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Heesen Yachts has been the engineering-led Dutch yard of the 50m to 80m bracket for two decades. New-build pricing in 2026 runs $35M for a 50m aluminium series build to $150M and up for the largest 80m steel customs. The yard delivered roughly 180 yachts since its 1978 founding, with the order book through 2028 reportedly at high capacity [VERIFY: 2025 to 2026 order book figures from Heesen]. The Oss facility on the Maas in the Netherlands handles every hull from cutting to delivery, and the engineering team has been the single biggest reason Heesen has held its place against larger Dutch and German competitors.
We would buy a Heesen new in the 50m to 70m bracket without hesitation, particularly the fast-displacement hull form (FDHF) builds. The yard delivers a level of engineering rigour in this LOA that Sanlorenzo and Benetti rarely match and Feadship reserves for hulls 10m longer. Above 70m the case is less clean: Heesen has built capable customs in that bracket, but Lürssen, Feadship, and Oceanco have a deeper installed base.
This buyer's review is built from one broker contributor with 11 years selling Heesen, two captains with combined 14 years on Heesen 50m to 65m hulls, and our walk-throughs of nine Heesen yachts at Monaco, Cannes, and Fort Lauderdale between 2021 and 2025. Yard-supplied figures are marked [VERIFY: yard-supplied].
What Heesen actually is
Heesen was founded in 1978 in Oss, Netherlands, by Frans Heesen. The yard built fast aluminium hulls in the 1980s and 1990s, then moved into steel in the early 2000s as it pushed past 50m. Heesen is privately held; the controlling stake was acquired by VITRUVIAN Partners in a leveraged structure several years ago [VERIFY: current ownership and any 2024 to 2026 changes]. Day-to-day leadership has remained stable.
The Oss site is a single integrated facility. Cutting, fabrication, paint, outfit, and delivery happen on one campus on the Maas river. The yard's location 30km inland from the river mouth means hulls transit the Maas to the North Sea for sea trials, which is a logistical signature of any Heesen build.
The product line is split by hull material and hull form.
Aluminium semi-displacement. 40m to 55m. The traditional yard product. Fast (top speed 22 to 28 knots depending on hull), efficient, well-engineered for speed-comfort balance.
Aluminium fast-displacement (FDHF). 50m to 60m. Heesen's proprietary fast-displacement hull form, co-developed with Van Oossanen, delivering low resistance at displacement speed and good comfort at 15 to 17 knots cruising.
Steel custom (XVenture, Cosmos, Falcon series). 55m to 80m. Larger steel customs and semi-customs. The 80m Cosmos was the yard's largest delivered yacht as of 2024.
Steel fast-displacement. 55m to 65m. Steel-hull versions of the FDHF concept. The 50 Steel and 55 Steel platforms.
What separates a Heesen build
Three things stand out at Heesen against the broader Dutch and Italian competition.
Engineering rigour. Heesen's engineering culture is genuinely closer to the Northern European standard (Feadship, Lürssen) than to the Italian standard (Benetti, Sanlorenzo). The structural drawings, the systems redundancy, the cable trays, the bilge engineering, and the noise and vibration work all sit one half-step above the Italian comparables in the same LOA. This shows up in survey results and in long-cycle ownership cost.
Fast-displacement hull form. The FDHF is a real engineering differentiator. The hull form delivers lower resistance at displacement speeds than the conventional fine-bow semi-displacement hull, with measurably lower fuel burn at 14 to 17 knots and better comfort at sea. Heesen owners who cruise long distances at displacement speed report consistently lower fuel costs than equivalent Italian semi-displacement hulls. The FDHF is part of the reason Heesen has held its position against Benetti and Sanlorenzo as those yards have pushed into the bracket.
Build discipline on series concepts. Heesen runs disciplined series builds (50m Aluminium, 55m Steel, the Project Apex and Project Aster lines), which means the yard captures engineering learning across hulls and the per-hull delivery is more predictable than at fully custom Dutch yards.
The trade-offs are real.
Premium pricing. Heesen is not cheap. The 50m FDHF at $40M to $48M is priced 20 to 30 percent above the Italian comparable. The 55m and 60m FDHF and Steel customs are priced toward the Feadship floor without delivering the full Feadship brand premium at resale. Buyers who care most about cost-per-LOA should weigh this.
