New Zealand’s richest man, Graeme Hart’s new 103-metre yacht Ulysses spotted on maiden voyage in Norway

Project 1011 a 102.6 metre superyacht was seen cruising in Bergen, Norway, on its maiden voyage to its owner, New Zealand's richest man Graeme Hart. Photo / Ferrymead

New Zealand’s richest man, Graeme Hart’s new 103-metre megayacht has been spotted on its maiden voyage to its owner.

A report from Superyacht Times said Feadship 1011, now known by the name Ulysses, was seen cruising in Bergen, Norway, on its maiden voyage to its owner.

“She was built for a highly experienced owner who was closely involved in every detail of the build from the start to finish. With a volume of just under 3,000 GT, Ulysses is able to accommodate up to 20 guests, as well as a crew of 30,” the website reported.

Project 1011, a 102.6 metre superyacht built by Feadship yacht builders leaves the facility in Makkum, Netherlands. Photo / Ferrymead

It reportedly boasts 1100sq m of exterior glass, including 20 exterior sliding doors and 12 glass windbreaks, and is equipped with four outdoor hot tubs, a swimming pool which covers the full height of the main deck, a winter garden and a helicopter hangar under the forward helipad.

Construction of the hull and superstructure of Ulysses began in 2020 at Zwijnenburg Shipyard, before it was transported to the Feadship Makkum facility for outfitting and completion, Superyacht Times reported.

Hart’s daughter Gretchen Hawkesby shared photos in November of herself, Hart and family on a trip to Amsterdam for the boat launch.

Construction of the vessel was shrouded in secrecy.

“Formerly known only as Feadship 1011, the highly secretive 103m Feadship superyacht project has now been named Ulysses,” Boat International said in November.

That is the same name one of Hart’s previous superyachts had, a 107m Norwegian-built explorer yacht the billionaire sold in 2017.

“With an exterior design by Sinot Yacht Architecture & Design over naval architecture by Azure Yacht Design, it boasts interiors by Sinot and a total length on water of 102.6 meters (336.7 feet), which technically makes it a megayacht,” Auto Evolution reported.

Hart left school at 16 and built a business empire.

Rank Group, which Hart owns, houses businesses that operate internationally in the packaging, consumer goods and building supplies industries.

Last year two listed United States companies majority-owned by Hart made a combined US$9.2 billion ($15b).

Construction of Ulysses was shrouded in secrecy Photo / Feadship

Publicly-listed packaging business Pactiv Evergreen Inc, listed on the Nasdaq in September 2020, made total net revenue of US$5.5b for the year to December 31, 2023 while Reynolds Consumer Products Inc, also Nasdaq-listed, made US$3.7b ($6b) in the same year.

Hart lives in Auckland but most of his investments are overseas.