Wärtsilä has signed a partnership agreement with architect and yacht designer, Stefano Pastrovich, to design sustainable superyachts for the boutique cruising sector.
The designs will feature a fully-integrated combination of hybrid propulsion and solar panels for minimal environmental impact and high energy efficiency.
The plan is built a 60 m long catamaran with accommodation for up to 36 pax. The level of sustainability will be such that it will enjoy access to harbours that would otherwise be closed to large motor yachts, Wärtsilä claimed.
“Efficiency and environmental performance are key pillars of Wärtsilä’s Smart Marine approach, which emphasises the need to collaborate with world-class partners.
“This project encompasses all these ambitions, and we look forward to co-developing with Stefano Pastrovich a totally integrated solution that combines energy efficiency, sustainability and on board comfort,” explained Giammario Meloni, Senior Sales Manager, Wärtsilä Italia.
“Wärtsilä is the ideal partner for this project,” added Stefano Pastrovich, “since we share a vision to be the very best at what we do. Bringing together our architectural and marine technology know-how will create a mega-yacht design on the leading edge of innovation.
“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,” he said.
Wärtsilä claimed to have extensive hybrid propulsion and energy recovery experience, which will be built into the new design, and the company has already worked with Pastrovich on other projects.
These included the 99 m X-Vintage in 2011 and the 101 m X-Expedition in 2017, designs that were intended to bridge the gap between cruise ships and superyachts.
Combining Wärtsilä’s modular construction techniques with the attention to luxury detail that distinguishes Pastrovich, the design takes privacy, safety, voyage experience, and environmental responsibility to new levels, the company claimed.
