Pangeos Terayacht Is an $8 Billion Dream for a Permanently Itinerant Floating Continent

This is Pangeos, named this way in honor of Pangea, the actual supercontinent from the late Paleozoic and early Mesozoic eras. Shaped like a giant turtle, Pangeos is a luxurious and self-sufficient, permanently itinerant floating continent that would house several thousands of guests and some of the most varied amenities, of the kind you will only find in exclusive five-star resorts on land.

If dreams were ever in a competition to find the most outrageous, Pangeos would probably win by a long shot. Lazzarini says that the gigantic vessel would offer accommodation for as many as 60,000 guests and an unspecified number of crew – which, to be fair, would probably be as impressive, considering the ship’s many hotel functions. Spaces onboard would include shopping centers and sports and wellness areas, parks and gardens, several enclosed ports, and countless pools, as well as helipads and hangars, marinas, and an infrastructure for electric vehicles.

The interior of Pangeos has not been detailed in full just yet, and for obvious reasons: a project of this scale requires considerable time in planning, and it looks like Lazzarini is only past the initial stage. For instance, the studio has already thought of the logistics of building such a ship, with an estimate for the delivery time of eight years and an investment of $8 billion.

Since a ship of this size can’t be put together at any of the current shipyards, a new one would have to be build just for it. A good location would be Saudi Arabia, in the King Abdullah district, where a large coastal area would have to be surrounded by a circular damn, so the Pangeos could take shape. Once construction is complete, the area would be re-flooded, and Pangeos would set off on its never-ending journey around the world.

Measuring 550 meters (1,800 feet) in total length and 610 meters (2,000 feet) at its widest point in the wings, Pangeos would have a steel hull comprised of 30,000 individual cells slash cluster compartments, which would make the hull unsinkable. It’d better be, considering the many people and the kind of stuff it would have onboard.

Pangeos is designed to sail around the world non-stop, thanks to virtually endless green energy supplies. Powered by 9 HTS engines of 16,800 hp each, Pangeos would cruise at a maximum speed of 5 knots (5.7 mph / 9.2 kph), drawing power from the waves and the solar panels-covered roof. It would be the perpetually-itinerant continent that would sail without emissions, a dream of a clean future that is as idyllic as is luxurious.

Lazzarini says that the idea for Pangeos came about in 2009 and took until this moment to take a more concrete shape. Should the vessel ever be built, it will be the largest floating structure in the history of mankind, and would be accessible to whoever could financially afford full-time relocation at sea. It would be like living permanently on a cruise ship but, you know, without the huge carbon footprint.

Lazzarini hopes that some, if not all, of today’s luxury shipyards like Oceanco, Lurssen, Benetti, or Heesen, will join in the initiative, though no details are offered on whether any has been approached.

The construction timeline remains in the distant future for the time being, but anyone could still be a part of the Pangeos project as early as today, if money is not an issue. In early 2023, Lazzarini will launch the Pangeos terayacht in the Metaverse through a series of NFTs, offering credentials to access virtual properties. The same credentials will work as a deposit for a physical property, should the vessel ever be built. Taking part in a crowdfunding is also an option.

“At the moment, Pangeos is just a concept, but it's starting to his way to become something more than a computer animation [sic],” reads the official Pangeos site. Spelling and grammar errors aside, Pangeos tries to make a strong case in its favor, but whether it’ll be enough to get people to pay for its construction remains to be seen.