In Muggiano (La Spezia) shipyard this week they have been celebrating the twentieth anniversary of Destriero, the fastest superyacht in the world.
She set a record for crossing the Atlantic in 1992 which still stands and the yacht heralded a revolution in the shipbuilding industry by bringing in today’s fast hulls
The high speed water jet driven monohull, built in 1991 in less than a year by Fincantieri, sailed 3,106 nautical miles without refueling, from Ambrose Light, New York to Bishop Rock lightship on the Scilly Isles, England, in 2 days, 10 hours and 34 minutes (58) hours at an average speed of 53 knots (reaching speeds of 70), to claim the Blue Riband.
Present at the celebrations were Corrado Antonini, Chairman of Fincantieri, Cesare Fiorio, head of the Destriero Challenge program and Aldo Benedetti, second-in-command of Destriero.
Built at the shipyards of Muggiano and Riva Trigoso, Destriero was the largest ship in light alloy ever to be constructed and one of the vessels with the highest concentration of efficiency, power and technology.
At 67 metres long with a beam of 13 metres and 60,000 HP, the yacht could reach average speeds of over 60 knots Destriero marked the beginning of the production of a new generation of high speed vessels with consequent benefits for commercial development.
The challenge started with the aim to break the record for crossing the Atlantic, for which the Blue Riband has been awarded since 1838. Later, in 1935 winners of the Blue Riband were also awarded the Hales Trophy, following a proposal from a British MP, Harold Hales.
Competition regulations allow merchant vessels to participate provided that, during an in Atlantic crossing, from East to West, they meet certain requirements having mail on board, paying passengers and a professional crew.
Destriero and her challenge for the Atlantic record started from the passion for naval technology, of Ismaili Prince Karim the Aga Khan, who sponsored the initiative. He was supported by leading figures of Italian industry and culture of the time, from the Fiat of Gianni Agnelli, to the IRI of Franco Nobili and other sponsors.
To mark the occasion a photographic exhibition has been arranged by Fincantieri Foundation, celebrating the enterprise of the shipyard, the ship and her crew.
Destriero is currently in Germany await refit after years of apparent neglect in a British dockyard