A half-finished 49.5 metre hull built by Sensation Yachts, known only as Hull SY32, has been spotted in Auckland, New Zealand, apparently awaiting to resume construction at an overseas shipyard.
Details about her new lease of life have not yet been disclosed, but the reappearance suggests a brighter outlook for the superyacht.
Until now, the yacht's fate was unclear. It began construction more than 12 years ago at Sensation Yachts, but work was stalled when the yard ran into financial difficulty. In 2018, a salvage firm offered the yacht for sale, but set a date for its demolition if the sale did not go ahead.
Since then, new images by Paul Miller suggest that work had resumed on the unfinished vessel. Whereas the hull and superstructure had been abandoned as separate components, they now appear to have been joined in the interim period.
It has been speculated that continued work on the project took place in an old Alloy Yacht shed after having been bought by an Australian owner.
Peter Ward, managing director of Ward Demolition, told New Zealand outlet Stuff that “The [previous] owners have already spent millions on it, and we have been told that [it's] up to code to the point that it has been built." Even only half-finished, the superyacht stood at an estimated worth of $18 million.
The tri-deck motor yacht has a 9.2 metre beam, 1.98 metre draught and a total displacement of 280 tonnes. Upon completion, the hull is expected to be fitted with twin 2,250hp Caterpillar 3512B diesel engines and a 72,000 litres of fuel tankage.
The interiors have been built to accommodate up to 12 guests in five cabins, with room for an additional eight crew members should the project be completed at a surrogate yard.
Notable projects launched by Sensation Yachts in the past include the 52.88 metre Noble House and the 47.55 metre Lady Anastasia.