At 323 metres, Ulyssia is set to become the largest yacht ever built, and this week’s Monaco Yacht Show brought the project a major step closer to reality, with its Monaco-based developers confirming the official construction contract, worth more than €2 billion.
The vessel will house 122 private residences and 22 guest suites, alongside an extensive health and wellness centre led by Swiss longevity specialist Chenot, multiple restaurants and lounges, indoor and outdoor pools, a school, and its own marina equipped with sailboats, jet skis, a dive centre and submersibles. Currently available residences are averaging around €24 million each.
Once delivered, Ulyssia will dwarf even the largest superyachts currently built at yards like Lürssen and Feadship, whose capacity tops out around 180 metres, placing it in a category of its own within the industry.
The order marks a significant shift for the project. Construction will now be carried out by China Merchants Cruise Shipbuilding in China, replacing Germany’s Meyer Werft, the shipyard originally named when Ulyssia was first unveiled at last year’s Monaco Yacht Show.
Founder and chairman Frank Binder, chief executive Alain Gruber and lead architect Espen Øino confirmed the news at an event held at Binder’s private Monaco residence during this year’s show. Construction is due to begin this autumn, with a maiden voyage from Monaco planned for 2031.