Welcome to 2024, the year of the wood dragon!

At Heesen, our anticipation for the Chinese New Year is filled with enthusiasm as we look forward to a promising 2024. In Chinese culture, the Year of the Wood Dragon is believed to foster growth, progress, and abundance, and this year will be good for building a solid foundation for new ventures with long-term potential.

In a world grappling with a poly-crisis – where economic, global, political and climate challenges converge, creating tensions and instability to a degree we had not experienced in some years, the superyacht business remains resilient. At Heesen, we can count on a solid order book with 13 yachts under construction for a total of 694 linear metres, 8,755 GT of internal volume, and delivery dates spanning through 2027. As the Dutch leader in the 40m+ segment, Heesen has delivered 35 yachts between 2013 and 2022.

Our business model, consisting of a perfect mix of full custom, smart custom and semi-custom series built on speculation, allows us to have visibility through stormy times and navigate the market’s ups and downs with awareness. This approach enables us to navigate market fluctuations with foresight, strategic planning and organised production to maximise our assets.

Last year saw the delivery of three full custom yachts: the mighty 80-metre Genesis, and the ‘technical’ delivery of the 67-metre Sparta, and the 60-metre Ultra G. These three yachts, each showcasing the highest levels of customisation, served as opportunities for our skilled engineers and build team to demonstrate that no mission is impossible for our shipyard. We also delivered the 55-metre Reliance, the first with interiors by Luca Dini Design & Architecture, which is the rising star on the charter market, just like her foresisters. We concluded the year by laying the keel of our first four-decker yacht, the full custom YN 20857 Project Setteesettanta, and christened YN 20150 Cinderella Noel IV, our first 50-metre Steel with hybrid propulsion.

Looking ahead, 2024 will be a year full of interesting projects. We will launch YN 20457, the first yacht in our new series of all-aluminium yachts, fast and efficient vessels, with exterior by Frank Laupman and interior by Harrison Eidsgaard. Other launches include YN 20350 Project Jade, the latest in our all-aluminium fast cruising series, YN 20750 Project Orion, an ultra-efficient all-aluminium fast displacement yacht with hybrid propulsion, and YN 20555 Project Serena the latest addition to our successful 55-metre series.

In Q3, we will lay the keel of Project Grace, the first in the new series of 50-metre steel yachts, from the drawing board of Harrison Eidsgaard, responsible for exterior and interior design. This new series underscores our commitment to innovative design, ensuring Heesen’s enduring presence in the superyacht market for generations to come.

With a workforce of 1,000 skilled individuals and our own luxury interior fine-cabinetry workshop, we look with confidence into the future, prepared to tackle new and exciting challenges.

As we set sail into the year of the dragon, we look forward to what it has to offer and the exciting projects on the horizon.