Codecasa

Codecasa is an Italian luxury-yacht shipbuilding firm based in Viareggio, Tuscany. Founded in 1825 by Giovanni Battista Codecasa, it is one of the long-established names associated with Italian yacht construction and remains a family business under the direction of the sixth generation of the Codecasa family. The company’s core proposition is custom construction: rather than limiting buyers to an entirely standardized production range, Codecasa develops vessels around an owner’s requirements, including the yacht’s size, materials, layout, styling, and onboard functions. The shipyard operates from one of the oldest docks in the port of Viareggio. Its facilities cover more than 6,500 square metres and support both new construction and the repair or refitting of motor and sailing yachts. Codecasa is equipped to build steel-and-aluminium or fully aluminium vessels in the approximately 30-to-90-metre range. This places the company in the large-yacht and superyacht segment, where projects are typically individually commissioned and involve long construction cycles, specialist naval architecture, bespoke interiors, and extensive owner participation. Codecasa’s activities have been particularly visible in the Mediterranean luxury-yacht market. Its vessels have been associated with high-profile private owners, including Mohammed Al-Fayed, who acquired the 63.5-metre yacht Sokar in 1997. The vessel had originally been built in 1990 under the name Jonikal. Other yachts identified with the Codecasa name include Invader, Apogee, and Main. The company has also received recognition for design, including a Yachts Magazine award for best design in the large motor-yacht category for its 164-foot range. The brand’s history includes the launch of the superyacht Lady Lau in 2010. In January 2020, the shipyard announced a 70-metre project known as Jets 2020. The concept was described as using aviation-inspired lines, giving the yacht the appearance of an aircraft resting on the water, and was intended to become a new flagship of the Codecasa shipyards. The project illustrates the company’s effort to combine traditional custom shipbuilding with distinctive contemporary exterior design. Codecasa’s identity is therefore built around continuity, family ownership, Italian craftsmanship, and bespoke large-yacht construction rather than mass-market production. Its business combines new-build superyachts with service work such as repairs and refits, allowing the yard to remain involved with vessels beyond their initial delivery. Publicly available reference material does not establish a separate parent company, stock-market listing, or published financial profile.

Codecasa traces its origins to 1825, when Giovanni Battista Codecasa established the shipyard in Viareggio, a historic Tuscan centre for boatbuilding. The company developed as a family enterprise and, according to available reference material, remains under the direction of the sixth generation of the Codecasa family. This continuity is central to the brand’s identity: Codecasa presents itself as a long-established Italian yard whose production is closely connected to the skills, facilities, and maritime network of Viareggio. The modern company is focused on luxury yachts and superyachts built to individual specifications. Its shipyard can construct steel-and-aluminium vessels or entirely aluminium vessels between roughly 30 and 90 metres in length. The site occupies more than 6,500 square metres at one of the oldest docks in the port of Viareggio. In addition to new construction, the facility handles repair and refit work on motor and sailing yachts. This combination gives Codecasa two related activities: the creation of new bespoke vessels and the ongoing technical servicing of existing yachts. Codecasa’s vessels have operated in the Mediterranean and have attracted prominent private owners. One documented example is Sokar, a 63.5-metre yacht originally constructed in 1990 as Jonikal. Mohammed Al-Fayed acquired it in 1997. The yacht was later identified among the world’s largest yachts in contemporary rankings. Other vessels associated with the yard include Invader, Apogee, and Main, demonstrating Codecasa’s presence in the large-motor-yacht segment. A notable product milestone came in 2010 with the launch of Lady Lau. The yacht became part of the yard’s public portfolio and reinforced its positioning in the high-end custom-superyacht market. Codecasa also received design recognition from Yachts Magazine for the large motor-yacht category, where its 164-foot range was awarded for best design. Such recognition reflects the importance of exterior styling and naval architecture in the company’s market, where a yacht’s visual identity is often developed as individually as its interior accommodation. In January 2020, Codecasa announced a new 70-metre project called Jets 2020. The concept was described as having aviation-inspired lines, creating the visual impression of an aircraft resting on the sea. The project was expected to be completed during 2020 and was presented as a potential new flagship for the shipyard. It represented an attempt to express the Codecasa custom-build model through a particularly distinctive design language while remaining within the company’s established large-yacht focus. Codecasa’s current public profile is that of a privately held, family-run Italian yard rather than a diversified listed industrial group. Its competitive identity rests on bespoke owner-led projects, Italian construction expertise, the ability to work with steel and aluminium, and the practical service capabilities of its Viareggio facility. Public reference material does not provide a complete corporate chronology, financial record, executive roster, or detailed model-by-model production history; those areas therefore remain limited in this dossier.

