Henk de Vries III

In yachting, there are families and there are the De Vries. After nearly four decades at his family’s shipyard, Henk de Vries III retired as Director of Feadship and CEO of Koninklijke De Vries Scheepsbouw on 1 May 2025.

The fourth-generation De Vries to lead the shipyard, Henk joined the business in 1987 and took the helm as director and shareholder in 1996, leading alongside his cousin, Tom de Vries, who is set to retire in spring 2026. Together, they’ve steered one of the world’s most iconic shipyards through some of the most transformative periods in modern yacht building and now leave behind some of the fleet’s most innovative vessels in their wake: Venus, Savannah, Symphony, to name but a few.

Although it has yet to be delivered, one of the standouts from the iconic builder has been Breakthrough, with the 119-metre vessel becoming the first yacht to receive bunkering with liquid hydrogen in the Netherlands, specifically in the Port of Amsterdam on 28 May. Bunkering took place in two phases using an Air Products truck, with Breakthrough integrating a 3.2MW hydrogen fuel cell system that produces electricity without combustion, leaving only water as a by-product.

Breakthrough refuel. Image courtesy of Port of Amsterdam

“We expect that multiple alternative fuels for shipping will coexist. This requires flexibility and foresight from us and the companies in the port area,” explains Milembe Mateyo, Director of CNB and State Harbour Master of the North Sea Canal. “We are proud that the first bunkering with liquid hydrogen has now taken place in our port. It shows that hydrogen as a fuel is a feasible solution for emission-free sailing. This is an important step towards more sustainable shipping and our goal to facilitate this as a multi-fuel port.”

It’s a testament to Henk’s lasting legacy. A staunch advocate for sustainable advancements and their implementation within the yachting ecosystem, Henk co-founded Water Revolution Foundation in 2018 and continues to serve as chairman of the board. The Foundation leads the yachting sector’s efforts to reduce its ecological footprint through science-based initiatives and preserve the world’s precious oceans.

As the company moves forward, Roderick de Vries, son of former Feadship Director Gerard, takes the helm as CEO and Operational Director, joined by Bas Nederpelt as Chief Commercial Officer and Feadship Director. A seasoned executive board joins them at the heart of this family powerhouse.

“The four members of our new executive board bring with them over eighty years of De Vries experience,” said Henk at the time of his retirement. “Their deep understanding of the company ensures it is in very capable hands.”

And given the recent performance of Feadship over the course of 2025, you’d be inclined to agree.

Project 714

At the end of February, Project 714, now known as Faith, took to the water out of the shed in Aalsmeer. At 80 metres, with exterior lines by RWD and naval architecture by De Voogt, the yacht features Feadship’s now signature next-generation diesel-electric hybrid system, developed through its Feadship Advanced Electrical Drive (FAED) programme.

The striking black hull builds on the technical legacy of Savannah and Obsidian, with 4.5 times more electrical storage than the former. The propulsion and steering are managed by two contra-rotating thrusters, eliminating the need for traditional drive shafts and rudders. This configuration reduces drag and enhances manoeuvrability. Extensive computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis has fine-tuned its pods and propellers, ensuring minimal vibration and maximum comfort on board.

Moonrise

Following shortly in mid-March another standout was the launch at the Makkum facility of the new 101 metre Moonrise, a refined successor to the much-admired 2020 vessel bearing the same name. While the silhouette remains familiar, with flowing exterior lines, a powerful vertical bow and grey and snow-white paintwork, she carries forward the original’s distinctive aesthetic 

In a first for Feadship, Starlink receivers are now fully integrated into the superstructure, eliminating the need for visible domes. The previous vessel featured five domes housing VSAT and TVRO antennas. Below deck, a redesigned propeller and appendage set-up, combined with the industry’s first fully resilient-mounted anchor winch foundation, ensures ultra-low noise both underway and at anchor.

