Kusch Yacht Projekte Gmbh

What Kusch Yacht Projekte Gmbh does

Kusch Yacht Projekte GmbH is a privately held German bespoke shipyard operating at the Peters Werft facility in Wewelsfleth, Northern Germany, between Hamburg and the North Sea. Founded in 1981 by Claus Kusch, the company has spent more than 40 years building a reputation as a tailor-made mega yacht constructor and refitter, now under second-generation family leadership from the Dethlefs family. Its core technical capabilities center on two covered dry docks (135m and 115m, 5.5m depth), 500 running meters of berths, five cranes rated 50-75 tons, and over 2,000m² of storage sheds, infrastructure purpose-built for executing mega yacht projects in the 54-133m+ range year-round. The yard delivers fully custom new builds (such as the 133.2m AL Mirqab and the 100.8m I Dynasty), complex conversions and refits, classification and statutory works, and ongoing after-sales service to ultra-high-net-worth individual owners.

The company employs 130 shipyard staff supplemented by German and international contractors, and operates an ISO 9001 / ISO 14001 certified management system. Revenue is generated entirely through bespoke project contracts, with each yacht individually quoted and managed under a 'one project team' model that assigns dedicated senior staff (project managers and field management) from initial concept through delivery and after-sales. Go-to-market is purely direct and relationship-driven: the company attends the Monaco Yacht Show annually and relies on word-of-mouth within the UHNWI community and testimonials from yacht captains and design partners (e.g., SWASH). The customer base is a small set of ultra-wealthy owners commissioning one-off vessels, with repeat engagements (e.g., M.Y. TATOOSH returning three times) providing some revenue smoothing against the inherent lumpiness of multi-year new build contracts. The shipyard maintains no digital or dealer sales channels and operates from a single integrated facility.

Name

Kusch Yacht Projekte Gmbh

Legal name

Kusch Yacht Projekte GmbH

Website

https://kusch-yachts.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Kusch Yacht Projekte GmbH is a German bespoke mega yacht shipyard operating at Peters Werft in Wewelsfleth, building fully custom new builds and executing complex refits for ultra-high-net-worth owners of vessels 54-133m+, with 130 employees and covered dry docks purpose-built for the segment.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mega Yacht Construction and Refit

NAICS

Ship Building and Repairing (336611), Ship and Boat Building (3366)

SIC

Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)

akta.pro primary industry

Full-Custom Superyacht & Megayacht Manufacturing (IMAJAMAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Superyacht & Megayacht Manufacturing (IMAJAEAD), Hull, Structure & Steelwork Repair (TLAKAKAE), Luxury Yacht Prototype, One-Off & Concept Build Programs (IMAJAMAL), Luxury Yacht Systems Integration & Commissioning (Shipyard) (IMAJAMAI)

Keywords

• Mega yacht construction
• Yacht refit services
• Custom yacht building
• Shipyard dry docks
• Marine conversions

Headquarters

HQ city

Wewelsfleth

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. New Build Mega Yachts: Design and construction of custom mega yachts from first sketch to delivery, serving ultra-high-net-worth clients with vessels ranging from 54m to 133m+
2. Yacht Refits and Conversions: Complex refit projects including design overhauls, conversions, classification and statutory works, and luxury cosmetic upgrades for existing yachts
3. After Sales Service: Ongoing after-sales support and service for completed yachts

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Kusch Yacht Projekte GmbH designs and builds tailor-made mega yachts (54–133m+) from first sketch to delivery and executes complex refits, conversions, classification and statutory works for existing luxury yachts. All work is performed at the Peters Werft shipyard in Wewelsfleth, Germany, using two covered dry docks (135m and 115m), 500 running meters of berths, and heavy-lift cranes, with dedicated senior project teams assigned to each vessel.

