Marbella has turned heads once again. Spotted off the coast of Puerto Banus, the magnificent 110-metre megayacht Kaos, owned by American billionaire Walmart heiress Nancy Walton Laurie, has drawn crowds of onlookers to the glamorous marinas, arriving in convoy with its 67-metre support vessel, Kalm.

A floating palace with Qatari royal origins

Kaos carries an eye-watering price tag of around €300 million, making it one of the most spectacular and valuable private vessels in international sailing. Originally built in the Netherlands by renowned shipyard Oceanco, the vessel was commissioned for the late Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Abdullah Al Thani, before later passing into Walton Laurie’s hands.

Onboard services are designed to rival those of an ultra-luxury hotel, comfortably accommodating up to 31 guests across 15 premium cabins, including an exclusive master suite located on an entirely private deck. A dedicated crew of up to 45 professionals keeps things flawlessly running. World-class amenities include a fully equipped gymnasium, a luxury spa, a guest lift, an onboard cinema room, a certified helipad, and a private medical bay.

The optical illusion that stops people in their tracks

Much of Kaos’s fame rests on her extraordinary exterior, the work of Barcelona-based designer Igor Lobanov, who has said he “was allowed to do anything he wanted.” Cascading decks painted in different shades of blue evoke the waves of the sea, create an effect that tricks the eye into perceiving a far leaner silhouette than the vessel truly possesses. At the time of her delivery, she contained more marble and stone in her interior than any other superyacht ever recorded.

Following purchase, Walton Laurie, daughter of Walmart co-founder James “Bud” Walton and one of the world’s wealthiest women with a fortune estimated at around $10 billion, undertook a major refit in Hamburg. Over 1,500 square metres of interior spaces were redesigned, and the yacht was rechristened Kaos.

Meet Kalm, the vessel travelling in convoy

Accompanying Kaos on her Puerto Banus visit is Kalm, a 67-metre support vehicle valued at around $30 million. Carrying helicopters, tenders, jet skis, and all technical equipment required for operations at sea, Kalm ensures Kaos keeps its guest spaces completely uncluttered

Environmental scrutiny and a brush with eco-activists

Kaos has not always sailed in calm waters. Back in July 2023,she was targeted by eco-activists , defacing her hull with red and black spray paint in protest at the environmental impact of superyacht travel. During a previous stay in Spanish waters, Euro Weekly News reported on the massive strain the vessel placed on local infrastructure, revealing how the €300m superyacht drained immense amounts of electricity and shore power simply to keep its internal systems running while sitting idle at the dock in Malaga.

Puerto Banus still a magnet for the global elite

Every summer, the world’s most exclusive superyachts choose the famous port as one of their stops through Europe. Few destinations can match Marbella’s combination of glamour, infrastructure, and climate.

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