The highly confidential 103-metre superyacht "Ulysses" has now been delivered to the owner after sea trials in November last year. Codenamed project 1011 and now owned by New Zealand's richest man, Graeme Hart, the superyacht is on its way to Bergen, Norway, according to the newly upgraded Automatic Identification System (AIS) tracking function.
Construction of the "Ulysses" began in 2020 at the Zwijnenburg shipyard, where its hull and superstructure were built. It was then transported to Fertistar's factory in Makkum for outfitting and completion. It had been kept in strict secrecy until she was discovered in transit from the Makcomb factory to the Amsterdam factory. This marks the first time her unique minimalist lines and square deck design have been seen since she launched in October 2023.
According to Sinot Yacht Engineering Design Studio in the Netherlands, which is responsible for the exterior design, the yacht's modern profile uses 1,100 square metres of exterior glazing, with 20 exterior sliding doors, 12 glass windbreaks and 6-metre glass panels along the main deck cabins. This project is also the tenth collaboration between Fetistar and Sinot Studios.
The Ulysses follows in the footsteps of the famous yacht of the same name, including two expedition yachts built by Kleven for Graeme Hart and the 74-metre CRN yacht "Odyssey II" (now known as "Andrea").
The shipyard said the challenge was to keep many of the same elements as the owner's previous 6,000 GT yacht, but compress it into a space about half the size. The double-decker engine room on a yacht of this size is "practically mandatory", but the shipyard was able to keep the engine room on one deck, minimising the impact of technical space and thus maximising guest room space. She has a distinctive personality.
The main facilities on board the yacht include four outdoor hot tubs, a swimming pool that covers the entire width of the main deck and is accessible from the pool deck, a heliport hangar under the front helipad, a 15-metre garage and eight hull doors (one of which is the largest hangar shell door ever installed on a Fertilstar yacht). Inside, the yacht's main atrium has a glass staircase and elevator.
The yacht, built entirely in the Netherlands and designed by Azure Yacht Design, is the fourth largest yacht ever built by Fetistar, behind the 118-metre Feadship 821 and Feadship 1010, both of which are currently under construction, and the 110-metre 'Anna'.
In terms of performance, the "Ulysses" is powered by two MTU engines and has a top speed of 17.5 knots and a cruising speed of 12 knots. The boat is also equipped with Quantum marine stabilizers.
Last October, the shipowner, Graeme Hart, together with his wife Robyn and daughter Gretchen Hawkesby, attended the launching ceremony of the "Ulysses". His daughter shared on social media that the yacht was born out of lockdown and took a lot of time and effort to design.
Graeme Hart and his wife, Robyn, attend the launching ceremony
Speaking at the launch ceremony, Henk de Vries, Director and CEO of Phatistar, said: "As a long-time customer and fan of Phatistar, who has built several of his own yachts in the past, he is very aware of our capabilities and pushes the boundaries in terms of design and engineering. "He wanted to be part of the team, which is usually something we try to avoid, but he was fully prepared to work together and our working relationship ended up being friendly and fun!"
Forbes estimates that New Zealand's richest man, Graeme Hart, has a net worth of $9.6 billion. Born in 1955, he is one of New Zealand's most successful businessmen and the richest man in New Zealand. The most famous company under his name is Rank Group Limited, a private investment company that holds a number of very well-known businesses. Since acquiring Carter Holt Harvey in 2006, he has focused his acquisitions on the carton packaging sector, demonstrating a strong commercial vision and strategic positioning.
Unusually, Mr. Hart is an extremely low-key person, rarely seen in public, and rarely interviewed by the media. Despite his global footprint, his home has always been in Auckland, and on Waiheke Island, he also owns a tranquil holiday home that serves as a haven from the hustle and bustle.
It is worth mentioning that Mr. Hart has owned a number of superyachts, including the "Here Comes the Sun", the largest yacht ever built by Amels in the Netherlands, and the 80-meter support yacht "U-81" of Damen Yachts, which he sold for $195 million last August, which is also one of the most expensive superyachts to change hands in 2023. "U-81" will continue to accompany the new "Ulysses" as a "wingman".
89米“Here Comes the Sun”号
80-meter support boat "U-81".
Graham Hart is also an explorer at sea, having owned a 116-metre expedition yacht, the Ulysses, which cost $250 million and was built by the Kleven shipyard in Norway and delivered in 2018. It was powered by two Caterpillar 3516C diesel engines with a top speed of 12 knots and a cruising speed of 10 knots for a range of more than 8,000 nautical miles, before being transferred to Russian venture capitalist Yuri Milner.
116 meters "Ulysses".
Kleven also built another expedition superyacht for him, the 107-metre Ulysses, in 2016, which he sold for $195 million in 2017. The yacht, now renamed "Andromeda", continues to shine in the hands of a new owner.
Looking back at Hart's yachting journey, he previously owned a small yacht delivered by American yacht builder Trinity. However, in 2014, Hart decided to sell it, and now the yacht continues to sail under the new name "Grand Rusalina". Earlier, Hart had built a 49-metre-long Ulysses, which is now known as the Teleost.
107 meters "Ulysses".
In 2019, Hart struck again when he bought the 58-metre yacht "J'Ade" from CRN in Italy and named it "Odyssey". The yacht was originally built for Australian billionaire Brett Brandy, but under Hart's ownership, it continues to write new legends.
58 meters "Odyssey".
Gram Hart, together with his yachts, composes an ode to the ocean. These yachts are not only a symbol of their status, but also a reflection of their endless love and spirit of exploration for the sea.
Headquartered in the Netherlands, Fitistar dates back to 1849 and was founded in 1949 and consists of six Dutch shipyards: de Vries Lentch, Van de Stadt, Witsen & Vis, Akerboom, De Vries Scheepsbouw and Van Lent shipyards and De Voogt Naval Architpects. Fitstar is one of the finest yacht builders in the Netherlands, building superyachts over 50-100 meters in length.