Photo: Oceanco (Composite)
What a billionaire wants, a billionaire gets, and Dutch luxury shipyard Oceanco will most likely be involved. That’s more or less the story behind Aalto, one of the world’s most famous superyachts and quite the pioneer.
At 262 feet (80 m) long overall, Aalto is certainly not on the same level as Oceanco’s later builds, including Jeff Bezos’s highly controversial (but still absolutely gorgeous) Koru. Today, it’s not even among the largest in the world, having long since slipped out of the top 100 vessels by length, occupying 188th place. However, comparing it to today’s superyachts and megayachts would be unfair, as Aalto was delivered in 2007.
Delivered as Amevi, the superyacht was custom-designed for a very experienced owner, which is an industry term to indicate that this was not the owner’s first superyacht. With a beam of 46.7 feet (14.2 metres) and a draft of 12.1 feet (3.9 metres), she offers an impressive interior volume of 2,310 GT across three decks.
For her size, Aalto is surprisingly large, accommodating up to 18 guests in her nine suites and a crew of 24 in separate quarters. Those numbers alone are impressive for a superyacht that you might call “small” if you’re looking at 100+ metre (328+ ft) builds.
Photo: Edmiston Yachts
But Aalto stands out for more than just its size. As the old and rather vulgar saying goes, it’s never about the size of the boat.
When Oceanco launched Aalto, it introduced it with a rhetorical question: “What if a new era begins?” The famous shipyard presents all its hulls as answers to questions that no other shipyard had ever thought to ask. With Aalto, it was the means to launch the era of superyachts coded 700 for Oceanco, a first step to meet the growing demand in the 80+ meter (262+ foot) sector.
She was also the superyacht designed to introduce several industry firsts that have since become “standard” even on smaller hulls. At the time of her delivery, Aalto was the only superyacht to offer a heated swimming pool, a cinema, a full-size gym, a massage room (which also serves as a medical room in case of emergency), a hair salon, a helipad and a unique stabilized billiard table.
Photo: Edmiston Yachts
But none of these things would matter much to a new owner.
Before being a record-breaker, an innovator and the first in a long line of superyachts of a certain size, Aalto is a spectacular construction. The exterior design is by Nuvolari Lenard, while the interiors are by the late Alberto Pinto, distinguishable by their elegant neutrals and contrasting turquoises inspired by the ocean. The naval architecture is by Oceanco and Azure Yacht Design.
Now owned by billionaire steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal, who also owns the Lurssen-built Alaiya, Aalto is listed on three major brokerages and is due to make an appearance at the 2024 Monaco Yacht Show in September. Edmiston describes her as the superyacht that redefines indulgent family cruising and cites her impeccable record as a charter platform for this.
Photo: Edmiston Yachts
A simple Google search will return several results of A-list celebrities renting it for their summer family vacations, including the now-troubled music mogul Sean Combs, aka Diddy. That's probably an association the owner would rather not have.
The onboard amenities are nothing short of opulent, from the glass elevator that connects all decks to the enormous gymnasium, the five available fountains and the two cinemas. And they are even more impressive when you consider that they were not standard features like they are today.
Aalto is filled with lounge and tanning areas everywhere you look and has garages filled to the brim with all sorts of water toys, from an inflatable slide to a Manta hydrofoil bike, an underwater drone, inflatables and even an inflatable golf target with biodegradable golf balls. This is a vessel with multigenerational appeal, no doubt about it.
Photo: Edmiston Yachts
All guest suites are on the main deck and the owner's suite is designed as a self-contained area, providing much-needed privacy. It boasts walk-in wardrobes and a bathroom that is still the largest in this class, an office and a private deck with not one but two jacuzzis. Two more jacuzzis are available for guests and there is also the counter-current pool with glass backrest on the sundeck.
Aalto is powered by two MTU 16V 595 TE70 16-cylinder engines producing 4,647 hp each and is capable of a top speed of 20 knots (23 mph/43 km/h). While cruising at a more leisurely 14 knots (16 mph/26 km/h), she has a range of 6,334 nautical miles (7,290 miles/11,731 km).
The superyacht is asking €79,750,000, which is about $87.2 million at the current exchange rate. Its declared value is $150 million, if online reports that neither Oceanco nor the owner will ever confirm are to be believed.
