New Heesen superyacht takes ‘Home’ three awards at the Monaco Yacht Show

Debuting at the Monaco Yacht Show, Heesen’s newest luxury superyacht Home was met with praise from all quarters as it swept up three awards for its innovative design. The 49.8m vessel won the MYS/RINA Green award for the most environmentally-friendly luxury vessel, the Baccarat SuperYacht World trophy, and Most Innovative Yacht award from World Yachts.

The aluminium superyacht marks a new approach of quieter, cleaner superyachts from the Dutch shipyard, with Home debuting as the world’s first ever Fast Displacement vessel equipped with hybrid propulsion. Able to switch seamlessly between a Diesel engine that cruises along at a top speed of 16.3 knots to an electric engine, Home is more fuel-efficient than any other Heesen yacht.

“Home is the first superyacht to pair the innovative Fast Displacement Hull Form with hybrid propulsion, offering both fuel efficient and quiet cruising possibilities,” said Hugo Andreae, editor of SuperYacht World, who presented the award. “She is a wonderful example of how Heesen can create a bespoke yacht around an owner’s demanding wishlist.”

The true magic in this hybrid propulsion superyacht is its ability to offer completely silent cruising at up to nine knots – perfect for when you want to enjoy a gourmet meal, sleep in late, or simply watch the tide go by. The feat was a product of working with sensory expert Professor Barry Smith.

“Our research has shown that the brain’s processing of taste is affected by noise, which reduces the tongue’s ability to detect salt, sweet and sour,” said Smith. “The beauty of Home is the ability to run at a sound of around 46 decibels — the sound level of softly falling rain – enabling those on board to enjoy food and drink to the full with no diminution of taste.”

Tempus got a taster of this accomplishment at Monaco Yacht Show, where Home was granted permission to be the first yacht to leave port for a short cruise to Antibes, France, on Saturday evening. The Omega Architects-designed ship showed off its sleek lines and elegant floor to ceiling windows as it left the port silently, before opening up with the Diesel engine later in the journey to show guests aboard the contrast of power and sound.

Interior designer Cristiano Gatto also joined guests on the voyage, walking us through the refreshing minimalist décor of the ship. Gatto makes use of design features such as the striking floor to ceiling windows in the master apartment and open veranda spaces on each deck, to bring a sense of the ocean inside – focusing on pristine white shades in lush contrasting textures that allow the blue of the ocean do all the talking. Burgundy accents in the furniture create a warm look in living spaces both inside and out.

“Minimalist design doesn’t mean empty or cold,” Gatto told Tempus. “Although we have used the same shade of white, around the window alone we’ve used 14 different materials, from wood, steel, leather, fabric and rare Belgian marble. Everything we’ve used creates a sensory experience. The choice of lighting creates warmth as well, while in the living areas and upper decking we have colourful lights to reflect the mood of guests.”

Home features a master apartment with large bathroom, study and office, five staterooms on the lower desk for guests comprising of two doubles, two twins and a VIP suite, a gym and spa in the lower deck, and a sky lounge with floor-to-ceiling windows and a veranda for sea-view dining.