VSY-Viareggio Superyachts Managing Director Federico Bennewitz, explained how to overcome the technical challenges of using glass as a construction material on the 72-metre superyacht Stella Maris at the latest Super Yacht Design Symposium held in October in Palm Beach.
VSY motor yacht Stella Maris
Invited to join the speakers’ panel on “The use of glass on super yachts”, Bennewitz shared with the audience some of the problems faced and the solutions taken in order to meet with the client’s main wishes to have a villa-like feeling on the yacht Stella Maris, to maximize the pleasure of life on board in all seasons of the year, to assure the best privacy for himself and his guests and to have a certified helideck.
The Stella Maris yacht project – entrusted to the expertise of the architect Espen Øino in cooperation with Laurent Giles Naval Architects – has in fact been developed to blend traditional elements of design and layout with new variations on a theme – such as the staggered internal decks, the ceiling height in the main saloons raised to 270 cm and the large glass walls and windows.
VSY Motor yacht STELLA MARIS - MAIN SALOON
The internal and external spaces of yacht Stella Maris has in fact been interpreted in a very unconventional way, introducing spectacular glass walls, such as in the two main saloons and the Owner’s cabin, thus allowing the eye to see and enjoy beyond what would normally be a rigid barrier.
To implement the owner’s vision entirely, a climate-controlled veranda and a vertical garden have also been included, to enjoy green landscapes at sea with real house-plants crossing the decks, besides providing home-size furniture for the interior.
VSY Superyacht STELLA MARIS - UPPER SALOON
All of this has meant confronting a list of substantial challenges, like: weight increase and naval architecture, reduced glass thermal insulation, acoustic protection and privacy, structural design and selection and specifications of the type of glass to be used, especially considering that the yacht is also equipped with a certified helideck.
The very good results obtained on the Stella Maris superyacht, currently under construction and to be launched for the coming season, are leading VSY to consider a new family feeling represented by a design based on a “villa on the sea” concept, including large glass walls to be used onboard.
The Difference.
Extreme avant-garde technology, maniacal attention to detail, timeless design, total fulfilment of the customer’s wishes, real environmental protection, high respect for the workforce health and safety: this is the essence of VSY-Viareggio Superyachts’ philosophy of work on all fronts. Since 2004 the shipyard based in Italy’s focal yacht building area, Viareggio, has been engaged in building mega-yachts of over 60 metres and is by now widely recognized as builders of the highest calibre – already winning prestigious international awards with their first 62-metre charter yacht Candyscape II.
At VSY the best expression of luxury and comfort is however achieved in the respect of the marine environment on all fronts, obtaining strict and prestigious Certifications such as the RINA Green Star Plus Gold, ABS ES (Environment Safety) and Lloyd’s EP (Environmental Protection).
The long list of features and care they put into their Total Eco-Yachts is impressive:
– wide use of recyclable materials;
– redundancy also for the system of water treatment able to produce biologically transparent and odorless discharges running on 2 units;
– electric auxiliary engines for use in harbor and wherever it is advisable to avoid running of the main engine, resulting in a vastly reduced environmental impact, especially in terms of noise;
– a Green Anchoring system to station the yacht by dynamic positioning in those areas where traditional anchoring is forbidden because potentially damaging, for example, to coral reefs and Scandinavian fjords;
– installation of last generation particle filters for the highest possible smoke reduction in the exhaust system;
– recycling of the heat from the generator exhausts to produce hot water on board;
– study and definition of an eco-productive maintenance system for continuous integrated monitoring (extended to post-delivery) of the eco-systems and appliances installed, providing also a dedicated ergonomic training software platform for the manning of the yacht.
This results in a simple but effective formula: Maximum Efficiency on Minimum Energy – with Limited Damage to the eco-system. All of this is in pursuit of VSY’S essential mission: to produce a few but exclusive super-yachts, totally custom-built, innovative and technologically superlative. Simply unique yachts which fully embrace the Yard’s Eco Green vision, introducing the new exclusive concept of “deeper luxury”.
Following the great success of their 62-metre, superyacht Candyscape II and motor yacht Roma, VSY-Viareggio Superyachts are now busy completing their next two super yachts: a 72-metre flagship scheduled for the 2012 season, and a 64-metre at present awaiting the discerning client for completion in 2013.
Yacht STELLA MARIS Technical Specifications
Length Over All 72.10 m
Beam (max) 12.60 m
Draft 3.70 m
Guest 10 + 2 (owner)
Crew 18 + 2 (captain)
Total Guest Surface area 1154 m2 of which: Interior areas 628 m2
Average per guest 52 m2
External Areas 526 m2
Average per guest 44 m2
Construction type Steel/Aluminum
Classification Lloyd’s Register
Gross Tonnage 2270 GRT (approx.)
PERFORMANCE Maximum speed 17 Knots
Range at 12 Knots 5500 nm
Stability assured by QUANTUM XT ZERO SPEED stabilizers system
HELIDECK Fully Certified HCA/MCA Landing Helideck
Night Landing Allowed AV/
ENTERTAINMENT AND CONTROL SYSTEM The ship will be provided with a centralized entertainment system in all main guest and owner areas including (EXAMPLE): Audio/Video System CCTV interface Light&Cabin Control System Audio/Video on demand server LCD touch screen controls LED TV screens Sat TV connection Light control Curtain control Air conditioning control Integrated Messaging & Paging System Cisco Integrated Network (IP phone, wireless LAN, Remote Access)
WELLNESS Hamman Steam sauna Gymnasium Massage room Two Spa Pool pools (or similar) on the sun deck
TENDER & TOYS 2 x 24’ Tenders 2 x Jet ski 1 x Rescue Tender
ENERGY SPECIFICATION PROPULSION Main propulsion system 2 x Caterpillar 3516B tier II Max & continuous power 2000 kW at 1600 RPM each Rolls-Royce Kamewa CPP propeller ELECTRICAL POWER Main generators 4 x LINDEMBERG LIAM/MAN Max & continuous power 290 ekW each Emergency generator LINDEMBERG LIAG/SISU 645 DSBIG Max & continuous power 149 ekW
MANOEUVRING The ship is equipped with a Kongsberg K-POS system for dynamic positioning with joystick control, operating with all the propulsion and manoeuvring system: Bow thruster VOITH – 260 kW Stern thruster SHOTTEL PUMP JET 350 kW – 360°
AUTOMATION AND MONITORING SYSTEM A KONGSBERG Integrated Control system will be installed, providing seamless integration of Navigation, Propulsion Control and Ship Automation functionality. ENVIRONMENTAL The ship complies with the Lloyd’s Register
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION notations, including but not limited to: P – Particle filter and Tetravalent catalyst for Diesel Generator M – Main engines and Diesel Generator EIAPP certified H – HVAC, pool water and hot water heating system from DDGG gas exhaust recycling. F – Fluoropolimer Anti-fouling coating, no biocides, high efficiency, high durability S – Black and grey water Biodisk Sewage treatment Garbage pollution prevention O – Oily bilge water separator 5 ppm R – Refrigeration systems CFC-free. Green Anchoring (DP function)
DESIGN AND ENGINEERING
Naval Architect: Laurent Giles Naval Architects
Exterior design by Espen Øino International
Interior design by Michela Reverberi
Engineering by Viareggio Superyachts in collaboration with Pro Ship Yacht Design & Executive Partners.
