February 2025 should see ‘Project Orion’, the working name for the hybrid-powered motor yacht launched this month by Heesen Yachts, commence a round of intensive sea trials in the North Sea, prior to its planned debut cruise in spring.
“Engineered for both style and security”, as Dutch boatbuilder Heesen puts it, the newbuild has restricted its gross tonnage to 499tonnes, framed inside an overall length of 49.8m and an overall beam of 9.1m. The all-aluminium yacht is designed to draw 2.15m and displace approximately 320tonnes at half-load.
Cristiano Gatto designed the vessel’s interior arrangement, which includes six cabins for up to 12 guests – including a master suite on the main deck, a full-beam VIP cabin and four staterooms on the lower deck – and five cabins for nine crew. Heesen says: “Open bulwarks enhance the sense of space and connection to the sea, making the yacht ideal for both private and charter use.” The yacht’s exterior profile, meanwhile, was designed by Frank Laupman of Omega Architects, and features a near-vertical bow, for enhanced seakeeping, and expansive floor-to-ceiling windows, for maximum natural light intake.
The ’Project Orion’ vessel is intended for extensive ocean trips, featuring a range of 3,750nm at 12knots. The vessel’s propulsive set-up includes: twin MTU 12V 2000 M61 main engines, each rated 600kW; two ZF 3311 gearboxes with PTO/PTI; two five-bladed, fixed-pitch propellers; two Danfoss EM-PMI375-T800 shaft machines, rated 130kW apiece; and a pair of Zenoro variable-speed DC generators, each featuring a maximum output of 209kW. The package is completed by a 90kW ZF electric bow thruster and two Type 720 fin stabilisers provided by Naiad Dynamics. At half-load, the yacht can achieve a speed of 16.3knots in pure-diesel mode and 9knots in diesel-electric mode.
The yacht’s exterior profile features a near-vertical bow for enhanced seakeeping
‘Project Orion’ was developed with Heesen’s Fast Displacement Hull Form (FDHF), originally devised by naval architects van Oossanen for optimal propulsion efficiency across all speeds. Heesen elaborates: “At 12 knots, ‘Orion’ consumes 98litres of fuel per hour, excluding hotel load. In hybrid mode, fuel consumption drops to 45litres per hour at 10knots.”
In terms of tankage, the yacht can store up to 47,000litres of fuel and 16,000litres of fresh water. The newbuild is also fitted with an Idromar fresh water-maker with the capacity for 12,000litres a day, and the deck features two Maxwell SY20 anchor winches, two Maxwell 8000 VC mooring capstans and a Jacuzzi. A bay for a 6.2m x 2.6m rescue tender (serviced by a Hydromar boat crane rated 2.4tonnes SWL), plus storage space for a 3.3m x 1.25m water scooter, are located forward of the wheelhouse.
