Italian Shipyard Unveils Flagship Superyacht Shabby With Innovative Four-Deck Layout
Italian shipyard Azimut has unveiled the interior design of Shabby, the first unit from its flagship Grande 44M superyacht series, as she makes her world debut at the 2026 Cannes Yachting Festival currently underway on the Côte d’Azur. The 44-metre new build launched in July from the shipyard’s Viareggio facilities, marking a significant milestone as Azimut’s largest yacht in both length and volume to date. Just over two years separated the model’s unveiling at the 2024 Palm Beach International Boat Show from her launch, demonstrating the builder’s commitment to rapid development of its flagship offering. Alberto Mancini designed the exterior, while Azimut|Benetti Group’s R&D department partnered with P.L. Ausonio Naval Architecture to develop the yacht’s innovative Dual Mode hull design. The interiors, unveiled for the first time at Cannes, come from Milan-based studio m2atelier and embody a philosophy centered on creating spaces that adapt to owners’ lifestyles, daily routines and entertaining preferences.
The design inspiration stemmed from a simple question: “What if we free space?” This led to the addition of an additional deck, which Federico Lantero, head of product design at Azimut, described as “the real game changer.” The fourth deck houses the wheelhouse, completely freeing the upper deck of all technical spaces and transforming it into a private owner’s sanctuary with customisable terraces that can serve as a gym, dining area or lounging space. Lantero explained that once the upper deck space is freed up, designers can play more with the layout, which clients love because they can express and adapt according to what they desire, their stage of life, or their daily routine preferences. The interiors concentrate on extending space and creating more light on board. Working with the mindset of “what if” against the designers’ “why not”, m2atelier crafted spaces that challenge conventional yacht layouts. Thoughtful design features can be found throughout: a standout element is the use of diagonal walls in the owner’s en suite, which, instead of traditional doors, shifts the usual perspective and extends the sense of space. Additionally, two panels in the owner’s suite walls remain completely transparent to extend spatial perception and allow more natural light to filter in.
In terms of decor, a cool-toned colour palette comprising shades of grey is paired with warm woods and a variety of textured surfaces, all working together to create a comfortable, serene guest environment. In the main saloon, a striking feature is a marble table made of Azul Macaubas, a Brazilian quartzite renowned for its shades of light blue and violet, which creates an impressive focal point against a textured, backlit wall. The forward-facing media lounge makes use of expansive curved glazing to maximise views and natural light, while the aft upper deck houses a sheltered, open-air gym with free weights and a pilates reformer.
On deck, the bow area serves as a pivotal, transformable space on board, able to transform into a veranda dining area for twelve, a private media room with a projector, or a lounging space for intimate groups of guests. Aft, the mezzanine deck, a defining element of the Grande Trideck series, is complete with its glass-bottomed pool that illuminates the beach club below. The main deck owner’s suite and a second owner’s suite located on the upper deck provide flexible accommodation options for discerning owners and their guests. Supporting the design is the Mild Hybrid system, which was developed in partnership with Asea Nautica. The setup enables the yacht to remain at anchor with the generators completely off, providing three to four hours of silent, emission-free operation during the day as well as eight to ten hours at night, eliminating both fumes and noise. The system’s efficiency is further enhanced by its ability to fully recharge the battery pack in just two hours while cruising at 15 knots, allowing the yacht to use the average repositioning time between destinations to restore its Zero Emissions hotel load autonomy for the next anchorage.
In terms of technological innovation, the Grande 44M incorporates sustainability-focused features, positioning her as the flagship of Azimut’s Low Emission fleet. The yacht combines Hull Vane foil technology with carbon fibre construction, which accounts for more than 50 per cent of the vessel, to achieve a reduction of CO2 emissions of up to 30 per cent compared to traditional naval architecture of the same size. Thirty square metres of integrated photovoltaic panels on the fourth deck provide additional renewable energy, further supporting the yacht’s environmental credentials. At the time of the first unit’s launch in July, the shipyard confirmed that six units of the flagship model had already been sold. According to BOATPro, Azimut has 33 superyachts under development across its portfolio. Shabby was the largest debutant at this year’s Cannes Yachting Festival, cementing Azimut’s position as a leader in innovative superyacht design and sustainable maritime technology.
This article has been sourced from press releases and cross-referenced with multiple websites. Facts originally seen at Source.
