Explore the Seychelles onboard newly refitted 77-metre Aqua Lares

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Welcome to Yacht Charter Market, the weekly newsletter dedicated to the world of yacht charter.

In today’s newsletter:

• Top story: Aqua Lares: A luxury expedition cruising along the East African Coast onboard a 77-metre superyacht

• Zairos: FX & Cross-Currency Solutions for Charter & Asset Payments

• Top charter updates: New central agents announced for 70-metre Nomad, 27-metre Agio and 87-metre Vento

• Superyacht Spotlight: Welcome back to Sint Maarten, Heeus 🤩

TOP STORY

Aqua Lares: A luxury expedition cruising along the East African Coast

Offering exclusive expedition cruises in remote biodiversity hotspot destinations around the world is Italian-American entrepreneur Francesco Galli Zugaro. Inspired by his international upbringing, having lived across 16 countries and three continents, and exploring a business opportunity after a few years in private equity, Francesco founded Aqua Expeditions.

Aqua Expeditions hosts high-end luxury cruises for couples or families who want to explore the world via charter, but without having to rent out an entire superyacht. The goal of each expedition, no matter in what corner of the world, is to create an experience that is both luxurious and adventurous, connecting like-minded travellers who want to explore without giving up their standard of luxury.

Francesco’s Aqua Expeditions

While Aqua Expeditions has been around for 20 years, Francesco himself has been a global explorer all his life. With an international upbringing and a professional background in finance and private equity, Aqua Expeditions is the expression of his entrepreneurial spirit and global curiosity. Since its founding in 2007, guests of Aqua Expeditions have cruised along the Peruvian Amazon and the Mekong river, and have embarked on ocean expeditions in the Galapagos, and all around the Indonesian Archipelago, including Raja Ampat, West Papua, Spice Islands and Komodo National Park. 

Now the most recent addition to the Aqua Expedition fleet is Aqua Lares, a 77-metre superyacht built by IHC Verschure in 1974. Before receiving her new name, the superyacht underwent extensive refits at the Damen Shiprepair & Conversion facilities in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Aqua Lares’ original design features interiors by John Misiag Design, Shelley McNaughton Interior Designs, exterior designs by M.E. Consulting, and naval architecture by IHC Verschure and M.E. Consulting. The latest refits were led by Francesco’s wife, Birgit Galli Zugaro, in collaboration with Milan based interior design firms Hot Lab. 

The renewed interior, shaped under Francesco’s personal supervision, aligns with the company’s signature look: refined, elegant, understated. “Aqua Lares’ interiors showcase contemporary design at its finest,” Francesco notes. Onboard, curated details shape the atmosphere. Libraries are assembled by specialist editors, bespoke tableware crafted in Bali featuring motifs inspired by each destination and artwork sourced from a century old New York print shop. “There are a lot of unique pieces around the world,” he adds. “That’s why from scouting the destinations, building the itinerary and getting the ship ready; it takes three years to bring to market.”

On a Global Expedition

Not just the refit, but the voyage itineraries are also tested and tried by Francesco himself. “I took an expedition myself with my three kids and my wife earlier this summer on Aqua Lares. We went up north into the Arctic Circle, above 82 degrees to break ice and I wanted to see what she could do,” Francesco shares. Aqua Lares was originally built as an ice breaker with a steel hull, enabling her to break ice if needed when cruising around the Arctic Circle. “We were the northernmost vessel in the world. It was incredible… We’re 150 nautical miles from the North Pole, and on this iconic superyacht.” It is this feeling that Francesco strives to share with his guests.

The main goal, however, of acquiring Aqua Lares was to create an intimate chartering itinerary along the East African Coastline, chartering the yacht between the Seychelles and Zanzibar. It is an itinerary that Francesco has been working on for two decades: “I’ve done about 18 Sub-Saharan safaris in the last 20 years to scout out bodies of water,” he explained. The Seychelles, particularly their remote outer islands, stood out. “Very few guests have been to Aldabra,” he said. “Aldabra is the Galapagos of East Africa. It has 150,000 giant tortoises on one island and no human population.”

A New Way to Explore

The concept behind chartering onboard Aqua Lares is as disruptive as it is elegant. She is a superyacht designed to be booked by the cabin, an offering rarely seen at this level of luxury. “Nowhere in the Caribbean or Mediterranean can you book a superyacht by the cabin. I’m the only one doing this,” he said. “Especially in these remote iconic conservation destinations like Galapagos and East Africa.”

