Finnish technology group Wärtsilä has signed a partnership agreement with Monaco-based architect and yacht designer Stefano Pastrovich on the design of innovative, sustainable superyachts for the boutique cruise sector.
As explained, the design will feature a fully-integrated combination of hybrid propulsion and solar panels for minimal environmental impact and high energy efficiency.
The concept is built around a 60-metre long catamaran with accommodation for up to 36 passengers. The level of sustainability will be such that it will enjoy access to harbours that would otherwise be closed to large motor yachts.
“Efficiency and environmental performance are key pillars of Wärtsilä’s Smart Marine approach… we look forward to co-developing with Stefano Pastrovich a totally integrated solution that combines energy efficiency, sustainability and onboard comfort,” Giammario Meloni , Senior Sales Manager, Wärtsilä Italia, commented.
The new cost-optimised vessels will serve the charter and luxury hotel sectors in attracting and meeting the demand from millennials and cruise veterans alike, the technology company said.
“I’m convinced boutique cruise ships of this calibre could spark a turning point in the charter market, attracting a new customer base of millennials and cruise veterans,” Stefano Pastrovich pointed out.
Wärtsilä has extensive hybrid propulsion and energy recovery experience which will be leveraged in the new design, and has already worked with Pastrovich in other successful projects. These include the 99m X-Vintage in 2011 and the 101m X-Expedition in 2017, a design that bridges the worlds of cruising and superyachts. Combining the modular construction techniques of the former with the attention to luxury detail that distinguishes the latter, the design takes privacy, safety, voyage experience, and environmental responsibility to new levels, according to the company.