The T. Mariotti shipyard in Genoa has signed a contract for the construction of a new extra-luxury cruise ship, marking a new historic record for the size of the contracgt which is valued at about half a billion euros. The client Neprune CO. will be taken on by a joint venture between the Saudi group Aman Resorts with Cruise Saudi, which will make a debut during the holiday season with a ship whose size rivals that of the Seabourn.

The project called “Sama” involves the construction of super yachts which are 183 meters long, about 23,000 gross tons, with 50 suites of about 100 square meters each and a private balcony, two helipads and a beach club to bring guests closer to the water. The design comes from the Dutch company Sinot Yacht Architecture & Design and the markets where the ship will be used are in the Red Sea and the Mediterranean.

Marco Ghiglione, the CEO of T. Mariotti said “It is a privilege for us to have the opportunity to work with Aman, a leading player in high-level hospitality. We are proud to offer our experience in building ultra-luxury ships to this new and exciting reality that offers a unique combination of elegance, safety and versatility which will innovate the art of sea travel”.

Among the suppliers and local companies that will work on the contract are De Wave which will be responsible for the luxurious interior finishes and Ortec Santamaria which will carry out the electrical systems and will further consolidate the collaboration with T. Mariotti in the new construction luxury projects. The launch of Project Sama is scheduled for 2026 and its official name will be revealed soon.