Heesen Yachts celebrates 40 years of pioneering

Knowing how we got to where we are today is just as important as understanding where Heesen Yachts is going in the future. Our rich history is characterised by continuous innovation which has created an impressive fleet of extraordinary yachts.

Back in 1978, founder Frans Heesen could not have imagined where his pioneering spirit would lead him and the Heesen shipyard. The early years of the yard saw the team explore what was possible in yachting, with legendary yachts like Octopussy delivered in 1988 serving as an example of pushing the boundaries, demonstrating for the first time that a 28-metre superyacht could reach speeds of 50 knots. Numerous firsts and many awards soon followed. The yachts became bigger but, thanks to the development of dynamic hull forms and applications of aluminium, Heesen’s yachts also became much more efficient. This innovative reputation has stuck with Heesen, and today we are renowned worldwide as one of the best builders of luxury yachts in the world.

An appealing employer

After Frans Heesen’s retirement in 2012, Heesen stayed loyal to the ambition of the company’s founder. Heesen still builds yachts with an exceptional level of engineering and attention to detail, with innovation at the core of every project. As an employee at Heesen, you are given space to work independently and embrace the ethos of innovation and quality. Every yacht is completed in-house, requiring a high degree of involvement from start to finish with every employee. This high level of involvement and prestige makes Heesen one of the most coveted employers in shipbuilding.

A successful anniversary year

To celebrate our 40th year in business, Heesen Yachts threw a memorable party for our employees in Oss. Celebrating not only the coronation of an impressive anniversary but one of our most financially successful years in history, 2018 was an incredible milestone for the team at Heesen.

Watch our anniversary video here: