Cantiere delle Marche (CdM) has established itself as the world’s undisputed leader in building long-range luxury explorer yachts since its founding in 2010 in Ancona, on Italy’s Adriatic coast. In just over a decade, this Italian shipyard has revolutionized the explorer yacht segment, creating vessels that combine the rugged ocean-crossing capability of expedition yachts with the sophisticated design and generous spaces of superyachts.
Operating from a 16,000-square-meter facility with approximately 250 employees, CdM specializes in steel and aluminum displacement yachts ranging from 26 to 49 meters in length. The shipyard’s philosophy centers on building vessels capable of navigating where others stop, emphasizing reliability, comfort, and technical excellence for far-flung cruising adventures.
CdM has delivered an impressive fleet across multiple successful ranges:
Darwin Class: The flagship series includes notable deliveries such as Empire (Darwin 86), Haze² (Darwin 102), Acala (Darwin 102), Galego (Darwin 102), and Babbo (Darwin 102). With sixteen Darwin Class vessels launched, this range represents a core achievement for the shipyard.
Flexplorer Range: Aurelia (Flexplorer 130) marked the debut of this innovative line, designed to offer total flexibility for modern explorers.
Custom Projects: The 45-meter Tremenda, delivered in 2025 and designed by Giorgio Maria Cassetta, earned a judges’ commendation at the BOAT Design & Innovation Awards 2026, showcasing CdM’s bespoke capabilities.
Nauta Air Series: Including Tartaruga (Nauta Air 108), this contemporary line contributed significantly to CdM’s market dominance.
Together with their Darwin Class, these ranges have positioned CdM to represent approximately 60% of the 80-to-110-foot steel and aluminum explorer yacht market, cementing their reputation for building vessels that deliver unmatched comfort, reliability, and adventure-ready performance.
Cantiere delle Marche’s largest superyacht deliveries :
| Name | Year | LOA | GT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parati | 2025 | 46.71 | 498 |
| Audace | 2019 | 46.60 | 490 |
| Tremenda | 2025 | 45.70 | 464 |
| Mat | 2024 | 44.46 | 482 |
| Nasiba | 2025 | 44.33 | 498 |
| Lt. Pete Maverick Mitchell | 2024 | 44.33 | 499 |
| Orixa | 2022 | 43.10 | 499 |
| Babbo | 2024 | 42.61 | 476 |
| Crowbridge | 2020 | 42.00 | 378 |
| Nuri | 2021 | 40.51 | 397 |