Brand floor at resale is weaker than Feadship. At 10 to 15 years the Heesen resale floor sits 5 to 10 percentage points below an equivalent Feadship at the same LOA. The gap has narrowed since 2018, but it has not closed.
Limited above 80m. Heesen has not built above 80m yet (Cosmos at 80m is the largest delivered as of 2024). Buyers above 80m default to Lürssen, Feadship, or Oceanco.
The product families that matter in 2026
The 50m Aluminium platform is the volume product at the yard. The hull is fast (top speed 23 to 26 knots), the build time is 28 to 32 months, and the cost-adjusted value is the strongest the yard offers. Resale demand is strong.
The 55m Steel and 55m FDHF are the platforms most buyers consider in the 50m-to-60m bracket. The Steel customs deliver more displacement-character cruising. The FDHF delivers fuel-efficient long-distance cruising at 15 to 17 knots. Both have been well-received.
The 60m Steel customs (the Falcon and Aster series and recent customs) are the yard's upper-mid product. Build time runs 36 to 42 months. Pricing runs $80M to $110M depending on specification.
The 80m Cosmos and the 70m to 80m steel customs are the yard's flagship product. Pricing runs $130M to $150M and up. Build time runs 42 to 50 months.
What we would buy
Three buy paths into Heesen make sense in 2026.
New-build 50m FDHF. The single strongest cost-adjusted Heesen buy. At $40M to $48M, the build delivers Northern European engineering at a price closer to the Italian comparables. Fast-displacement hull form gives the long-cruising owner a real fuel advantage. Strong charter demand at this LOA supports income if the owner wants to offset cost.
Brokerage 50m to 55m Aluminium hulls from 2014 to 2020. Asking prices run $14M to $28M. The aluminium hulls from this era have aged well, the engineering is solid, and refit cost behaves predictably. A 2018 50m at $20M to $24M with a proper survey is one of the strongest cost-adjusted superyacht buys in this LOA bracket, full stop.
New-build 55m Steel FDHF. The build at $55M to $70M is the right step up from the 50m for buyers who want more interior volume and the long-cruising profile. Charter income at this LOA is meaningful (peak weekly rates at $400K to $550K). Resale at 10 years holds in the 60 to 70 percent range.
What we passed on
Three patterns we have passed on for our readers.
The largest custom builds at 75m-plus where the price gap to Feadship and Lürssen has closed. Heesen above 75m is competent. So is Lürssen and so is Feadship, and the brand floor at those yards is stronger. We have steered three buyers in this bracket toward the Northern European competitors in the last 24 months. Buyers committed to Heesen at 75m-plus should be doing so for a specific reason (an existing relationship, a particular project team, a specific design partner) rather than as a default.
The aluminium 40m to 47m series from 2005 to 2012. These were good hulls when delivered. Many have not been properly refit. Survey results have been mixed on paint, hull fairness, and structural longevity. Buyers tempted by sub-$10M asking prices on these hulls should expect refit cost of $2M to $5M to bring them to a 2026 standard.
Project marketing names that obscure the underlying hull. Heesen markets each new build with a project name (Project Castor, Project Apex, Project Aster). The names are useful for the yard's sales process. They are not useful for a buyer trying to compare a 50m FDHF to a 55m Steel. We work past the marketing names to the underlying hull platform every time, and so should you.
The yards we would compare Heesen against
Feadship. The Dutch reference. Feadship builds to a higher engineering standard at a meaningfully higher price (40 to 60 percent premium at the same LOA). Build times are longer (4 to 6 years vs 2.5 to 3.5 years). The Feadship brand floor at resale is the strongest in the Dutch market. For a buyer in the 60m-plus bracket who wants the strongest Dutch resale and is not in a hurry, Feadship is the default. See the Feadship review.
Lürssen. The German alternative above 70m. Lürssen has the deepest installed base above 80m in the world. Pricing is comparable to Feadship at the same LOA. For buyers above 80m, Lürssen is the default. See the Lürssen review.
Amels. The platform-build Dutch alternative. Amels Limited Editions in the 55m to 80m bracket deliver engineering close to the Feadship standard at a price closer to the Heesen floor, with faster build times. For the buyer who wants Dutch engineering and predictable delivery, Amels is the strongest direct competitor. See the Amels and Damen review.
