From the exceedingly large to the downright gargantuan, the top 20 largest yachts in the world continue to impress. Built by shipyards all over the world—from the Netherlands to the United Arab Emirates, Italy, the United States, Greece, and the United Kingdom, to name just a few—new launches and refits are delivered each year, at the request of owners around the globe. Some yards, such as the Germany-based Lürssen, complete more than their share of the largest yachts. Of the top 20 featured here, the company has built nine, and that’s not even including the two built by Blohm+Voss. The below list changes a little every year, but some of these vessels have remained in the top 20 for years. Here are the top 20 largest yachts in the world to date.

20. ‘Al Mirqab’ (133-metres), Kusch Yachts

Launched in 2008, Al Mirqab was built for Qatar’s former prime minister under the supervision of Kusch Yachts in the Peters Werft shipyard in Wewelsfleth, Germany. The Tim Heywood exterior includes a long, navy-blue hull with a white superstructure. The yacht’s diesel-electric propulsion involves an azimuth pod drive and gives the 133-metre vessel a top end of 21 knots. Its interior by Andrew Winch won several awards, with images showing Arabic-influenced motifs on the marble floors of large social areas. The yacht’s centrepiece is a stunning, complicated floating staircase encircled by custom-made glass panels. Al Mirqab has staterooms for 36, and crew quarters for 45.

19. ‘Serene’ (133.9-metres), Fincantieri

Serene was Fincantieri’s launch into the superyacht segment, and what a debut it was. The largest yacht ever launched in Italy when it was delivered in 2011 (surpassed three years later by Ocean Victory), the Espen Øino seven-deck design features a long, sleek blue hull, crowned by a white superstructure. The somewhat racy curves serve as a nice counterpart to the more serious-looking sections of the yacht, which include cutouts along the main and upper decks to allow strong visibility from the saloon and staterooms. The curved balconies on three levels are a nice touch that work aesthetically—and practically for better views. The open stern area has a winter garden (enclosed glasshouse) that allows dining in all seasons. Serene also has two helipads and a hangar, a big swimming pool, and a tender garage large enough for a submarine. Pascale Reymond of Reymond Langton Design created the 4000-square-metre interior for the Russian owner, though its details have remained closely guarded.

18. ‘Crescent’ (135-metres), Lürssen

Espen Øino’s dark hull and tiered superstructure was one of the most exciting launches of 2018. Custom-built Project Thunder, as it was called internally at Lürssen, features cut-outs along the hull sides that allow full ocean views from the saloon on the primary deck, as part of Crescent’s distinctive curved superstructure. Its most noteworthy feature is the jaw-dropping bank of three-deck-high windows in the centre of the yacht. This architectural feature serves as the centrepiece of a very compelling design. The yacht has accommodation for 18 guests in nine staterooms. Little is known about the François Zuretti-designed interior, other than that Lürssen describes it as being “traditionally styled”. If it lives up to Crescent’s brash exterior, the complete yacht promises to be an entirely groundbreaking design.

17. ‘Savarona’ (136-metres), Blohm+Voss

Launched in 1931, Savarona was built for American heiress Emily Roebling Cadwallader. The yacht was eventually acquired by Turkey to be the presidential yacht of Kemal Atatürk, founder of modern Turkey. Jane’s Fighting Ships described the yacht in 1949 as “probably the most sumptuously fitted yacht afloat”. Savarona was later converted to a training ship for the Turkish Navy and, in 1978, destroyed by fire. The yacht laid in tatters for 10 years. A Turkish businessman spent around $67 million refurbishing Savarona, commissioning Donald Starkey for the interior and replacing the original steam-turbine engines with modern Caterpillar diesels. The yacht’s interior was refitted again in 2013, once again becoming the official presidential yacht in 2014. Savarona features a swimming pool, Turkish bath, 85-metre grand staircase, a movie theatre, and a library dedicated to Atatürk.

16. ‘Flying Fox’ (136-metres), Lürssen

Delivered jointly by Imperial and Lürssen in 2019, 136 metre Flying Fox is recognised by a curvaceous dove grey hull. Exterior design is by Monaco-based Espen Øino, a key feature of which is a 1-metre swimming pool which runs athwartship on the main aft deck. A feat of engineering by the new construction team at Imperial, it is the first time a yacht has been fitted with a pool of this type. Imperial has disclosed little about the interior design by Mark Berryman, apart from the inclusion of a two-floor 400-square-metre spa. Flying Fox is PYC compliant and can accommodate 25 guests.

15. ‘Rising Sun’ (138.4-metres), Lürssen

Designed by the original guru of yacht designers, Jon Bannenberg, Rising Sun was built by Lürssen for Oracle CEO Larry Ellison. The yacht was delivered in 2004 and last refitted in 2011. Defined by banks of windows across the superstructure, Rising Sun has 800 square metres of living space in 82 rooms. It can accommodate 18 guests in nine cabins, with the capacity to carry up to 46 crew. The interior by Seccombe Design includes a gym, cinema, and wine cellar. The rear cockpit deck was designed as a basketball court.

