaries between yacht and full waterfront resorts.
INDOOR-OUTDOOR LIVING AND WELLNESS
A seamless connection to the sea is now a baseline expectation in new-build briefs. Expansive glazing, floor-to-ceiling windows, fold-down terraces, and retractable roof panels are standard requests at shipyards, resulting in superyacht interiors that are light-filled and open. Benetti, particularly in its B. Now and the Oasis series, with features like the Oasis Deck, exemplify this connection between the interior and exterior. Wellness has also now moved from a nice-to-have to a central design driver. Dedicated spa decks, fully equipped gyms, yoga studios, hammams, and cryotherapy suites are increasingly common even on yachts under 197’ (60m).
BONUS AND UNCONVENTIONAL SPACES
One of the most interesting shifts in modern superyacht design is that supplementary and innovative spaces, once reserved for the largest builds, are now being incorporated across a much wider range of sizes. Games rooms, wine cellars, private cinemas, and dedicated sports areas are increasingly common. Recent examples also include unique spaces such as underwater lounges, onboard padel courts, and recording studios, all of which have featured in recent builds, reflecting owners’ design briefs for how they want to live onboard.
THE SURGE IN EXPLORERS
Few segments have grown more dramatically in recent years than explorer yachts. Driven by those looking for adventure beyond the well-trodden Mediterranean and Caribbean circuits, demand for long-range, ice-classed yachts has surged, and the shipyards have responded. Explorer yachts are defined by range, construction, and autonomy at sea. Extended provisioning and storage capacities, and sophisticated stabilisation systems define these. Damen, with its SeaXplorer range, is one of the most recognized platforms for explorer yachts. Alongside the larger expedition market, there is also the uptake of “pocket explorers,” from yards such as Cantiere delle Marche (CdM), with its Darwin and Flexplorer series.
FLEXIBLE, MODULAR INTERIORS
Fixed, formal interior layouts are giving way to more adaptable, modular spaces that can be reconfigured for different uses, guest configurations, or charter use. Designers are specifying furniture systems, moveable partitions, and convertible cabin layouts that can allow owners to reshape the interiors as needs change. This flexibility is particularly valuable for charter-focused new builds, which can accommodate different groups and preferences. Yards, including Heesen and Sanlorenzo, have delivered notable examples of this approach, in which extensive customization, flexible layouts, and convertible spaces are integral to the briefs.
HYBRID PROPULSION, AI, AND FUTURE-FOCUSED TECHNOLOGY
Sustainability and smart technology are no longer optional; they are central to how new build projects are orchestrated. Diesel-electric and hybrid propulsion systems are now standard specifications at forward-thinking yards. The current main trends include zero-emission anchoring, eliminating the need for generators at anchor, hydrogen and methanol power technologies, and continuing the development of energy-efficient design. Many shipyards are highlighting progress on this shift, with examples such as Feadship, which set the bar high with its recent hydrogen fuel-cell technology. Also, Heesen Yachts is committing to making hybrid propulsion available on all hulls. Sunreef Yachts also prioritizes development with its electric and hybrid catamarans, and Lurssen, which is integrating advanced energy systems onboard. Meanwhile, Sanlorenzo has also invested heavily in its 50Steel range, combining reformer fuel-cell technology. Increasingly standard across the new build sector are also AI-powered systems, enhanced onboard connectivity, intelligent energy management, and fully integrated smart-home-style controls of the onboard atmosphere.