The project’s story unfolds

Each month brings its own share of details, encounters, and progress. As the weeks go by, WAOW 2 takes shape, while the stories surrounding it continue to multiply.

In this edition, we invite you to celebrate the ocean, share in the daily life of the shipyard, discover the ship's first deck, and join Camille on her second visit to Bira. We are also announcing our summer photo and video exhibition on WAOW 2, opening on July 17th in Nyon.

Thank you for following the adventure!

Between sky & water

WAOW 2 begins as a dream.

Then come the trees. The hands. The tools. The patience.

And slowly, almost imperceptibly, a shape rises from the earth.

Born from the forest. Destined for the sea.

For a little while, she belongs to neither - reaching toward the sky, held by the hands of men, waiting for the water.

On June 9 was World Ocean Day 2026

Did you know that the “O” of WAOW stands for Ocean? This ocean-centred map shows something we often forget: there is only one ocean.

A single blue world connecting continents, cultures and ecosystems. Our passion for exploration begins here.

And so does our responsibility to protect it. Because there is no WAOW without the Ocean.

Camille’s 2nd visit

My second time on the shipyard, 8 months (and a week) later.

Back then, she was “just” 3 wooden beams stacked on top of each other, aka the keel, now she’s already impressively massive. We can walk on her, under her, inside her.

What hasn’t changed is how well the craftsmen work and the smiles and awe she brings to anyone’s face.

Everyone knows what to do and when to do it, they barely share words yet are synchronized as if they all shared one same brain.

Things are slowly moving faster, the team growing, and everyone is working with excitement and passion towards the same goal: making Waow 2 as perfect as possible.

As I leave Bira, I already miss the people, the place and Waow 2, but I’m confident she’s in great hands (the best!) and already dream of coming back.

Camille

Technical focus: main deck

A ship begins with the keel, followed by the hull - stages that are visually impressive. Though less conspicuous, the moment the deck takes shape is deeply moving, as one can finally step onto it and realize, “This is it - we’re actually on board.”

The deck beams for the main deck of WAOW 2 are currently being installed. They connect the hull structure and form the foundation for the spaces that will one day welcome our passengers across the Indonesian archipelago.

The deck is not flat; it follows a carefully calculated curve that allows water to drain efficiently while enhancing the ship’s structural integrity and seaworthiness. Consequently, each beam must be individually shaped and fitted to achieve the desired profile.

As the deck planking progresses, the shipyard team deliberately leaves two large openings in place.

These temporary access points allow workers, tools, and materials to continue moving freely between the deck and the newly created space below.

At the same time, the first elements of the superstructure are beginning to rise.

These initial frames outline the future deckhouse, and we can really start to get a feeling of the spaces that guests will one day call home.

Measured, shaped, and assembled by hand, each timber is another step in the transformation from dream to reality.

Little by little, the silhouette of WAOW 2 becomes clearer.

Exhibition

Come and see the WAOW 2 exhibition this summer at the Esquisse Gallery in Nyon, Switzerland starting July 17, 2026

Since the project began in September 2025 - and every month since - we have been following the construction of the WAOW 2 in Bira, South Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Through a selection of photographs and videos, this exhibition invites you to discover an ancestral craft, where every piece of wood is shaped by hand and every movement embodies generations of experience.

Beyond the vessel itself, this is first and foremost a tribute to the men who bring this project to life with patience, precision, and passion - and an immersion into a living, ocean-oriented heritage.

Don’t forget the opportunity to take part in building the WAOW 2 via our pre-sale! Find all the details hereby.