14. ‘Al Salamah’ (139-metres), Lürssen

When Lürssen launched Al Salamah in 1999, it was the third-largest yacht in the world. Its ranking at number 14 shows how much has changed in the last 20 years. Code-named MIPOS, or Mission Possible, the yacht was designed by Terence Disdale. The large imposing exterior is primarily protected space, with an upper deck exposed to the elements. Al Salamah has staterooms for 40 guests, including two owner suites, 11 VIP staterooms, and eight twin cabins. The yacht can carry up to 96 crew and has a top speed of 22 knots. Al Salamah was last refitted in 2009.

13. ‘Project Lightning’ (140-metres), Lürssen

At 140-metres, Lürssen-built Project Lightning (as it is currently dubbed) was the largest launch of 2019, and the highest new entry in the world’s top 20 largest yachts. Project Lightning underwent sea trials in the Spring, and is preparing for its imminent 2020 delivery, but to date few details have been released by the German shipyard. What can so far be deciphered from photography includes two helipads, forward and aft, and a large beach club aft, as well as a reported seven-foot beam.

12. ‘Ocean Victory’ (140-metres), Fincantieri

The largest motor yacht ever built in Italy, Fincantieri’s Ocean Victory was delivered to its owner in 2014. The seven-deck exterior by Espen Øino includes two helideck platforms and a hangar belowdecks, as well as exceptional outdoor social areas, and a floodable tender dock. Ocean Victory has accommodations for 28 guests as well as quarters for 56 crew. Ocean Victory also has six pools, a 306-square-metre spa, and an underwater observation room. The interior by Alberto Pinto remains a secret.

11. ‘Yas’ (141-metres), Abu Dhabi Mar

As a converted yacht, Yas is one of the most interesting vessels on this list. The dolphin-like exterior was originally a former Dutch Navy frigate that launched in 1978 and eventually sold to the navy of the United Arab Emirates, where it was renamed Al Emirat. The yacht underwent its dramatic conversion in a facility in Abu Dhabi’s main port, emerging as a gleaming superyacht in 2011, with one of the most interesting profiles on the water. It was eventually delivered four years later. The design by the Paris-based Pierrejean Vision, defined by massive glass surfaces, can accommodate 60 guests and 58 crew members. Mated to a steel hull, the superstructure is the largest composite edifice ever built. Yas is capable of a 26-knot top speed.

10. ‘A’ (142.8-metres), Nobiskrug

Delivered in 2017, the futuristic look of sailing yacht A includes smooth, silver-metallic surfaces and windows that look nearly invisible, three composite masts that bend slightly, and a deck hidden by high bulwarks. The Philippe Starck-design is a wild fantasy yacht of the future. The 142.8-metre sailing yacht is a technical victory for German yard Nobiskrug, which developed composite fashion plates to create the unusual shapes, without any compromises in strength or fluidity. It has the tallest freestanding composite masts on any sailing vessel, a hybrid diesel-electric propulsion system and state-of-the-art navigation systems. The boat also reportedly has an underwater viewing platform in the keel. “Sailing yacht A is undoubtedly one of the most visionary projects Nobiskrug has ever been involved in,” said Holger Kahl, the firm’s then managing director. Starck’s interior remains a secret. The yard reports the yacht has a top speed of 21 knots.

9. ‘El Mahrousa’ (145.7-metres), Samuda Brothers

El Mahrousa, which means “the protected” in Arabic, is currently Egypt’s presidential yacht, though the 145-metre vessel has a separate history as that country’s royal yacht. The London-based Samuda Brothers began the build in 1863, and it was launched in 1865. It was originally built for the Ottoman governor of Egypt, Khedive Ismail, and later carried three Egyptian kings into exile. The yacht was also at the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. The world’s oldest superyacht features external design by the British naval architect Sir Oliver Lang, and has had multiple modifications over the years, including a lengthening by 12-metres in 1872 and another 5-metres in 1905. During the second refit, the owners replaced its paddle-wheel engines with turbine-driven propellers. The yacht, in care of the Egyptian Navy, occasionally goes to sea for a day or two. In 2015, it was used to inaugurate the new Suez Canal.

8. ‘Prince Abdulaziz’ (147-metres), Helsingør Værft

This custom yacht, launched by Helsingør Værft in Denmark in 1984, was most recently refitted in 2005. The 5,200-tonne Prince Abdulaziz is one of the Saudi Royal family’s yachts, its first owner being King Fahd. Designed by Maierform, the yacht was the longest and tallest in the world at the time of its launch. At 147-metres, Prince Abdulaziz held the title for 22 years until Dubai launched in 2006. The late David Nightingale Hicks, known for his use of bright colors, was the interior designer. The lobby is said to be a replica of the Titanic. Last refitted in 2005, it is rumoured to be carrying surface-to-air missiles, though that may be an urban legend.