The itineraries are structured with the finesse of someone who has spent years scouting every stretch of water personally. Scheduled five-, nine-, ten- and eleven-night routes will connect Mahé, the Seychelles outer islands and Zanzibar. Guests can combine segments or pair voyages with private safaris ashore in Tanzania and beyond. The appeal lies not only in the scenery and wildlife, but in how accessible it becomes. “A couple can book a beautiful suite on a superyacht and know they’ll be mingling with like-minded guests,” Francesco notes.

Days onboard follow Aqua Expeditions’ immersive rhythm: Snorkelling, diving, hiking, beach landings and wildlife encounters are seamlessly woven into a schedule designed to energise rather than overwhelm. “People are that happy-exhausted,” he said with a smile. “We push them a little outside their comfort zone, and suddenly the barriers break down.” He shared an example from a recent Papua expedition: “We sat under a waterfall that falls straight into the ocean. People were blown away. No one else was around. They become like kids again.”

Crew as the Soul of the Vessel

What makes Aqua Expedition’s cruises most special, says Francesco, is the crew. “Our crew knows everybody’s name by the first morning,” he said. “They work for Aqua, they’re not freelancers. They feel at home on the ship.” When building his team, Francesco looks for crew that are “passionate, authentic, and talented.” 

Not only that, but Francesco also emphasises on hiring destination locals. “They know the area and they’re genuinely from the region.” It allows Francesco to ensure that the destination-specific expertise is there: “If it’s Indonesia, it’s Indonesian crew, if it’s Ecuador, it’s Ecuadorian crew.” 

The number of crew per Aqua Expedition depends on the vessel, but also on the number of guests. Each experience has a minimum of 1:1 ratio, and with an average of 6,000 guests per year, it is clear that Francesco and his team know how to care for their guests, ensuring they have a unique, adventurous, and luxurious charter cruise experience. “Some guests have been coming back to the brand since we began and recognise most of the crew,” Francesco added.

A Personal Project with Global Reach

For all the complexity behind Aqua Lares, her foundation is simple: a desire to give guests access to extraordinary places without unnecessary barriers. It is a philosophy Francesco continues to refine with each new vessel. “I’ve built a small brand, but within our demographic of affluent explorers, we’ve now got 40,000 loyal guests,” he said. “Competition doesn’t worry me. The only competition is where our guests want to go next.”

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CHARTER UPDATES

Fraser Yachts announced as new Central Agent for 70-metre Nomad

A striking presence on the water, Nomad is a 70m (228ft) motor yacht built by renowned Australian shipyard Oceanfast. Launched in 2003 and meticulously upgraded through a series of extensive refits, she was conceived for true long-range cruising, blending exploration capability with exceptional comfort and sophistication.

Ekka Yachts announced as new Central Agent for 27-metre motor yacht Agio

Now available for charter in Greece, this stunning 27-metre Azimut Grande seamlessly blends youthful modernity with refined Italian craftsmanship. Her expansive windows on both the main and lower decks flood the interior with natural light, creating a bright, inviting ambiance throughout.

Edmiston announced as new Central Agent for 87-metre Vento

Vento is the remarkable new 87m flagship from Turquoise Yachts, scheduled for delivery in 2026. Designed for effortless indoor–outdoor living, her expansive decks include multiple pools, a full-beam beach club and generous lounges arranged for day-to-night enjoyment. With long-range capability and a carefully balanced layout, she is perfectly suited to Mediterranean summers and Caribbean winters at the highest level.

Superyacht Spotlight

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Welcome back to Sint Maarten, HEEUS 🤩

Heeus is a motor yacht with an overall length of 44.2 m. The yacht’s builder is @bering_yachts from Turkey, who launched Heeus in 2022. The superyacht has a beam of 9.7 m, a draught of 2.7 m and a volume of 489 GT.

Heeus features exterior design by SABDES Yacht Design , with naval architecture by Bering Yachts.

Up to 12 guests can be accommodated on board the superyacht, Heeus, and she also has accommodation for 9 crew members, including the ship’s captain. Heeus has a steel hull and an aluminium superstructure. She is powered by 2 Caterpillar Inc engines, which give her a top speed of 15 kn. The yacht carries 95,600 litres of fuel on board.

In the world rankings for largest yachts, the superyacht, Heeus, is listed at number 1762. She is the largest yacht built by Bering Yachts.

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