NEMO 2
100 m depth · 1 pilot + 1 passenger · 2,500 kg · 2.80 × 2.31 × 1.55 m · up to 8-hour autonomy · 3 knots · four electric thrusters · €1,650,000 ex VAT. The lightest series-produced submarine on the market.
The World's Leading Private Submarine Company — From Breda to the Mediterranean
U-Boat Worx is the Dutch private-submarine manufacturer founded in 2005 by Bert Houtman. From its Netherlands headquarters the company has become, in its own words, "the largest manned submersible manufacturer measured by annual output, commissioned vessels, number of employees and units in active use" — having "delivered more submersibles than all active manufacturers combined." Its safety record across "many thousands of dive hours all over the world" is described by U-Boat Worx as perfect.
The defining technical signature is the fully transparent acrylic pressure hull: pilot and guests sit behind an "ultra-clear acrylic hull, expertly engineered to make you feel 'at one' with the ocean." Every U-Boat Worx submersible is DNV-classed, certified after each individual model completes "a rigorous compliance program," with each hull individually pressurised to a test depth that "greatly exceeds" its certified operating depth. U-Boat Worx is also the first manufacturer to produce fully certified manned submarines using lithium-ion batteries, with in-house cells delivering up to 18 hours of operational endurance and "a 350% increase of battery capacity when compared to traditional submersibles that use lead-acid battery power." Submarines automatically resurface in the unlikely event of a power outage.
The current production catalogue spans nine families — NEMO (personal, 100 m), Super Yacht Sub 3 (yacht-aimed, 300 m), Super Sub (10-knot, 300 m), Cruise Sub 5/7/9/11 (200–1,700 m), NEXUS 7/8 (luxury cruise, 200 m), C-Explorer and C-Researcher (200–3,000 m research) — covering 1 to 11 occupants and 100 m to 3,000 m operating depth. Mercer Yachting handles the Mediterranean side: yacht-fit feasibility, freight from the Netherlands, deck-integration coordination with the build yard, DNV documentation, owner-pilot training referrals to the dedicated training centre, and ongoing Med-region service from Malta.
U-Boat Worx Production Models
Nine families covering 1–11 occupants and 100 m–3,000 m operating depth. All models DNV-classed. Specs below are factory-published; configurations and optional equipment vary. Mercer Yachting can spec the right model for your tender garage, transom, or deck crane before you order.
Why U-Boat Worx — and Why via Mercer
U-Boat Worx is, by its own measure, "the largest manned submersible manufacturer measured by annual output, commissioned vessels, number of employees and units in active use." For Mediterranean-based superyachts, Mercer Yachting adds the local layer: in-region freight, deck-integration coordination, DNV paperwork, training referral and Malta-based service.
DNV-classed across every model
Every U-Boat Worx model is certified by DNV after a rigorous per-model compliance program. Each hull is individually pressurised to a test depth that "greatly exceeds" its certified operating depth.
100 m to 3,000 m operating depth
From the 100 m NEMO personal sub for shallow-reef diving to the 3,000 m C-Researcher 2 for deep-sea science. Choose the depth class that matches your charter and operating ground.
Panoramic acrylic-hull vision
"Ultra-clear acrylic hull, expertly engineered to make you feel 'at one' with the ocean," with strategic component placement ensuring uninterrupted views from every seat. NEXUS and Cruise Sub families use the fully transparent acrylic pressure hull design.
Lithium-ion endurance, 8–18 hours
First fully certified manned submarines with lithium-ion batteries. Up to 18 hours operational endurance on NEXUS, 4–6 hour recharge, and a minimum of 8 dives per day on most models — up to 12 on some.
Air-conditioned cabin comfort
"Efficient air conditioning and surround sound music form part of the fine detailing" — engineered for "maximum legroom and headroom while keeping overall weight and size to a minimum."
Mercer Mediterranean delivery
Malta-based logistics and freight to the build yard, sea-trial liaison, DNV survey scheduling, owner-pilot training referral to the U-Boat Worx training centre, and ongoing service across the Med basin.
Charter Differentiator
A private submersible offers what U-Boat Worx calls "a key point of difference for guests to select your cruise" — a unique selling point cited by operators including Scenic Eclipse, Seabourn Venture and Viking Octantis.
Scientific & Cinematic Capability
C-Researcher and C-Explorer variants outfit with 4K cameras, manipulator arms, samplers, magnetometers and sonars — proven on Antarctic, Revillagigedo and HMHS Britannic deep-water dives.
Ultra-Private Leisure
Guests sit inside the fully transparent acrylic pressure hull with air-conditioning and surround sound — autonomy of up to 8 hours on the NEMO and up to 18 hours on the NEXUS.
