Greek design studio Alpha Marine has signed the contract for the design of a new 47 metre superyacht called The First. Commissioned for an experienced owner, the yacht will be built at newly established shipyard ProMarine Yachts.
Construction is expected to begin before the end of 2022, with the keel laying scheduled in the coming months.
The yacht’s gross tonnage will be contained under the 500GT mark and The First will be equipped with diesel-electric propulsion and Azimuth thrusters, a rare combination on a yacht of this size.
Alpha Marine will be responsible for the complete exterior packing of The First, including naval architecture and marine engineering. Aristotelis Betsis, yacht designer and naval architect said: “The owner had in mind what he liked and what he didn’t, but the yacht should not only satisfy the owner’s taste. She has also to satisfy the taste of a greater audience, as this yacht comes first in the owner’s new venture.
“A long concept realisation process was followed until we reached the final design. The result is a super elegant modern-classic yacht with all the dynamism a younger audience would look for.”
The First is characterised by a swooping hull line and a streamlined superstructure culminating in a high bow.
In terms of layout, the yacht has been designed with long-term private use and chartering in mind, so comfort and storage have underpinned all aspects of the configuration. Independent crew circulation, sufficient storage facilities, tank capacities and adequate pantry and galley facilities have all been factored in to the equation.
Thomas Gkouliouras, technical director and naval architect commented: "We created a new hull from scratch which could accommodate the yacht’s requirements in the best possible way. But our task does not end there. The structural design has been simple enough to ease the building process and sophisticated enough to reduce the weight and increase the strength of the yacht.”
Nikos Dafnias, Alpha Marine’s founder and chief executive of Alpha Marine said: “This yacht has been a dream to come true for the owner for many years. It took numerous long meetings in order to be able to compile a sufficient briefing and work out solutions to conclude with a project-winning result."