Rolls-Royce Presents Yacht with Digital Technology, Hybrid Propulsion

UK-based engineering company Rolls-Royce has unveiled a luxury yacht concept with advanced ship intelligence solutions and hybrid propulsion based on LNG fuel and battery power.

Introduced during the Global Superyacht Forum (GSF) in Amsterdam on November 13, the Crystal Blue yacht and its attendant support vessel Blue Shadow have been developed “to enable new thinking in yacht design and propulsion by optimising the yacht’s superstructure for greater guest use and comfort.”

“Crystal Blue has been designed specifically to show how new technology can meet the yacht sector’s increased demand for higher performance, greater operating ranges and increased levels of guest comfort, without impacting the environment,” Oskar Levander, Rolls-Royce SVP Concepts and Innovation, said.

One of the yacht’s features is the use of an intelligent dynamic positioning system which automatically controls twin azimuthing thrusters and a TT1100 bow thruster – technology that is usually found on offshore support vessels that must maintain their positions next to oil rigs to within a couple of meters.

On board Crystal Blue, however, this system allows the yacht to remain in the right spot on the water, without using an anchor.

At first glance, it seems Rolls-Royce has forgotten to include a bridge in the design but, as Levander explains, “it’s just been moved”.

“Our ship intelligence and remote-control concepts have allowed us to design a yacht for the future that has the bridge located below the bow, inside the vessel. The crew is able to monitor and control the vessel using sophisticated sensors, cameras, display screens and situational awareness technologies; but an internal bridge frees up the traditional area of the bridge in the forward part of the superstructure to let owners and guests enjoy a panoramic vista that is traditionally only enjoyed by the crew,” Levander further said.

The Rolls-Royce Blue Ocean team has also incorporated some safety features into the design, namely a ‘safe room’; a citadel in which guests and crew can seek refuge in the event of an unauthorized boarding. Once inside, the crew can override the controls and operate the yacht remotely or direct a shore-based center to pilot the vessel.

Designed for 12+ passengers and 12 crew, the 62-meter Crystal Blue is based on a composite or aluminium hull operating a power plant based on the Rolls-Royce hybrid LNG/Battery SAVe-CUBE system configuration.

The machinery consists of twin LNG-fuelled 16V4000 MTU M65-N generator sets working in parallel with a battery bank to provide 1MWh of genset-free power during port stays. Two low-weight carbon Azipull thrusters provide propulsive power to achieve maximum service speeds of 20 knots.

Although LNG fuel is increasingly specified for commercial vessels, particularly coastal ferries, the size of the fuel tanks and a lack of LNG bunkering infrastructure has been a major barrier to the yacht sector embracing the cleaner, odorless fuel.

“This is where Blue Shadow comes in,” Henrik Alpo Sjöblom, Project Manager in the Rolls-Royce Blue Ocean team, noted.

Operating in convoy, Blue Shadow is a smaller 42 meter, remotely-controlled, steel-hulled support vessel used for transporting and launching the mother ship’s tender, helicopter and any other ‘toys’ that the yacht owner may have. It also allows designers to make better use of the aft area of Crystal Blue for guests, such as by including an infinity pool, or a beach area. The shadow boat also doubles up as the owner’s personal LNG bunkering barge.

“Burning LNG has clear advantages over Marine Diesel Oil for the yacht sector. There is no smoke, it doesn’t emit any unpleasant odours or fumes and it meets stringent emissions regulations, allowing yachts to enter otherwise prohibited ecologically sensitive waters,” Sjöblom added.

“We have dimensioned Crystal Blue fuel tanks for a range of 3000 nautical miles without refuelling but with the Shadow’s additional fuel capacity, the range increases to 4400 nautical miles, meaning that most of the typical yachting areas are accessible,” he said.

Explaining the reason behind the development, Levander concluded: “With Crystal Blue and Blue Shadow we can more effectively showcase how new digital-based ship intelligence solutions can offer unique possibilities, greater capability and added value to the luxury yacht market, both for new and existing vessels.”