Not one company but a brand shared since 1949 by two shipbuilders, Royal Van Lent and De Vries, with a joint design office; full custom from 35 to 120 m.
1949
Founded
Royal Van Lent (LVMH) 50% · De Vries family 50%
Owner
not published
Revenue
4th · 18 projects, 1,390 m
Rank
35 to 120 m
Range
Kaag, Amsterdam, Aalsmeer, Makkum
Yards
What happened, 2023 to 2026
May 2024Build118.8 m Project 821, the first fuel-cell Feadship, launched in Amsterdam
Sep 2024DealFeadship Resale, a brokerage arm for its own yachts, launched
Apr 2025Top seatHenk de Vries retires; Roderick de Vries CEO, Bas Nederpelt CCO
Jul 2025Build101 m Moonrise delivered; Breakthrough shown at Monaco
Apr 2026Top seatDe Vries handover complete; an 80 m sailing Feadship debuts
Sep 2026Build115 m HIVE concept revealed
What it adds up to. The top Dutch builder changed its family half's whole leadership in 2025 and 2026 while delivering its largest yachts.
Who runs it
CEO, Royal Van Lent; Director, Feadshipsince 2014
Director Resalesince 2024
Chief Marketing Officersince 2021
Head of Naval Architecture discipline (De Voogt)since 2026
Head of Refit & Services design and engineeringsince 2018
Head of Refit Salessince 2018
Director, De Vlijt (shared flexible-staffing desk)since 2019
Organisation. Two yards, one brand; no group CEO, two Feadship Directors
What it shows for a new yard. No group CEO: two Feadship Directors, one from each yard, share the top seat.
Former leaders now elsewhere5 people who held a top or senior seat here
now Commercial Director at Heesen Yachts
now Head of Innovation at Koninklijke de Vries Scheepsbouw te Aalsmeer
now Sales/Marketing Manager at Mulder Shipyard
now Commercial Director - America at Heesen Yachts
now General Manager Refit & Service at Royal Huisman
The top team as read on LinkedIn20 people read as staff, October 2026
The group page shows the alliance layer, not one yard: the Royal Van Lent CEO sits as a Feadship director; a bench of four Sales Directors plus a Director Resale and a Director Refit & Services under a Chief Marketing Officer and (per the brief) a Chief Commercial Officer; De Voogt's Head of Design and Head of Naval Architecture; HR heads per yard and a shared staffing desk.
Feadship is two owners (LVMH's Royal Van Lent and the De Vries family) sharing one brand, one sales force and one design office. The commercial function is a bench: several sales directors, each with a full-custom client book, a resale director and a refit director, with marketing as a C-level seat. The yards' own managing directors and technical leaders appear on the De Vries pages, not here. Sales directors move between Dutch yards freely: two of the four came from Heesen or went to it in 2026.
Top seat
Senior layer · 14
Sales and marketing 8
Engineering and design 3
Projects, service and after-sales 1
People 2
Managers · 5
Production and operations 2
Projects, service and after-sales 1
Finance, legal and IT 1
People 1
Seats and dates are as the people describe them on LinkedIn; a person who moved in the last months can still show the old seat. Tap a person for the profile and the reading.
Candidates at Feadship6 in the pools; the shortlisted first, then by tier and score
* Commercial leadership30%Commercial director @ Royal Van Lent Shipyard (Jan 2014 – Jan 2016); Sales manager (2011-2013)
* Yacht network20%President SYBAss
* Technical and pricing20%Manager Design & Projects @ De Voogt Naval Architects; Project manager @ MARIN (1998-2006)
* Business building20%As CEO for over ten years, leading Royal Van Lent's strategic direction, operations, and commercial growth
Leadership maturity10%Serving as a Director for Feadship BV, contributing to the overarching group strategy, brand positioning, and governance
Reading. CEO of Royal Van Lent (the LVMH-owned Feadship yard) since 2016 and a director of Feadship BV since 2014; President of SYBAss. Naval architect (MARIN, De Voogt projects manager) who became sales manager, then commercial director, then CEO. The exact career the brief describes; ten years in a top seat inside the LVMH ecosystem, so reachability is the question, not fit.
