Two Oceanco exploration yachts set for Monaco Yacht Show 2026
By Zak Jackson, MonacoViews Editorial
Shipbuilder Oceanco, owned by video game pioneer Gabe Newell, will present two vessels fitted for scientific sea expeditions at this year's Monaco Yacht Show.
The Monaco Yacht Show 2026 will feature a notable double debut from Oceanco, the Dutch shipbuilder now owned by Gabe Newell, the co-founder of Valve Corporation. Both vessels have been designed and outfitted to support scientific research and deep-sea exploration rather than conventional superyacht cruising.
The presence of exploration-configured yachts at Port Hercule reflects a broader shift in what serious buyers are commissioning. Research-grade equipment, laboratory spaces and reinforced hulls for polar or deep-water conditions are increasingly central to high-end new builds, and Oceanco's two entries are expected to set a benchmark for that category at the show.
The Monaco Yacht Show remains the principal gathering point for the global superyacht industry each September, and announcements of this kind tend to draw significant attention from both the scientific community and private buyers looking beyond traditional leisure craft.