DUBAI – At the 2023 Dubai International Boat Show, Dutch superyacht builder Oceanco revealed the design of a 131m (430ft) superyacht that “heralds a new era for dwellings on water.” The Aeolus design concept, the yard added, is driven by new lifestyles and “reflects how we relax, connect and work in the modern world, seamlessly transitioning between destinations and modes of living.”
Aeolus is the fruit of Oceanco NXT, a collaborative undertaking with co-makers to produce sustainable superyachts. The yard thinks that when owners see the Oceanco NXT endorsement on a yacht’s design or other innovation, they know they can expect high standards of life onboard.
“The collaboration and innovation resulting in the Aeolus design have been remarkable,” says Oceanco CEO Marcel Onkenhout.
“As our newest Oceanco NXT design, she is an example of how we envisage the evolution of yachting. To build the yachts of tomorrow, we need to leave behind the preconceptions of yesterday.”
Oceanco markets large, custom yachts in massive build facilities in the Port of Rotterdam, where it can build up to 160m (525ft). The yard’s recently renovated outfitting facilities can accommodate yachts up to 150m (492ft). The yard says it is “now set to accommodate more yachts of greater size simultaneously.”
Aeolus responds to evolving lifestyles and environmental perspectives regarding technical capability and onboard materials. The exterior design is by Giles Taylor, and the interior design is by Njord of the Bergman Design House.
Aeolus’ interior features sustainable and traceable materials, including biomaterials such as “a premium vegan leather alternative, organic cotton made in non-toxic processes and dyes, says Sarah Colbon, Co-founder of Njord.
“Any yacht built today will have to span the energy transition, a period of significant change in available fuel types and associated technologies,” says James Roy of the London-based Lateral engineering company.
Together with Aeolus’s technical partners ABB and MTU, Lateral developed the Energy Transition Platform (ETP). The ETP power system is to span the period to net zero. It can accommodate changes in layout, configuration and specifications required by future technologies and alternative fuels.
