The 49.99-metre ISA motor yacht Liberty has been sold following a multi-year brokerage campaign, having most recently been offered at €15.15 million.
Northrop & Johnson has announced the sale of the 49.99-metre ISA superyacht Liberty, bringing to an end a sales campaign for one of the Italian shipyard's most recognisable early-2010s displacement yachts.
The final transaction price and identity of the buyer have not been publicly disclosed. Before the sale, Liberty was most recently offered at €15.15 million, following a €1.35 million price reduction announced in May 2025.
Built by ISA Yachts and delivered in 2011, Liberty combines a steel displacement hull, aluminium superstructure and an interior volume of 495 gross tonnes. Her sale places another substantial 50-metre yacht into new ownership at a time when well-maintained existing vessels continue to provide buyers with an alternative to lengthy new-build programmes.
Liberty had been publicly offered for sale for several years.
Northrop & Johnson announced her entry to the market in 2021 at an asking price of €17.995 million. She was subsequently marketed at €16.9 million before receiving a further reduction to €15.15 million in May 2025.
The reduction positioned the yacht below her original public asking price by more than €2.8 million, while retaining the advantages of a substantial 495GT platform, long-range capability and a layout developed with charter operation in mind.
The final price remains confidential, as is common in private superyacht transactions. The last asking price should therefore be treated as a market reference rather than confirmation of the amount ultimately paid.
A completed sale can also take time to appear consistently across online brokerage platforms. Yacht listings are distributed through multiple databases, partner websites and syndication services, meaning an older for-sale page may remain indexed after a transaction has closed.
In this case, Northrop & Johnson's dedicated sale announcement provides the authoritative confirmation that the yacht has changed hands.
Liberty was delivered by ISA Yachts in 2011 as an ISA 500 model.
She measures 49.99 metres overall, with a beam of approximately nine metres and a draught of 2.55 metres. Her steel hull and aluminium superstructure support an internal volume of 495GT, placing her among the more voluminous yachts in her length category.
Exterior design is attributed to Andrea Vallicelli, while the interior was developed by René Van der Velden.
The yacht's displacement configuration and substantial tank capacity were intended to support extended cruising. Published specifications give her a range of approximately 4,400 nautical miles, allowing longer passages without frequent refuelling.
Twin diesel engines provide a cruising speed of approximately 12 knots and a maximum speed of around 17 knots.
This balance between range, volume and moderate speed reflects the priorities of a yacht designed for comfortable operation rather than high-performance cruising.
René Van der Velden's interior uses an ocean-inspired decorative theme throughout the yacht.
Light woods, neutral fabrics, mother-of-pearl details and marine references are used to create a calm atmosphere, while individual guest cabins incorporate themes inspired by sea life.
The main-deck saloon provides a substantial seating area, with shelving helping to define the transition towards the formal dining room. A separate skylounge on the upper deck provides another interior space for entertainment, informal gatherings or quiet use away from the principal guest areas.
Accommodation is arranged across six guest cabins.
The full-beam owner's suite includes a private lounge, office area, extensive storage and an en-suite bathroom with both a bath and separate shower. A VIP suite is positioned on the bridge deck, while the remaining guest accommodation is located on the lower deck.
Published brokerage information has described the yacht as accommodating up to 13 guests, depending on the operating arrangement, with accommodation for as many as 11 crew members.
Liberty was conceived with charter use in mind, and her exterior layout provides several separate areas for dining, relaxation and entertainment.
The sundeck includes a forward-facing bar, a covered central dining area and a large aft section arranged with sunpads and loungers. Additional alfresco dining areas are positioned on the main and upper decks.
Forward of the bridge, Portuguese-style seating provides a more private area with views over the bow. This arrangement gives guests a choice between larger social spaces and quieter seating areas distributed across the yacht.
A tender garage keeps supporting craft and equipment away from the main guest decks, while zero-speed stabilisers are intended to improve comfort when the yacht is at anchor.
The combination of multiple dining areas, six guest cabins and substantial deck space helped Liberty establish a record in the charter market following her delivery.
For a new owner, that background provides the option of continued commercial operation or conversion towards more private use.
Liberty underwent a refit in 2021, the same year in which she completed her ten-year classification survey.
A major class survey is an important consideration in the sale of an older yacht because it requires extensive inspection of structural, mechanical and safety systems. Completion can reduce some of the immediate technical uncertainty facing a buyer, although it does not remove the need for an independent condition survey and full pre-purchase due diligence.
The 2021 works were repeatedly highlighted during the yacht's brokerage campaign as evidence that she had received continued investment.
For a yacht delivered in 2011, maintenance history can influence value as much as the original shipyard or design pedigree. Machinery hours, corrosion control, paint condition, regulatory compliance and the quality of past refits all affect the cost and practicality of taking over the vessel.
The sale therefore reflects not only Liberty's size and accommodation but also the condition in which she was presented to the market.
The 45-to-55-metre segment remains one of the most active parts of the large-yacht brokerage market.
Yachts of this size can provide substantial volume, multiple guest decks and transoceanic capability while remaining more manageable than vessels exceeding 70 or 80 metres.
They are also available across a wide range of ages and prices. A buyer may choose between a newer semi-custom yacht, an older full-custom vessel with greater volume or a project requiring extensive modernisation.
Liberty offered a particular combination: Italian construction, nearly 500GT of volume, six guest cabins, charter credentials and a published asking price below that of many newer yachts of comparable length.
The eventual transaction demonstrates that older yachts can remain competitive when pricing, maintenance history and operational capability are aligned.
It also illustrates why last asking prices should not automatically be interpreted as achieved sale values. Negotiations may account for surveys, future refit requirements, tax status, included equipment and the timing of the transaction.
The new owner has not been identified, and no information has been released regarding future cruising, charter operation or planned modifications.
The yacht's established platform gives the buyer several options. She could remain active in charter, continue as a privately operated cruising yacht or undergo further interior and technical upgrades under new ownership.
With the transaction now confirmed, the next visible developments may include a change of name, a new central charter agency, a yard period or updated ownership representation.
Until then, the sale closes a long public campaign for a yacht that has spent more than a decade operating within the international superyacht fleet.
For ISA Yachts, Liberty remains an example of the builder's development before its later expansion into larger Gran Turismo, Classic and custom projects. For the brokerage market, her sale shows that substantial early-2010s yachts continue to find buyers when they offer the right combination of volume, range, condition and price.