Career
CEO · Royal Van Lent Shipyard Jul 2016 – Present
Director · Feadship Jan 2014 – Present
Commercial director · Royal Van Lent Shipyard Jan 2014 – Jan 2016
Sales manager · Royal Van Lent Shipyard Jan 2011 – Dec 2013
Manager Design & Projects · De Voogt Naval Architects B.V. (Feadship) Oct 2009 – Jan 2011
Manager Projects · De Voogt Naval Architects Oct 2006 – Sep 2009
Project manager · MARIN Oct 1998 – Oct 2006
Education
TSM Business School MBA · General management; Stichting leergang bedrijfskunde Post HBO Bedrijfskunde; University of Strathclyde M.Sc. · Offshore Marine Technology
* Yacht network20%Responsible for commercial performance, customer relationships
* Technical and pricing20%Senior Aircraft Maintenance Manager; Engine Maintenance Inspector
* Business building20%SVP, Customer Support & Aftermarket Services, Worldwide @ Embraer
Leadership maturity10%20+ years of experience in a fast paced and demanding industry leading multi-cultural teams internationally
Reading. Leads Feadship's refit and services business since Apr 2024, responsible for its commercial performance; Commercial Director Sep 2023-Apr 2024. Twenty years at Embraer executive jets: SVP customer support and aftermarket worldwide, then director of aircraft sales. INSEAD. A proven aftermarket and sales P&L leader from an adjacent luxury industry, two years into yachting.
Career
Director · Feadship Apr 2024 – Present
Commercial Director · Feadship Sep 2023 – Apr 2024
Regional Manager, Customer Support & Services, United Kingdom - Executive Jets · Embraer Jul 2011 – Sep 2012
Manager, Customer Support Contact Center - Executive Jets · Embraer Mar 2009 – Jul 2011
and 4 earlier roles
Education
INSEAD Certificate in Global Management; INSEAD Competitive Strategy; INSEAD Leading Across Cultures and Borders
Languages
English · Native or bilingual proficiency, French · Native or bilingual proficiency, Italian · Professional working proficiency, Portuguese · Native or bilingual proficiency, Spanish · Professional working proficiency
* Yacht network20%nearly three decades of experience across the maritime industry
* Technical and pricing20%No evidence in the profile.
* Business building20%Co-owner & Managing Director @ iNautica Exclusive Yachts
Leadership maturity10%No evidence in the profile.
Reading. Director Resale since Jul 2024, Sales Director 2019-2024, Damen sales manager UK and Ireland 2011-2019; broker since 1996. Pure brokerage and sales career.
Career
Director Resale · Feadship Jul 2024 – Present
Sales Director · Feadship Nov 2019 – Jul 2024
Sales Manager UK & Ireland · Damen Shipyards Group Nov 2011 – Nov 2019
Co-owner & Managing Director · iNautica Exclusive Yachts Apr 2011 – Nov 2011
Commercial Manager · Smit Internationale NV - Terminals Division Oct 2008 – Dec 2010
Sales Manager · X-Yachts Holland BV Apr 2005 – Aug 2008
Yacht Broker · De Valk Yacht Brokers Sep 1998 – Feb 2002
and 2 earlier roles
Education
Hogeschool voor Economische Studies Amsterdam (HES) Bachelor’s Degree · Marketing Management; Haarlemmermeer Lyceum High School; Adriaen Pauw High School
Languages
Dutch · Native or bilingual proficiency, English · Professional working proficiency, French · Elementary proficiency, German · Professional working proficiency
* Technical and pricing20%No evidence in the profile.
* Business building20%Manager Refit & Yacht Services at Koninklijke De Vries (Apr 2016 – Dec 2017)
Leadership maturity10%No evidence in the profile.
Reading. Sales Director since Apr 2024 after six years running Refit & Services (director from 2018) and yacht services at both De Vries yards. Clifford Chance M&A lawyer before yachting. Commercial with a services P&L behind him; no engineering.
