The UAE superyacht builder Gulf Craft had its 47-metre Majesty 155 debut in Europe at the Cannes Yachting Festival: she is the largest UAE vessel built to date. On its European debut in Cannes was also Gulf Craft’s tri-deck Majesty 110.
“The idea is to mimic basically a very luxurious villa on the water,” says the Gulf Craft chief executive Erwin Bamps. “When you are on board you really don’t feel you are on the water, unless you look outside.” In fact, thanks to a system to counter the movement of the waves, even in case of storm, one wouldn’t notice unless watching outside.
Gulf Craft dates back to the Eighties, as it was founded in 1982 by the Al Shaali Family as a fishing boat manufacturer: a humble beginning for a shipyard that nowadays counts a 1,600-strong workforce, and builds on average 400 boats per year. The global growth of the demand allowed Gulf Craft to leverage risk and to invest more with less worry. About the shipyard and its approach to the global and European market, Mr Bamps commented:
“Europeans have always been intrigued by the idea of venturing out to sea. However, today, ‘value’ has become the mantra of the market – customers want to know if you can give them more for their investment. (…) A shipyard’s credibility in the eyes of a prospective owner no longer relies solely on the builder’s positive track record, but also on its ability to deliver value for money. I believe our commitment to do this without compromising on quality, and while simultaneously creating bespoke experiences for our customers, is what drives our business to succeed in the most difficult of times. It is also what propels our achievements during economic prosperity.”
JFA Explorera: boutique craftsmanship meets advanced naval architecture
Silvia Chiarito
October 26, 2026
In January 2026, French shipyard JFA Yachts launched its most ambitious project to date: Explorera, a 50.44 m custom explorer yacht designed for extended cruising across the world’s oceans.
