Originally published By Superyacht News in ‘The Superyacht Owner Report’.
Superyacht construction has always been a laboratory for innovation, pursuing the highest standards of comfort, luxury and safety – from the use of fibreglass hulls to the general use of stabilisation systems.
As we push for more sustainable superyachts, new and experimental technologies are increasingly being used in construction. Examples include hybrid propulsion, alternative fuels, improved propeller design, hull optimisation, heat pumps and the incorporation of contra-rotating thrusters for propulsion.
To temper this excitement, one can always rely on lawyers to approach innovations and new technologies with circumspection. Indeed, untested or less proven technologies carry a risk of failure, and the allocation of this risk between the shipyard, the owner and any relevant third-party providers needs to be considered during the building contract stage.