Everyone who’s anyone has a massive superyacht at their disposal: from Jeff Bezos’s brand-new $700 million vessel to Putin’s gold-plated gargantuan, but this brand-new vessel takes things to a new supervillainous depths. The Migaloo M5 — a US$ 2 billion (c. A$3 billion) superyacht-cum-submarine — has all the luxuries you’d expect from a standard superyacht… but is also designed to stay submerged for up to four weeks.
Christian Gumpold, CEO of Migaloo, has been out promoting the 541-foot-long luxury submersible which is apparently capable of reaching mind-boggling depths of up to 820 feet. And yet, despite the array of cutting-edge, extravagant features on offer — including accommodation for 20 passengers and 40 crew members — the Migaloo M5 is yet to secure any orders…
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The fatal Titan submersible mission last June — intended to explore the Titanic wreckage but destined never to return — may have contributed to some understandable hesitancy surrounding the submersible market.
More widely, the superyacht industry has also faced a downturn in recent years, with The Times reporting a decline in yacht ownership from 3.6% in 2014 to 2% in 2021. The sector’s awkward association with Russian oligarchs — especially in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — has thrown its usual allure into doubt.
In an effort to drum up some interest, Migaloo recently promoted its ‘Limo Sub’ Tender on Facebook, shouting about its Bond-like ability to help you step onboard the Submersible Superyacht in total discretion, evading detection from interested third-parties. The Migaloo M5 offers an array of similarly spy-ready amenities including jet skis, kite surfing, paddleboarding, mini-submarines, and even a helicopter…
Among its more relaxing and luxurious features are two swimming pools, a jacuzzi, and an onboard cafe. If that wasn’t enough, the vessel also boasts a 36-seat dining room with glass walls that allow uninterrupted underwater views. Despite the lack of sales so far, Migaloo remains hopeful that buyers may be enticed by more opulent features like the wine cellar or a movie room.
The Superyacht Scene
Perhaps the only person we’ve seen come close to owning a yacht quite so well-equipped as this one is Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. Named after the Maori term for “new beginnings,” Bezos’ controversial new $700m superyacht — the Koru — represents a more luxurious and opulent investment than any of us mere mortals could ever dream of. And yet, that hasn’t stopped him from keeping the Abeona — Koru’s 246-foot “support yacht” — on hand and stacked with all the toys a billionaire could need.
The largest support vessel ever built, the $100 million Abeona was launched in October of last year and is named after the Roman goddess of outward journeys. Stacked with supercars, motorbikes, smaller boats, and jet skis, the vessel’s raison d’etre is to accommodate Bezos’ fiancée — trained helicopter pilot Lauren Sanchez — as the Koru lacks its own landing pad.
So, while Migaloo may not have found their first buyer just yet, I’d urge them to keep the faith; the world’s first trillionaire is only a few years from being anointed, and I’m sure they’ll be window shopping for something like this soon enough…