In a time of economic crisis, what could be more extraordinary than a superyacht? A terayacht, of course – a name given to vessels even larger than super, mega and gigayachts.
The latest luxury yacht to hit the market is the Pangeos – named after Pangea, a supercontinent that existed some 335 million years ago. If those seem like big numbers, wait until you hear how many dollars it will take to build it: 8 billion euros, according to designers Lazzarini.
No wonder it’s so expensive when this, if funded, will become the largest floating structure ever built. Looking rather like a Bond villain’s lair, it will stretch 550 meters long and 610 meters wide.
A full-fledged “floating city” according to Lazzarini, the yacht will have space for hotels, shopping malls, parks and even harbors for smaller ships and planes to get guests there in style. The style will have, given that it is shaped like a terracotta.
It would take a special place to build it too – one that doesn’t currently exist. The designers have presented Saudi Arabia as a country. About one square kilometer of sea will have to be dredged and a circular dike built before construction can begin. The designers have earmarked a space at King Abdullah Port, 130 kilometers north of Jeddah as the ideal location.
Divided into blocks like an actual city, Pangeos has a port and main square, from which other buildings rise. An area called the “upper shell”, surrounded by garden space, would act as a landing site for the planes.
Below the living space would be 30 thousand “cells” which would keep the structure standing. The basement would be made of steel. It would have a massive draft of 30 metres, or 98 feet, and be able to cruise at a speed of five knots – although the “wings” would be powered by drag and waves breaking against the ship. The roof would have solar panels to power the yacht.
Instead of operating out of a specific port or having a set itinerary, the turtle would simply sail around, making the journey the destination. Again, perfect for a Bond villain.
Lazzarini hopes construction could begin in 2033, with a construction time of eight years.
There is a crowdfunding initiative which allows you to buy anything from a virtual entry ticket ($16) to a VIP suite ($169) via NFT. This is for a virtual apartment, of course – but if you want to buy a real one, you can put that money towards a deposit on the real thing.