Product overview

Kusch Yacht Projekte Gmbh is a German mega-yacht shipyard offering a unified portfolio of tailor-made yacht services centered on custom new builds and comprehensive refit projects. The core offering consists of two integrated service lines: Custom Yacht New Build (where yachts are crafted from initial concept through delivery) and Yacht Refit Services (for conversions, maintenance, and value preservation). These are supported by the company's world-class shipyard facilities at Peters Werft in Wewelsfleth, featuring covered drydocks, berths, and cranes. The company has delivered notable vessels including the 100.8m M.Y. I Dynasty (2011-2015), the 133.2m M.Y. AL Mirqab (2004-2008), and the 65m M.Y. White Rose of Drachs (2002-2004). With over 40 years of experience since founding in 1981, the company employs 130 shipyard workers and collaborates with German and international contractors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Custom Mega Yacht New Build Tailor-made design and construction of mega yachts from first sketch to delivery, built to individual client specifications at Peters Werft facilities, handling vessels 54–133m+ in length.
• Yacht Refit and Conversion Services Complex conversions, maintenance, classification and statutory works, and cosmetic upgrades for luxury mega yacht systems, utilizing two covered dry docks at Peters Werft to support refit of large vessels.
• After-Sales Service Ongoing after-sales support and service for completed yachts, covering follow-on refits, maintenance, classification support, and crew-related assistance to maintain value across the vessel's lifetime.
• Shipyard Facilities and Berths Full-service shipyard infrastructure including 2 covered dry docks (135m and 115m, 5.5m depth), 5 berths totaling 500 running meters, 5 cranes (50–75 ton capacity), and more than 2,000 m² of storage sheds, supporting crew operations and outfitting activities.

Quantifiable outcome

• AL Mirqab won 4 prices at the World Superyacht Awards in 2009
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Peters WerftcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKusch Yachts operates from Peters Werft shipyard in Wewelsfleth, Germany. The facilities, berths, dry docks, cranes, and workshops are shared infrastructure. Kusch Yachts was established at Peters Werft in 2000. Peters Werft is a long-established German shipyard and serves as the physical home of Kusch Yachts' operations.
• SWASH (design partner)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSWASH is referenced as a design partner of Kusch Yachts, providing design services for yacht projects. Their testimonial highlights the smooth workflow with the experienced team of Kusch Yachts making every design project stand out.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Heesen Yachts: Dutch builder of custom and semi-custom aluminum motor yachts in the 50m-80m range. Comparable to Kusch in bespoke mega yacht construction with refit services, serving similar UHNWI clientele with an emphasis on engineering quality and craftsmanship.
• CRN (Ferretti Group): Italian builder of fully custom mega yachts (60m+) owned by Ferretti Group. Directly comparable to Kusch on full-custom mega yacht construction for UHNWI clients, with similar emphasis on bespoke craftsmanship and large-vessel (100m+) capability.
• Amels: Dutch shipbuilder (Damen group) producing custom and semi-custom superyachts plus refit services. Comparable as a Northern European mega yacht builder with both new-build and after-sales/refit revenue streams serving the high-end yachting market.
• Oceanco: Dutch builder of fully custom mega yachts (50m+) with refit capability. Directly comparable to Kusch on bespoke new-build model, large-vessel expertise, and premium UHNWI positioning, with significant overlap in the 80m-100m+ market segment.
• Lürssen Yachts: German mega yacht builder specializing in custom new builds and complex refits for vessels 60m+. Lürssen is the most direct comparable to Kusch given shared German shipyard heritage, full-custom build model, and extensive refit capabilities including large covered dry dock infrastructure.
• Blohm+Voss: Hamburg-headquartered shipyard with a dedicated yacht division building and refitting custom mega yachts. Direct competitor to Kusch in the German custom-mega yacht market, with overlapping client base and comparable shipyard-based delivery model for vessels in the 80m+ range.
• Feadship: Dutch consortium of shipyards building fully custom luxury motor yachts, with refit services through Royal Van Lent. Comparable to Kusch in the full-custom mega yacht segment with shared focus on UHNWI craftsmanship, large-vessel capability, and lifecycle service offering.
• Nobiskrug: German mega yacht builder at the Rendsburg shipyard focused on full-custom superyacht construction and high-end refits. Comparable to Kusch through the German bespoke mega yacht positioning, single-shipyard operating model, and emphasis on engineering-led customization for UHNWI clients.

Others

• Peters Werft: The long-established Wewelsfleth shipyard that hosts Kusch Yacht Projekte GmbH's operations and shares infrastructure (dry docks, berths, cranes). While not a direct competitor — Peters Werft operates as the facility host — it is the closest infrastructure counterpart and a core strategic partner to Kusch's business model.

Broad incumbents

• Benetti: Italian mega yacht builder (Azimut-Benetti Group) producing both semi-custom and full-custom vessels in the 30m-100m+ range. Comparable at the broad level as a global mega yacht incumbent, but its larger scale and broader product portfolio contrast with Kusch's pure full-custom, single-shipyard focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kusch Yacht Projekte Gmbh