Billionaire Buys Superyacht Maker in Bet That Rich Keep Spending

Heesen, which builds most of its ships on spec, had revenue of €209 million last year.

Photographer: Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg
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Tumultuous markets and economic uncertainty haven’t dimmed enthusiasm for the most extravagant of pricey playthings: the superyacht.

In the latest example of the robust market for the massive, luxurious ships, Heesen Yachts, a superyacht builder formerly owned by a Russian oligarch, was acquired recently by Dutch packaging billionaire Laurens Last.