Why the 100m superyacht charter market is smaller than it looks
While the 111m Leviathan built by Oceanco and delivered to her owners in 2025 may be the largest superyacht on display at the upcoming Monaco Yacht Show, Nixie will undoubtedly be the main attraction of MYS. Making her world debut at Port Hercule, the 102.4m superyacht was delivered to her owner last month by her builder, Lürssen. Conceived with charter in mind from the initial sketch, she joins the small offering of 100m superyachts in the global charter fleet. With more than 80 superyachts measuring more than 100 metres in length currently in operation worldwide, fewer than ten are available in the charter market, making newly delivered additions like Nixie highly sought after.
But what drives scarcity at this end of the charter market? Why is the market so small? The gap between what is available and what can be booked is no mere coincidence; rather, it has been designed so.
The majority of privately owned and charter superyachts can accommodate a maximum of twelve overnight guests. A limit that is set deliberately: safety treaties like SOLAS classify superyachts carrying more than 12 commercial passengers as cruise ships, rather than standard yachts, triggering additional regulations, protocols, certifications, and operating rules. Superyachts in this size class are commissioned as private, owner yachts, with some opting for commercial charter later down the line, with most 100m-plus owners showing little interest in chartering as a means to offset some of the operational costs.
The supply of over 100m yachts for charter is tightening at the same time. According to BOAT International’s Global Order Book 2026, orders contracted in unit count for a second consecutive year, while average length and tonnage under construction reached record highs. Construction slots at leading shipyards around the globe are committed through 2028 and 2029, which means work on any new build commission would only start after this, making the delivery of new charter superyachts like Nixie particularly interesting.
Originally known as Project JASSJ while under construction, she was commissioned by Canadian entrepreneur Patrick Dovigi and devised with charter in mind before changing hands and being purchased by billionaire Revolut co-founder and CEO Nik Storonsky in January 2026. She features an exterior and interior design by RWD, with a semi-suspended glass-bottom infinity pool on one of the biggest beach clubs ever built by Lürssen, which includes four sea terraces that open to offer 270 square metres of waterside relaxation. Other standout amenities include the 144 square metre panoramic sea-view gym with a cryotherapy chamber, a sauna, steam room, spa and beauty salon, an RYA-accredited watersports hub with jet skis, waterskis, SeaBobs, and a commercially certified helipad that can be used as a sports court. Rounding out the entertainment offering are indoor and outdoor cinemas, and a deck jacuzzi. The owner’s deck also has a teppanyaki dining experience, with an extendable alfresco dining table for up to 22 guests. Accommodating 12 guests in ten ensuite staterooms, with a full-beam owner’s apartment situated on its own deck, Nixie is looked after by a crew of 34. She will cruise in the Mediterranean in summer and the Caribbean in winter, available from €2,400,000 per week plus expenses.
When chartering in the 100m-plus superyacht range, charterers are not selecting from a category or yacht type, but a short list. Although most of the superyachts available for charter in this size class follow the same seasonal pattern – chartering in the Mediterranean in summer, the Caribbean in winter- rates vary from approximately €850,000 to €4,000,000 per week before expenses. Rates in this size range tend to be more driven by factors such as age, guest capacity, amenities, and refit, and less by length. Booking horizons are long, with peak Mediterranean weeks on the newest hulls, like Nixie, typically committed a year or more ahead, and the handful of superyachts in this bracket means a single competing enquiry can close out a season.
