Two Devonport-built superyachts grace Maltese waters in April

Two superyachts built by the acclaimed shipbuilder Devonport Yachts spent time docked in Malta’s Grand Harbour in April, before moving on to Monaco and Tunisia in the last days.

The 77m Samar and 82m Pure (formerly called Sarafsa), launched in 2006 and 2008 respectively, are two of just a few yachts known to be built by Devonport Yachts before its takeover by Pendennis in 2011.

Devonport has a long history of service to the British Royal Navy, a tradition dating back over 300 years. It is known for its commitment to confidentiality and discretion.

The company prides itself on designing and building luxury yachts from the ground up with wholly bespoke solutions, without using ready-made hulls or following templates.

Even 17 years after its launch, the Samar remains one of the largest 77m yachts around, with SuperYacht Times reporting a gross tonnage of 2,159.

The vessel, which underwent a refit in 2017, spans three decks, and can accommodate 18 guests along with a crew of 20, according to SuperYachtFan.

It is purportedly owned by a Kuwaiti billionaire resident in the United States.

At 82m long and an interior volume of 3,179GT, the vessel formerly named Sarafsa is one of the largest yachts ever completed in the UK. Formerly owned by Saudi Arabia’s Prince Fahd bin Sultan, it was put on sale in 2022. A year after going to market, reports of a sale surfaced in early April 2023.

Sarafsa has now been renamed Pure, ahead of a major refit with “big interior and exterior changes”, according to its captain.