Career
Sales Director · Feadship Apr 2024 – Present
Director Refit & Services · Feadship Jan 2018 – Apr 2024
Manager Refit & Yacht Services at Koninklijke De Vries Scheepsbouw (Feadship) · Feadship Apr 2016 – Dec 2017
Manager Yacht Services at Koninklijke De Vries Scheepsbouw (Feadship) · Feadship - Koninklijke De Vries Scheepsbouw Mar 2015 – Apr 2016
Yacht Services at De Vries Scheepsbouw Makkum (Feadship) · Feadship - De Vries Scheepsbouw Makkum Sep 2014 – Mar 2015
Associate · Clifford Chance LLP Dec 2010 – Jul 2014
Trainee lawyer · Clifford Chance LLP Dec 2007 – Nov 2010
Maastricht University Doctoraal European Law School · Law; Wolfert van Borselen (Rotterdam) VWO (béta) & International Baccalaureaat English (Bilingual English & Dutch)
* Commercial leadership30%Sales Director @ Feadship (Feb 2017 – Present)
* Yacht network20%Board Member @ Holland Yachting Group (Apr 2018 – Aug 2023)
* Technical and pricing20%No evidence in the profile.
* Business building20%No evidence in the profile.
Leadership maturity10%No evidence in the profile.
Reading. Sales Director since 2017; real estate investment and development before; RSM MBA, Delft architecture. Board of Holland Yachting Group 2018-2023. A seller of full-custom Feadships without technical or general management experience.
Career
Sales Director · Feadship Feb 2017 – Present
Board Member · Holland Yachting Group Apr 2018 – Aug 2023
Senior Client Portfolio Manager Real Estate · Syntrus Achmea Real Estate & Finance Jan 2016 – Jan 2017
Client Portfolio Manager Real Estate · Syntrus Achmea Real Estate & Finance Aug 2012 – Dec 2015
Owner · Realsolu May 2012 – Jan 2017
Project Manager · 100 dagen voor KiKa Feb 2011 – Jan 2012
Concept Developer · LSI project investment nv Feb 2007 – Mar 2011
Property Developer · LSI project investment nv May 2005 – Feb 2007
and 2 earlier roles
Education
RSM Erasmus University MBA · Strategy; Amsterdam School of Real Estate Real Estate Investments; Delft University of Technology MSc · Faculty of Architecture
Languages
Dutch · Native or bilingual proficiency, English · Native or bilingual proficiency
* Technical and pricing20%No evidence in the profile.
* Business building20%No evidence in the profile.
Leadership maturity10%No evidence in the profile.
Reading. Joined Jul 2026 from Heesen (Sales Director 2021-2026, sales manager from 2014), Moonen sales and brokerage before. Seventeen years selling Dutch yachts at three yards; no technical or P&L role.
Career
Sales Director at Feadship · Feadship Jul 2026 – Present
Sales Director · Heesen Yachts Jun 2021 – May 2026
Sales Manager · Heesen Yachts Feb 2014 – Aug 2022
Sales Manager & Yacht Broker · Moonen shipyard Jun 2009 – Feb 2014
Facts and news, with sourcesthe research behind the overview
Show the facts and the dated news with their sources
Identity
Full name: Feadship (originally "First Export Association of Dutch Shipbuilders"; the expansion of the name is not confirmed in a source read here). Founded 1949 as an export association aimed at American buyers, started by naval architect Henri de Voogt with the De Vries and Van Lent yards. source 1source 2
Structure: a cooperation between two shipbuilders that share one brand, one design office and one sales organisation.
Royal Van Lent Shipyard (Kaag and Amsterdam), owned by LVMH.
Koninklijke De Vries Scheepsbouw (Aalsmeer and Makkum), family-owned.
Feadship De Voogt Naval Architects / Studio De Voogt, the shared design office in Hoofddorp (Feadship head office)
Ownership of Feadship itself: De Vries owns 50% (2025-04-24). The other 50% is held by Royal Van Lent (implied by the two-member structure; not stated in that article). source
Headquarters: Hoofddorp, the Netherlands (press releases datelined Hoofddorp, for example 2026-04-10). source
Yards (Wikipedia, accessed 2026-10-21): Kaag (Royal Van Lent HQ, up to 100 m), Amsterdam (Royal Van Lent, opened early 2019, up to 160 m), Aalsmeer (De Vries HQ), Makkum (De Vries, opened 2005, over 120 m).
