Fuel Cell Powered Superyacht Project Cosmos Launches at Lürssen

The world’s first gasoline cell powered superyacht is almost full. The long-awaited superyacht Mission Cosmos maneuvered out of a bay at Lürssen over the weekend.

With few particulars beforehand obtainable in regards to the design, the launch lends the primary seems to be on the full profile. The 375-footer (114-meter) has a forward-shifted superstructure and a ensuing elongated aft deck. Handrails seen alongside the open deck space recommend a pool is aboard. Totally seen, in the meantime, a helipad is outstanding on her bow. The enclosed areas aft of right here have solely glass bulwarks, together with what seems to be the wheelhouse, given the presence of wing stations. Notably, glass partitions rim the whole deck beneath this, with the world inside stretching the complete beam. Exterior styling, together with inside design, is by Marc Newson, an industrial designer. In yachting, Newson gained fame with a Riva Aquariva in 2010. Eleven years later, a superyacht, Solaris, debuted with profile traces from his studio.

As for the propulsion system aboard the superyacht Mission Cosmos, gasoline cell expertise has many years of historical past in different industries. In truth, gasoline cells seem in all kinds of functions, starting from laptop computer computer systems to industrial energy vegetation. Briefly, a gasoline cell makes use of hydrogen or one other non-fossil gasoline supply to provide electrical energy. It due to this fact has benefits, akin to water being the one discharge when using hydrogen. Moreover, gasoline cells can function at greater efficiencies than combustion engines. They additional produce decrease sound and vibration ranges compared to combustion engines.

Previous to the technical launch of the yacht in March 2023, Lürssen offered perception into her gasoline cell system. Mission Cosmos depends upon hydrogen repeatedly reformed from methanol. Having participated in a German-government-sponsored analysis undertaking for greater than a decade, Lürssen decided methanol was extra sensible than elemental hydrogen. Firstly, methanol bunkering is offered in a number of international locations in style with yacht homeowners. That is largely because of the progress of gasoline cells in business delivery. Secondly, liquid-methanol tanks are smaller than these for hydrogen. Hydrogen requires pressurization or liquefying, which additional requires bigger tanks and related structural gear. Against this, liquid-methanol tanks can sit low within the megayacht’s double backside.

Lastly, the proprietor of Mission Cosmos appreciated the cruising and life-style benefits of the propulsion possibility. Considerably, his yacht ought to be capable of cowl 1,000 nautical miles emission-free at low speeds. As soon as at a vacation spot, all lodge masses and different onboard necessities can depend on the system’s 1 megawatt of energy for as much as 15 nights.

“We don’t simply wish to use the newest expertise on our yachts,” shipyard CEO Peter Lürssen has stated beforehand on the topic. “We wish to advance the established order.”

Lürssen lurssen.com

Marc Newson marc-newson.com