Azimut unveils new fleet flagship Grande 44M
Italian boatbuilder Azimut has revealed its new flagship – the Grande 44M.
The yacht, which is the new fleet flagship, has a concept and exterior styling by Alberto Mancini and interiors by m²atelier, working with the shipyard for the first time. It was announced during the 2024 Palm Beach International Boat Show, which took place from 21 to 24 March in Florida.
Five units have been sold in advance of the launch.
As the largest model ever built by the shipyard, the Grande 44M is also the flagship of the shipyard’s family of Low Emission Yachts, models that are said to offer a reduction of between 20 and 30 per cent in emissions compared to more traditional naval architectures of the same size.
“[The] Grande 44M is proof that true innovation anticipates what owners really desire,” says Marco Valle, Azimut-Benetti Group CEO. “This is confirmed by the five units sold even before the official presentation of the project, all bought by Azimut owners who understand the shipyard’s values and wish to grow with us.”
The helm station has been moved to the fourth deck, freeing up the upper deck so that it can be transformed into an owner’s deck, featuring the master suite and a private terrace. Aft, Grande 44M replaces the mezzanine deck with a Sea View Terrace, as seen on the Grande Trideck. An immersive ‘transparent’ pool generates reflections from the water that shimmer across the beach club.
The new layout means that architecture firm m²atelier – working with Azimut for the first time – has created an interior design that balances functionality and aesthetics.
The forward section of Grande 44M’s upper deck can be fitted out as a media room for guests or reserved for the owner, or alternatively, as a dining area with a veranda accommodating 12 people. In both cases, almost two-metre-long windows on either side provide open views outside, where a lounge area in the bow with a small firepit offers a cosy space from which to watch the sunset over the water.
The naval platform of the Grande 44M is based on a Dual Mode hull, the introduction of the Hull Vane foil technology and the Mild Hybrid Plus Zero Emission Hotel Mode system.
The Dual Mode hull, developed in partnership by P.L. Ausonio Naval Architecture and the Azimut R&D department, represents the union of two types of conventional hull: the bow section is typical for fast displacement boats, while the part from midships to the stern has a chine commonly found on planing hulls. This results in a hull that, Azimut says, allows a considerable reduction in fuel consumption and emissions at every speed range.
The foil technology is installed for the first time on an Azimut yacht thanks to the collaboration between Hull Vane, a Dutch company specialising in hydrodynamic solutions, and the Azimut-Benetti Group R&D department.
The Hull Vane carbon wing fitted to the stern of Grande 44M can suppress the stern wave and generate forward thrust, providing further reduction in overall drag as well as damping of pitch, sway, and roll in navigation.
Azimut now offers six models that can be fitted with a Zero Emission Hotel Mode system, making it possible to stay at anchor for from four to eight hours with the generators off.
The Grande 44M will be presented to the public at the Cannes Yachting Festival 2026.
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