One of the largest superyachts in the world and a former naval vessel is the 141 m long (loa) YAS called at Grand Harbour, Malta during her maiden call on Wednesday 18th September, 2024 passing breakwaters at 1810 hrs from Souda Bay.
She was built at Schelde, Netherlands by NV Koninklijke Maatschappij De Schelde (KMS) which was founded on 8th October 1975 now known as Damen Schelde Naval Shjpbuilding (Since 2000) as the Kortenaer Class Frigate HNLMS PIET HEIN F 811 for the Royal Netherlands Navy with the keel laid on 28th April 1977 and launched on 3rd June 1978. She was commissioned on 14th April, 1981.
Archive Photo of HNLMS PIET HEIN F 811 in Noway back to 1987.
During 1998 she was decommissioned and was sold to the United Arab Emirates Navy where she was commissioned on 27th June 1998 as AL EMIRAT F 02. 10 years later she was decommissioned and a year later ADM Shipyards at Abu Dhabi starting rebuilding/converting the frigate into a superyacht.
With a crew of 56 she has accommodation up to 60 guests and is powered by two MTU 10, 500 hp Diesel Engines that give her a maximum speed of 26 knots and a cruising speed of 22 knots.
She’s owned by Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed al Nahyan of which he is a member of the Abu Dhabi royal family and a businessman. He is a half-brother of the current President of the UAE Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Her berthing place was port side alongside at Pinto 4 and 5 wharves, part of Valletta Cruise Port and uplifted bunkers by road trucks from Cassar Fuels.
She left Valletta bound to Antibes, France at 2337 hrs.
More images can be found here – https://maltashipphotos.com/photo/yas-18-09-2024/
Valletta Cruise Port – For more information about Valletta Cruise Port kindly visit their website – www.vallettacruiseport.com