What We Supply
- NEMO 2 personal submarine (100 m, 2 occupants)
- Super Yacht Sub 3 (300 m, 3 occupants — yacht-aimed)
- Super Sub (300 m, 3 occupants, 10-knot hydrofoil)
- Cruise Sub 5 (depth options to 1,700 m)
- Cruise Sub 7 (depth options to 1,140 m)
- Cruise Sub 9 / Cruise Sub 11 (largest-capacity passenger subs)
- NEXUS 7 / NEXUS 8 (luxury cruise, 18-hour endurance)
- C-Explorer 3 / C-Explorer 5 (all-rounder superyacht / expedition)
- C-Researcher 2 / 3 / 5 (research and deep-sea, up to 3,000 m)
- Pre-owned U-Boat Worx submersibles (subject to availability)
- Bespoke options and per-yacht configuration packages
- Owner-pilot training referral to the Sub Center training facility
- Wet-lease arrangements for charter-yacht trial deployment
- Spare parts, periodic surveys and DNV documentation support
- Mediterranean freight, deck-integration coordination, sea-trial support
How to Specify Your Submersible Requirements
When requesting a quote, please provide the following information so we can shortlist the right model and confirm yacht-fit feasibility:
Operating depth:
Target maximum depth — 100 m, 200 m, 300 m, 500 m, 1,140 m, 1,700 m, 2,500 m or 3,000 m
Occupant count:
Pilot plus 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 or 10 passengers (1–11 total)
Use case:
Owner leisure, charter monetisation, expedition, science/research, cinematography, cruise-ship operation
Yacht-fit data:
Tender garage / deck dimensions, available crane SWL, single or dual lifting point preference
Operating ground:
Mediterranean, Caribbean, Red Sea, Polar, global — affects spares logistics and pilot training plan
Crew & training:
Existing pilot on board or owner-pilot training referral to the Sub Center facility
Common Submersible Questions
- Best U-Boat Worx model for a 60 m superyacht tender garage?
- NEMO vs Super Yacht Sub 3 — which fits a 50 m yacht?
- Cruise Sub 7 passenger capacity and DNV class details?
- Lifting-point requirements for Super Yacht Sub 3 deck stowage?
- Owner-pilot training duration and Sub Center course details?
- Charter monetisation case for a private submersible on board?
- Deepest U-Boat Worx model — C-Researcher 2 at 3,000 m specs?
- Air-conditioning, life support and emergency surfacing systems?
- Refit integration vs new-build specification — when to commit?
- Mediterranean delivery and DNV survey scheduling from Malta?
- Pre-owned U-Boat Worx submersibles currently available?
- Wet-lease options before committing to a purchase?
- Bespoke colour, branding and interior configuration options?
- NEXUS vs Cruise Sub — which is right for a tourism operation?
- Pricing band — what does a NEMO cost vs a Cruise Sub 7?
Why a Luxury Submersible for Your Superyacht?
A U-Boat Worx submersible turns the water below the yacht into the experience itself. Where a Seabob gives a guest twenty minutes of underwater scootering, and an eFoil gives a confident rider thirty minutes on the surface, a private submarine takes guests dry inside the acrylic pressure hull to depths of 100 m, 300 m or beyond — with air-conditioning and surround sound, and autonomies of 8 to 18 hours depending on model. The submersible becomes the differentiator that defines the charter season.
U-Boat Worx is the operator most cruise lines and most superyacht owners pick for that experience. Founded in the Netherlands in 2005, the company has, by its own measure, delivered more submersibles than all other manned-submersible builders combined, with operators including Scenic Eclipse, Seabourn Venture, Viking Octantis, Genting Dream and Crystal Esprit running U-Boat Worx units in commercial cruise service. Every model is DNV-classed; every hull is individually pressurised to a test depth above its certified operating depth; lithium-ion power gives 8-to-18-hour endurance and 4-to-6-hour recharge. The personal-yacht models — Super Yacht Sub 3 at 3,800 kg, NEMO 2 at 2,500 kg — are dimensioned to slot into a tender garage or aft-deck stowage with a single (or dual) lifting point.
Mercer Yachting handles the Mediterranean side. We coordinate with U-Boat Worx in the Netherlands on the build slot, manage the freight to Malta or onward to your build yard or refit berth, liaise with DNV on the survey schedule, refer your nominated owner-pilots to the Sub Center training facility, and remain on call from Malta for service across the Med basin. We don't fabricate the submarine — that's U-Boat Worx — but we make sure the unit lands on your transom, certified, on schedule, and crewed.
Delivery & Commissioning
U-Boat Worx submersibles ship from the Netherlands. We coordinate freight to Malta and onward to key Mediterranean ports including Antibes, Palma de Mallorca, Barcelona, Genoa, Athens and Split, or to your nominated build yard or refit berth worldwide. Each unit arrives with full DNV class documentation, manufacturer manuals, spares schedule and an owner-pilot training plan via the Sub Center training facility. Mercer remains on call for periodic surveys and Mediterranean service.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is a U-Boat Worx submersible classed and certified?
