A new 276-ft superyacht has been launched that emits 90% less carbon than vessels running on fossil fuel.
The Obsidian, constructed by Dutch boat builders Feadship, can travel over 35 nautical miles at 10 knots on batteries alone.
The yacht is more energy efficient than Feadship’s first hybrid, Savannah, launched in 2015.
The company developed the Yacht Environmental Transparency Index with associates at De Voogt Naval Architects to determine a yacht’s carbon footprint based on all its operations and components.
With the help of 20 industry partners, Feadship then developed a tool that can calculate a yacht’s impact on the environment during a normal operational year.
During sea trials, the Obsidian operated on HVO, also known as renewable diesel, and was found to emit 90% less carbon than gas-powered yachts.
Following the trials, Feadship said the new superyacht is even more energy efficient than first believed.
Meanwhile, the vessel’s overall weight has been reduced and its slim hull has been better optimised for cruising.
Compared to its predecessor, the Obsidian has improved balance and nearly five times more electrical storage capacity.
The cruiser is powered by four CatC32 engines and a 4.5 MWh battery bank.
It is also equipped with a streamlined diesel-electric propulsion system.
A total of 560 battery modules are housed in a special cooled room on the tank deck.
The vessel’s 1,000-volt system is also electricity-powered.
The batteries are able to provide silent operation for 10 to 15 hours when at anchor.
The cruiser also boasts a number of energy-saving features that help to reduce its overall carbon footprint.
Project manager Mark Jansen said: “There are so many points of energy savings integrated on this yacht that it is hard to count.”
The company said in a statement: “Both the exterior styling and interior design are by the British firm RWD, in collaboration with MONK Design.”
Feadship said they are another step closer to the goal of producing carbon-neutral superyachts by 2030.