1. 2020Jets 2020 project is announced

   Codecasa announces a 70-metre yacht concept with aviation-inspired lines and flagship ambitions.

   Source
2. 2010Lady Lau is launched

   Codecasa launches the superyacht Lady Lau.

   Source
3. 1997Mohammed Al-Fayed acquires Sokar

   Mohammed Al-Fayed acquires the yacht Sokar, formerly Jonikal, from the Codecasa portfolio.

   Source
4. 1990Construction of the yacht later known as Sokar

   The 63.5-metre yacht later known as Sokar is built under the name Jonikal.

   Source
5. 1825Codecasa is founded in Viareggio

   Giovanni Battista Codecasa establishes the shipyard in Viareggio, Italy.

   Source

Family-owned Italian custom superyacht builder focused on bespoke design, large motor yachts, aluminium and steel construction, and repair and refit services.

• Custom superyachtsLuxury yachts

  Codecasa’s principal offering is bespoke large-yacht construction. Projects are developed around the owner’s requirements rather than being limited to a uniform mass-production format. The yard works with steel and aluminium combinations or entirely aluminium structures, producing vessels broadly between 30 and 90 metres. Customization may encompass exterior styling, interior layouts, accommodation, technical systems, and onboard amenities. The company’s positioning is particularly relevant to owners seeking individually designed motor yachts in the Mediterranean and international superyacht markets.

• Lady LauSuperyacht2010

  Lady Lau is a Codecasa superyacht launched in 2010. It is one of the named vessels associated with the shipyard’s public history and illustrates the company’s role as a builder of large, individually commissioned luxury yachts. Detailed specifications and ownership information are not established in the supplied reference material.

• SokarSuperyacht1990

  Sokar is a 63.5-metre yacht originally built in 1990 as Jonikal. Mohammed Al-Fayed acquired the vessel in 1997. The yacht is cited as an example of Codecasa’s large custom-yacht work and was listed among the world’s largest yachts in a contemporary 2007 ranking.

• Jets 2020Superyacht project2020

  Jets 2020 was announced as a 70-metre Codecasa yacht project. Its design was described as taking visual cues from aviation, with lines intended to make the vessel resemble an aircraft resting on the sea. The project was presented as a prospective new flagship for the yard, although the supplied material does not confirm its final completion or delivery.

• Yacht repair and refit servicesMarine services

  Codecasa’s Viareggio shipyard supports repair and refit work for motor and sailing yachts. These services complement new construction and allow the company to undertake maintenance, technical renewal, and other refurbishment activity on existing vessels. The available reference material does not provide a detailed service catalogue or capacity breakdown.

• 2020Announcement of the Jets 2020 flagship projectProduct launch

  Codecasa announced a new 70-metre project at a time when distinctive exterior design was an important differentiator in the large-superyacht market.

  What changed. The shipyard presented Jets 2020 with aviation-inspired lines and positioned it as a potential new flagship.

  Aftermath. The supplied reference material does not confirm whether the project was completed, delivered, or entered series production.

  Source

• 2020Codecasa announces the Jets 2020 70-metre yacht project

  The shipyard announced a 70-metre yacht project with aviation-inspired exterior lines, intended to become a new Codecasa flagship.

  Product launchProduct generation
  Source
• 2020Codecasa announces a 70-metre aviation-inspired yacht project

  The shipyard announced a project for a 70-metre yacht using aviation-inspired lines. The concept was presented as a potential new flagship and was expected to progress during 2020.

  Product launchProduct generation
  Source
• 2010Codecasa launches the superyacht Lady Lau

  Codecasa launched the superyacht Lady Lau, adding another notable custom vessel to its portfolio.

  Product launch
  Source

1. Codecasa