Sister brands: Feadship Resale (brokerage for Feadship owners, launched September 2024); Feadship Heritage Fleet. source
Size
Employees: De Vries over 1,200 (2025-04-24, source above). Royal Van Lent headcount: not found. Feadship total: not found.
Revenue: not published (Royal Van Lent is inside LVMH's "Other activities" segment; De Vries is private). Not found.
Boat International Global Order Book 2026 (data as of 1 September 2025): rank 4, 18 projects, 1,390 m total, average 77.2 m. GOB 2025: rank 3, 1,525 m. source
In that table Feadship is the highest-ranked Dutch builder and the only Dutch yard in the top five (Oceanco does not appear in the table).
Product
Size range: about 35 to 120 m (LVMH page); recent projects from 49.5 m (Project 717, revealed 2026-01-08) to 118.8 m (Breakthrough). source 1source 2
Build type: full custom only; "each one is a one-off prototype". Some hulls are started on speculation and sold during the build (for example, ONE, Breakthrough). source
Hull materials: not stated on the pages read (steel hull with aluminium superstructure is industry norm; not verified).
Technology: fuel cells (Breakthrough, the first Feadship with fuel cells), hybrid electric (Project 1012), multi-fuel design approval from Lloyd's (2023-10-06), membership of the Nuclear Energy Maritime Organization (2025-09-01). source
Notable deliveries 2023 to 2026.
Obsidian, 84.2 m, July 2023 (first delivery of 2023). source
Breakthrough (Project 821), 118.8 m, built at Amsterdam, launched May 2024, delivered 2025; largest Feadship to date by length. source 1source 2
ONE, 75.75 m, left the Kaag yard November 2024, delivery early 2025. source
Moonrise (Project 1013), 101 m, delivered July 2025. source
Stella M (Project 827), 71.76 m, delivered 5 August 2025. source
In build or trials 2026: Project 1014, 101.2 m, sea trials from Makkum (2026-05-21); Project 826, 80 m sailing yacht by Malcolm McKeon, Kaag (2026-04-15); Valor (Project 715) (2026-04-09). source
Leadership
Feadship Director and CEO and Chairman, Royal Van Lent: Jan-Bart Verkuyl — as of 2026-04-15 (named Feadship Director). source
Chief Commercial Officer and Feadship Director: Bas Nederpelt — as of 2026-04-10. source
CEO, Koninklijke De Vries Scheepsbouw: Roderick de Vries — as of 2026-04-10. Same source.
Chief Projects Officer, De Vries: Rob de Vries — as of 2026-04-10. Same source.
CFO, De Vries: John Veldman (also spelled Veltman) — as of 2026-04-10. Same source.
Director, Makkum yard: Sijbrand de Vries — as of 2026-05-21. source
Sales Director: Maarten Jansen (also spelled Janssen) — as of 2026-06-06. source
Former: Henk de Vries, Feadship Director and De Vries CEO until 2025-05-01; now ambassador, supervisory board member and shareholder.
News 2023 to 2026
2026-09
Feadship reveals HIVE, a 115 m concept design.feadship.nl
2026-04
De Vries marks its leadership handover at Aalsmeer: Henk and Tom de Vries leave day-to-day management; Roderick de Vries (CEO), Rob de Vries (Chief Projects Officer), Bas Nederpelt (CCO and Feadship Director) and John Veldman (CFO) take over.feadship.nl
2026-04
Feadship debuts Project 826, an 80 m sailing yacht, a rare sail project for the yard.feadship.nl
2025-09
Feadship joins the Nuclear Energy Maritime Organization.feadship.nl
2025-07
Delivery of 101 m Moonrise; 118.8 m Breakthrough (fuel cells, built on speculation) presented at Monaco after delivery earlier in 2025.boatinternational.comfeadship.nl
2025-04
Henk de Vries retires on 1 May 2025 as Feadship Director and CEO of De Vries; Roderick de Vries becomes CEO, Bas Nederpelt becomes CCO and Feadship Director.maritimetechnology.nl
2024-09
Feadship launches Feadship Resale, a brokerage arm for its own yachts.feadship.nl
2024-05
Launch of 118.8 m Project 821 at the Amsterdam yard, the first Feadship with fuel cells.feadship.nl
