FEADSHIP’S SAVANNAH IS THE WORLD’S FIRST HYBRID SUPERYACHT

More than one thousand people involved in the creation of the Dutch Shipyard's 83.5-meter luxury hybrid

Feadship has officially launched the world’s very first hybrid superyacht, Savannah. The 83.5-meter vessel made waves last month as the first application of electro-mechanical propulsion in a superyacht, combining a single diesel engine, three gensets, batteries, azimuth thruster and a streamlined hull. Offering up to 30% in fuel savings, Savannah is a combination of efficiency and luxury.

Rather than dual high-rev diesel motors, Savannah uses a Wärtsilä 9L20 4-stroke 1800kW engine that is paired with three Caterpillar generators and a single central propeller shaft installation on the center line. Adapting an ‘industrial’ solution to a the luxury vessel, the propeller itself is 40% larger than the norm. A larger size means less load on the prop and therefore greater efficiency and less vibrations. Finally, a large, counter-rotating azimuth sternthruster was installed just aft of the main propeller to complete the eco-friendly system.

In addition to being the world’s first hybrid, Savannah is also the world’s first superyacht to use metallic paint on the yacht’s entirety with the exception of the mast domes. Weeks of work went into the proper application of the metallic exterior, which included the invention of a special spray nozzle technique to achieve the all-metallic aesthetic. CG Design and Feadship’s internal team then used polished stainless steel strips, aluminium supports and teak to create an optical illusion that makes it appear as if the yacht’s glass and composite panels are floating above the water.

The yacht’s interior design was also handled by CG Design and Feadship. Up to ten guests can be comfortably hosted on the yacht, while there is space for up to 26 crew members. The yacht also features an underwater lounge where guests have a view of the surrounding underwater creatures or the swimming pool. The room equally converts into a cinema.

Feadship’s director Henk de Vries commented, “More than a thousand people have been involved with the creation of Savannah since the contract was signed at the end of 2011. And the tremendous final result once again showshow Feadship is never afraid to venture into uncharted waters.”

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Year: 2015

Length: 83.50m / 273’11”

Beam: 12.50m / 41’

Draught: 3.95m / 12’12”

Fuel Capacity: 150,000 litres / 39,626 US Gallons

Water Capacity: 40,000 litres / 10,567 US Gallons

Naval Architect: Feadship De Voogt Naval Architects

Exterior Design: CG Design / Feadship De Voogt Naval Architects

Interior Design: CG Design

Main Engines: 1x Wärtsilä 9L20 4stroke@1800kW @1000 rpm

Generators: 1x Caterpillar C32 & 2x Caterpillar C18