VARD has secured the contract to construct ’Somnio’, the world’s first residential ‘yacht liner’.
‘Somnio’ will have a gross tonnage of 33,500, a length of 222 m, and a beam of 27 m. Delivery is scheduled for Norway in Spring, 2024.
She will be fitted with just 39 luxurious apartments and will sail the world according to the suit owners’ wishes.
This project is the result of a close co-operation between Somnio, Fincantieri and VARD.
Somnio has selected Tillberg Design of Sweden (ToS) and UK’s Winch Design for the interiors.
Capt Erik Bredhe, co-founder of Somnio, said: “We are delighted to have chosen the highly experienced team at VARD for this unique project. Somnio, meaning ‘to dream’ in Latin, will be the largest yacht in the world by length and volume, and offer apartment owners the finest quality available at sea. We are really looking forward to seeing this beautiful yacht liner sail in 2024.”
VARD’s General Manager for Business Unit Cruise, Attilio Dapelo, added: “We are proud of having been selected to build this amazing yacht liner for Somnio. The vessel will be the largest vessel so far in VARD’s history and will engage a high number of designers and shipbuilders in VARD’s network of specialised international facilities.”
Fincantieri’s newbuilding General Manager for Business Unit Cruise, Daniele Fanara, commented: “Once again Fincantieri group, offering to owners the expertise achieved with the development of the widest and most diversified portfolio of maritime products worldwide, is the first to develop groundbreaking designs for new market segments and niches.
“Our teams have strictly co-operated with Somnio and with their architects. The result is really outstanding and will set the standard for a new niche of top luxury vacations,” he claimed.
The yacht liner is to be delivered from Vard Søviknes in Norway. The hull and the first phase of outfitting will be performed at Vard Tulcea in Romania.
Other key players in the project include VARD’s parent company Fincantieri, Vard Design, and Vard Electro. A range of suppliers and contractors in the Norwegian Maritime Cluster will also be involved in the project.
VARD’s Senior Vice President Sales and Marketing, Rune Rødset, said: “During my 37 years in VARD, I have had many dreams. However, the satisfaction of bringing home the contract of Somnio, clearly exceeds all of what I was hoping for.”