7. ‘A+’ (147.2-metres), Lürssen

Very little is known about A+ (formerly Topaz), which was launched by Lürssen in 2012, other than it is the fourth-largest yacht ever built by the German shipyard. Tim Heywood Designs did the exterior, which features helipads on the foredeck and amidships on an upper deck. A lower aft deck includes a swimming pool. The German yard has not released any images of the Terence Disdale interior. Reported to be owned by Manchester City Football Club owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al Nahnan – Emirati royalty and deputy prime minister of the UAE – A+ has a top speed of 22 knots, and can carry 62 guests and up to 79 crew.

6. ‘Al Saïd’ (155-metres), Lürssen

Another yacht from Lürssen, the original Project Sunflower gained its official name of Al Saïd following its launch in 2016. Espen Øino’s exterior is akin to a classic cruise liner, complete with the twin exhaust stacks in the center of the superstructure. Owned by the Sultan of Oman, six-decked Al Saïd can carry 154 crew and, according to some sources, 70 guests. Lürssen says Al Saïd has a top speed of 22 knots. The London-based Redman Whiteley Dixon studio designed the interior, which includes a concert hall that can hold a 50-piece orchestra.

5. ‘Dilbar’ (156-metres), Lürssen

The 2016 launch of Dilbar gave Lürssen the distinction of not only building the longest yacht ever (Azzam), but also the largest in terms of volume. Espen Øino designed the exterior, creating a full-bodied superstructure of long, flowing decks, along with two helicopter pads. Dilbar also has a 25-metre swimming pool that according to Lürssen, is the world’s longest on a yacht. The interior by Winch Design is defined by its “rare and exclusive luxury materials,” says the builder, declining to go into detail. Lürssen added that the world’s largest motor yacht was one of the most complex and challenging yachts ever built, because of its dimensions and technology. Despite Dilbar’s volume, the designers did a masterful job making the yacht look relatively svelte, with no obvious bulges along the length of the light ivory and bronze-accented hull.

4. ‘Dubai’ (162-metres), Platinum Yachts

This Andrew Winch design was originally commissioned for Prince Jefri Bolkiah of Brunei as a joint project between Blohm+Voss and Lürssen, before it was halted in 1998 with just a bare hull and skeletal superstructure. The hull was sold to the government of Dubai, and, under the direction of the country’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, work on the 162-metre boat began again, though this time by Platinum Yachts. Dubai delivered in 2006 and is now the sheikh’s royal yacht, with accommodations for 24 guests and quarters for 88 crew. The seven-decked yacht has an impressive 21-metre-wide atrium, landing pad for a Black Hawk helicopter, submarine garage, disco, and cinema. Full certification was obtained from Lloyd’s Register in October 2006, and it can reach a top speed of 26 knots.

3. ‘Eclipse’ (162.5-metres), Blohm+Voss

Stately Eclipse, the 162-metre yacht delivered to billionaire Roman Abramovich, took five years to design and build. When it left the Blohm+Voss shipyard in Hamburg in 2010, it was the world’s largest yacht. The interior has 17 staterooms and a palatial master suite, with the capacity to carry 85 crew. Both the interior and exterior are designed by Terence Disdale. A proportional profile is defined by tiered decks that sweep upward and bend ever so slightly at the aft ends. Eclipse has a 56-metre-long owner’s deck and, at the time of its launch, the largest swimming pool on any superyacht (the bottom raises and converts to a dance floor). Other features reflecting its stature: the capacity to hold three helicopters, including one in its belowdecks hangar, a sophisticated stabilisation system, six tenders, and an enormous spa, gym, and beach club. Hybrid diesel-electric engines are connected to Azipod drives that give Eclipse a top-end speed of 21 knots, with a range of 6000 nautical miles.

2. ‘Fulk Al Salamah’ (164-metres), Mariotti Yachts

Little information has ever been released about the world’s second-longest superyacht, custom-built Fulk Al Salamah, and it has been shrouded in mystery since first announced in 2014. Even the overall length of 164-metres has been estimated from AIS data. However, built and delivered by Italian builder Mariotti Yachts in their Genoa shipyard in 2016, the imposing vessel is believed to be owned by the Omani royal family. Exterior design is by Studio de Jorio, and it is considered by some to resemble more of a support vessel than a superyacht. Nonetheless, aerial photography shows an impressively large helideck, raked masts and a bathing platform.

1: ‘Azzam’ (180.6-metres), Lürssen

It’s not surprising that the world’s longest yacht hails from a shipyard dominating the upper echelon of boat-building. Unfortunately, Lürssen could never really boast about Azzam after its launch in 2013 because of the owner’s penchant for privacy. Mubarak Saad al Ahbabi directed a team of designers and engineers who started with the bare concept, worked through the technical challenges of what might be the most complex superyacht ever, and finished with an unusually large vessel that can top the 30-knot mark. Nauta Yacht’s exterior features a long, sleek forward area, with well-proportioned tiers moving up to the skydeck. Lürssen describes the interior by Christophe Leoni as “sophisticated, with luxurious decor inspired by the Empire style of the early 19th century”. Its gas turbines connected to water jets push Azzam to more than 30 knots, giving it the ability to operate at high speed in shallow waters. She also boasts an impressive build time for a yacht of her size, with construction taking only three years after one year of engineering.