A 164-foot (50-meter) Maiora currently under construction is the first visible result of a major expansion for Next Yacht Group. The company behind AB Yachts and Maiora is entering the metal-superyacht market, with new projects for both brands in development.
The move represents a significant change for two brands whose superyachts have always been fiberglass. It further points toward larger models. Among Maiora’s in-water projects, the 139-foot (42.5-meter) Maiora 42 Exuma is the current flagship. AB Yachts’ largest present model, meanwhile, is the 130-foot (39.65-meter) AB 130.
Next Yacht Group hasn’t revealed whether the 50-meter Maiora will feature a steel hull or be entirely aluminum. Neither has it release profile and interior drawings, anticipated performance figures, or delivery details. However, the company does say it intends to provide specifics about this and the other megayacht models by the end of the year.
AB Yachts and Maiora are entering the metal-superyacht market due to Next Yacht Group’s parent company acquiring SIMAN. An Italian shipyard based in La Spezia, SIMAN has specialized in steel and aluminum fabrication, maintenance and repair, mechanical engineering, and similar activities since 1988. It has largely operated as a subcontractor to other builders, for projects to 197 feet (60 meters). Simultaneously, SIMAN has long been an Italian Navy contractor. The acquisition allows AB Yachts and Maiora to be more vertically integrated.
Along with this acquisition, Next Yacht Group is investing in its existing production facilities in Pisa. It additionally has a site in Viareggio (the latter pictured above). Shipyard enhancements and other aspects of the investment plan should be completed next year.
Mario Petroni, Next Yacht Group’s chairman, says acquiring SIMAN simply made sense. “This transaction expands our manufacturing capabilities in the strategically important metal-yacht segment,” he notes. At the same time, it reinforces “a highly specialized Italian industrial-supply chain.”
Next Yacht Group nextyachtgroup.com
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