Explorer Yachts Are Making Huge Waves. Is Your Shipyard Ready to Ride Them?
The allure of sailing has much to do with discovering new and unchartered territories (or waters), isn’t it? No wonder then that the explorer yacht niche has suddenly become all the rage recently. With clients becoming increasingly adventurous, searching for unique and tough-to-access destinations, explorers’ bookings and orders are everywhere.
According to Ocean Web, the current size of the explorer yacht fleet sits at 740 vessels, or 6% of the world’s total superyachts, with an additional 88 projects on and in build. And with demand projected to keep rising over the next five years or so (at least), shipyards from Hong Kong to the Caribbean, and from Holland to Cape Town, are racing to grab a slice of the proverbial pie.
But venturing into this lucrative new segment is not just about slapping a few extra fuel tanks and a more rugged interior colour scheme on a luxury yacht. No, no. Building an exploration vessel is a whole different ballgame.
Rethinking Design and Innovation
To make a mark in the explorer yacht segment, shipyards must embrace a whole new approach to design and innovation. Traditional luxury yachts are like floating five-star hotels, but explorers? They’re more like luxurious James Bond hideouts—complete with everything you need to survive in style while exploring the remotest corners of the Earth. They are designed for long-range, self-sufficient journeys, just as comfortable in the icy waters of Antarctica as they are in the turquoise lagoons of French Polynesia. That means shipyards must bolster their design capabilities to create vessels that are not only ultra high-tech but also robust enough to handle the roughest seas while maintaining the lap of luxury.
We are talking about full displacement steel hulls that are rock solid yet manoeuvrable, hybrid propulsion systems, generous storage capacity for provisions and toys (think helicopters and snowmobiles), large enough fuel tanks to cover at least 5,000 nautical miles and navigation and communication tech than would make NASA jealous. Yet, size matters! 70% of the explorer fleet ranges between 24 and 40 meters and the global order book looks very similar. Kind of reminds me of the early 2000s when Nokia and Motorola kept out-innovating each other to build the smallest cell phone with the most features. To stand out in this competitive segment requires both advanced engineering and top-notch cutting-edge materials.
Enhancing Supply Chains and Testing Facilities
But the challenges don’t stop at design. The supply chain for these specialized vessels is equally demanding. Shipyards need to establish robust networks to source the high-quality materials and technology that are essential for building these complex machines. Given the fragility of current global supply chains, constantly disrupted by either some geopolitical issue or some atypical climate phenomenon, this is no small feat.
Testing facilities and protocols also need an upgrade. When you’re building a yacht that might find itself plowing through the Arctic Circle, you can’t rely on standard testing methods. Extreme-condition simulations, rigorous sea trials, and advanced environmental testing are all par for the course when it comes to ensuring that these yachts can handle whatever Mother Nature throws at them in their long-range self-sufficient journeys.
Marketing for a New Breed of Client
And then there’s the sales and marketing aspect. The type of client interested in an explorer yacht is a different breed from your average superyacht buyer. They’re not just looking for opulence—they’re looking for adventure, adrenalin-filled experiences, and the ability to explore parts of the world that are far off the beaten path. Having a sales pitch that doesn’t understand this audacious spirit or doesn’t quite convey the thrill the vessel can offer is the easiest way to lose an order.
Looking Ahead: The Future of Explorer Yachts
Clearly moving into explorer yacht territory necessitates major adjustments to a shipyard’s operations, skill set and expertise. Is it worth it? Heavyweights like Damen, Sanlorenzo, and Feadship seem to think so and are already diving into the opportunity, each bringing their own innovative designs and functionalities to the table. So, how does a shipyard stand out in such fierce competition?
Perhaps, as a self-professed green nerd, I am a bit biased, but my two cents worth is that focus on environmental sustainability would be the best differentiation strategy. When it comes to reducing environmental impact, there’s a huge room to innovate. And as explorer yachts become more popular, the pressure to adopt sustainable practices can only rise. Hybrid engines, waste treatment systems, self-generated energy and eco-friendly materials are just the beginning. I can’t wait to see what new technologies will emerge from the industry to tackle carbon footprint reduction of these vessels without sacrificing their range or capability.
What Do You Think?
So, who do you think will be the next shipyard to surprise us with an explorer yacht? Will it be a seasoned player, or perhaps a dark horse ready to steal the spotlight? Got any predictions on which shipyard will climb onto the sustainability wave next? I have my eyes on Vard’s REV Ocean…