Every U-Boat Worx model is certified by DNV — the leading classification society for manned submersibles. U-Boat Worx state that "all U-Boat Worx submersibles are certified by world-leading classification society DNV after each individual model has successfully completed a rigorous compliance program." Each individual hull is then pressure-tested to a depth that "greatly exceeds" its certified operating depth before delivery, and every model is engineered to automatically resurface in the unlikely event of a power outage. Mercer Yachting coordinates DNV survey scheduling and class documentation handover at delivery.
Which U-Boat Worx model is best for a superyacht?
For a yacht with a tender-garage footprint, the Super Yacht Sub 3 is the purpose-built choice — 300 m depth, 3 occupants, 3,800 kg, with a flexible single or dual lifting-point design that lets the unit be launched from the aft-deck and stored below deck in a specially-designed garage. For yachts where weight or footprint is tight, the NEMO 2 at 2,500 kg and 2.80 × 2.31 × 1.55 m is the lightest option (U-Boat Worx call it "the lightest submarine built to date"). For an expedition-class superyacht, the C-Explorer 5 takes 5 occupants to 200 m at 7,340 kg. Mercer Yachting can confirm yacht-fit feasibility against your transom and crane SWL before you commit.
What is the price range — what does a NEMO cost vs a Cruise Sub?
U-Boat Worx publish the entry-point price for the NEMO 2 personal submarine at €1,650,000 ex VAT. Larger models (Super Yacht Sub 3, NEXUS, Cruise Sub, C-Researcher families) are configured per yacht and per use case, and pricing is shared on enquiry — final figure depends on depth class, occupant count, optional equipment (manipulators, 4K cameras, sonars, magnetometers), pre-owned vs new-build, and freight and DNV survey costs. Send vessel particulars to ops@merceryachting.com and we return an itemised quote within 24 business hours.
Can a private submersible be monetised on a charter yacht?
Yes — and it is a recognised business case. U-Boat Worx note that "the large number of passengers that can be carried (up to 10) presents a rewarding business case to cruise lines," and the company is the first to log over 1,000 commercial cruise-ship submarine operations. Cruise lines running U-Boat Worx units include Scenic Eclipse, Seabourn Venture and Pursuit, Viking Octantis and Polaris, Genting Dream, World Dream and Crystal Esprit. On the charter-yacht side, an on-board submarine becomes the differentiator that books the season — a "key point of difference" in U-Boat Worx's own phrasing.
How long is a dive — what's the life support and endurance?
Operational endurance varies by model. The NEMO is rated up to 8-hour autonomy. The NEXUS 7 / 8 and several Cruise Sub variants run on 62 kWh battery packs delivering up to 18-hour operational endurance. The Super Sub publishes 8-hour standard endurance plus 96-hour emergency life support. Across the range, U-Boat Worx state submarines can complete "a minimum of 8 dives per day without refilling, and some models can do up to 12 dives," with batteries that recharge in 4 to 6 hours. "Efficient air-conditioning and surround sound music form part of the fine detailing" inside the acrylic cabin.
How are owner-pilots trained?
Training runs at the U-Boat Worx Sub Center training facility — described as "the world's first dedicated submersible training center, offering year-round programs" at "the edge of a pristine deepwater reef." Training is model-specific but cross-certification on different submersible models is available because of interchangeable systems. Programs blend theory with hands-on dives. Owner-pilots earn a certificate of competence on completion. Mercer Yachting coordinates the training-centre referral as part of the new-build delivery package, or can arrange equivalent training on board your own vessel anywhere in the world if that suits the operating program better.
What is the deepest U-Boat Worx submersible?
The deepest production model is the C-Researcher 2 at 3,000 m operating depth — 2 occupants, 9,960 kg. The C-Researcher 3 reaches 2,500 m with 3 occupants, and the Cruise Sub 5 deep variant reaches 1,700 m with 5 occupants. For deep-water science, cinematography or wreck exploration these are the right pick; for guest leisure and shallow-reef diving, the 100 m NEMO and 300 m Super Yacht Sub 3 are the more typical choice.
Is U-Boat Worx affected by the OceanGate incident?
U-Boat Worx are not affiliated with OceanGate. The OceanGate Titan was an unclassed carbon-fibre experimental submersible. By contrast, every U-Boat Worx model is DNV-classed, built around an acrylic pressure hull engineered and individually tested to certified standards, and delivered with a class certificate and an automatic-resurfacing safety architecture. U-Boat Worx publish a perfect safety record across "many thousands of dive hours all over the world." The two companies, products and engineering protocols are entirely separate.