Benetti and Sanlorenzo. The Italian competitors in the 50m to 60m bracket. Cost-adjusted, the Italian yards deliver more LOA for the dollar. Engineering-adjusted, Heesen sits one half-step ahead. Charter market acceptance is comparable. For a buyer who values engineering rigour, Heesen wins. For a buyer who values design culture and Italian build feel, Sanlorenzo or Benetti wins. See the Sanlorenzo review.
Cost and timeline in 2026
New-build cost. $35M to $48M for 50m Aluminium series. $40M to $55M for 50m FDHF. $55M to $75M for 55m Steel and Steel FDHF. $80M to $110M for 60m Steel customs. $130M to $150M and up for 70m to 80m flagship customs.
Build time. 28 to 32 months for 50m series. 32 to 38 months for 55m Steel and FDHF. 36 to 44 months for 60m customs. 42 to 50 months for 70m to 80m flagship customs.
Resale value at year 10. 55 to 70 percent of new-build value for the FDHF and Steel customs. 50 to 65 percent for the aluminium series. The newer FDHF hulls have held value better than the older aluminium semi-displacement hulls, partly because the fuel-efficiency story has strengthened with rising fuel prices.
Refit cost. Heesen Refit at Oss handles yard-specific work. MB92 Barcelona, Lusben in Viareggio, and Pendennis in Falmouth are the typical alternatives. A full 10-year refit on a 55m Heesen runs $4M to $8M depending on scope.
The honest verdict
Heesen is the engineering-led Dutch yard for buyers in the 50m to 70m bracket. The fast-displacement hull form is a real, measurable differentiator for long-cruising owners. Build discipline is closer to the Northern European standard than to the Italian standard, and survey results bear this out.
The cost-adjusted sweet spot is the 50m FDHF at new-build and the 50m to 55m Aluminium hulls from 2014 to 2020 at brokerage. Above 70m, the brand floor and installed base case for Feadship and Lürssen strengthens.
Heesen is the answer when a buyer wants Dutch engineering without committing to the Feadship lead time and price floor.
Frequently asked questions
Is Heesen a good yacht builder? Yes. Heesen is among the strongest Northern European yards in the 50m to 70m bracket. Engineering rigour is genuinely high. The fast-displacement hull form is a real differentiator.
How much does a new Heesen yacht cost? $35M to $55M for 50m Aluminium and FDHF. $55M to $75M for 55m Steel. $80M to $110M for 60m Steel customs. $130M to $150M and up for 70m to 80m flagship customs.
What is the FDHF? Fast-displacement hull form. A Heesen-developed hull form, co-engineered with Van Oossanen, that delivers lower resistance at displacement speed (14 to 17 knots) and better comfort at sea than the conventional fine-bow semi-displacement hull. Real fuel savings at long-distance displacement cruising.
Heesen vs Feadship: which is better? Feadship builds to a higher engineering standard at a 40 to 60 percent price premium and a 4-to-6-year delivery. Heesen delivers Dutch engineering at 2.5-to-3.5-year delivery and lower pricing. Above 70m the Feadship case strengthens. Below 60m, Heesen is often the better cost-adjusted answer.
Heesen vs Sanlorenzo: which is better? Heesen wins on engineering rigour and hull-form performance. Sanlorenzo wins on design culture and interior styling. Heesen pricing runs 15 to 25 percent above the equivalent Sanlorenzo at the same LOA. The choice depends on whether the buyer prioritises engineering or design.
Where should I refit a Heesen? Heesen Refit at the Oss yard for yard-specific work. MB92 Barcelona for general Mediterranean refits. Lusben Viareggio as an Italian alternative. Pendennis Falmouth for the Northern European option.
What is the resale value of a 10-year-old Heesen? 55 to 70 percent of new-build value for FDHF and Steel custom hulls. 50 to 65 percent for the older aluminium series. The FDHF hulls have held value better than the older aluminium hulls.
Is the 50m FDHF a good buy? Yes. It is the single strongest cost-adjusted Heesen new-build buy in 2026.
Does Heesen build above 80m? Not yet as of 2024 to 2026. The 80m Cosmos was the yard's largest delivered yacht. Buyers above 80m default to Lürssen, Feadship, or Oceanco.
Last updated 2026-05.