Project 827. Image © Feadship

Also undergoing final outfitting before it embarks on sea trials is Project 827, a 72-metre vessel launched from its Amsterdam facility on 30 April. With exterior styling by Studio De Voogt and naval architecture by Azure Naval Architects, Project 827 features a low bulwark and five expansive decks, including a dedicated owners deck made possible by a raised pilothouse design.

In May, the shipyard unveiled Project 824, a 100-metre fully custom yacht launched from its Kaag facility. Designed by Finnish architect Jarkko Jämsén, with naval architecture by Feadship De Voogt and interiors penned by Liagre.

Project 824. Image © Feadship

And finally, there is Valor, the shipyard’s latest explorer yacht. The striking superyacht emerged from the Aalsmeer facility on 17 May. With exteriors designed by Studio De Voogt, the owner’s vision was for the yacht to be “recognisable from outer space”, blending a dreadnought bow with sleek superyacht lines.

At 80 metres, it combines expedition capability with the trademark Feadship aesthetics. Built for a repeat Feadship owner, Valor features a two-metre ice belt around the hull, achieving Bureau Veritas Young Ice Class 2 notation, enabling navigation through challenging environments like the Northwest Passage, a region of growing interest for guests. 

Valor utilises four variable-speed generators connected to a DC grid and a 5.34MWh lithium-ion battery bank, allowing for up to 48 hours of zero-emission cruising, supplemented by a mast-mounted solar array. The yacht is also trialling hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) biofuel, aiming to reduce carbon emissions by up to 90 per cent.

Valor. Image © Feadship

Now undergoing final outfitting and sea trials, Valor is set to make its public debut at the Monaco Yacht Show this September. Astronauts, for now, will have to wait.

Feadship Resale is indicative of a broader evolution of how shipyards are positioning
themselves in the market as long-term custodians of their brand and products. It’s not necessarily
about undercutting the traditional sales channels so much as reshaping the value chain around its
clientele and readily available expertise.

But it’s not just new builds making waves. In late 2024, Feadship launched Feadship Resale, its in-house brokerage service for the owned fleet. It’s a move that has already started to reshape how the shipyard engages with its client base post-delivery.

Designed for its fleet only, the service aims to leverage the yard’s technical knowledge and access to build records with its relationships with owners. It completed its first two sales this year; first, with 76-metre Les Cinq (formerly ONE and before that Project 825), co-listed with Edmiston and sold with Burgess acting for the buyer. Second is Savannah, also co-listed with Edmiston.

“For years, owners have asked us to help sell their yachts,” said Arjen van Elk of Feadship Resale. “We always directed them to brokers, but now we can offer something far more comprehensive. We know the yachts inside out – we built them.”

Les Cinq (formerly ONE). Image © Feadship

With six yachts now in its portfolio, including W, the 58-metre yacht recently added to the portfolio by Valor’s owner, the yard is quickly positioning Feadship Resale as a natural extension of its lifecycle service model. But it’s indicative of a broader evolution of how shipyards are positioning themselves in the market as long-term custodians of their brand and products. It’s not necessarily about undercutting the traditional sales channels so much as reshaping the value chain around its clientele and readily available expertise. The value proposition of buying a pre-owned vessel from the people who built it, and (aside from its crew, perhaps) know it best, is becoming increasingly persuasive.

It’s a signal of consolidation, the holy grail apparent for every shipyard in a competitive market with limited resources, human or otherwise. The shipyard’s responsibilities no longer end at delivery but continue through resale and refit. Programmes like this are fast becoming coveted commercial assets. How it performs in the long term will be watched attentively. 

In the more immediate future, several more deliveries are expected before the year is out, although some, like the much-publicised Breakthrough, remain in limbo, with it technically launched, not yet delivered, and reportedly changing hands.

But with five major launches already, a new resale model in motion and a leadership transition underway, 2025 is already shaping up to be one of the most consequential years in Feadship’s modern history. The coming months will tell how the next generation shoulders that mantle and whether the yard’s ambitions in brokerage and lifecycle service can match its reputation as a builder.

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