Dutch shipyard Heesen has shared a first glimpse inside its largest steel-hulled vessel to leave the shipyard to date. The 60.4 metre superyacht, named Lusine, was built under the codename Project Falcon and marked the shipyard's first delivery of 2022 when she was handed to her owner earlier this year.
The project was sold in February 2018 and was, at the time, Heesen's largest yacht overall by gross tonnage with a 1,060GT interior. She was later eclipsed by the 80 metre aluminium superyacht My Genesis.
Lusine was designed by Omega Architects who created a 'bird's wing' exterior design amidships to visually integrate the upper three decks without interrupting the horizontal sweep of the windows. Heesen describes her lines as “clean and chiselled” with lowered bulwarks and full-height windows to maximise the view.
The interior contract was awarded to Dutch studio Sinot Exclusive Yacht Design and features rare woods, precious fabrics and exquisite leathers throughout in what the shipyard has described as "one of the most complex interiors ever crafted" by its in-house team. The new images released by Heesen show her main saloon and formal dining area, which sports a subtle nautical theme with blues, whites and a combination of light and dark woods. A large light fixture sits above an oblong dining table that seats ten, while an intricate hexagonal floor runs the length of the space. Two cosmic charts frame the dining area.
Accommodation is for up to 16 guests split between seven cabins, including an upper deck master suite with its own private aft deck, an upper deck VIP situated amidships, and a lower deck VIP with private access to a main-deck twin cabin. Four further lower deck cabins complete the guest layout, while the crew quarters allows for up to 14 staff.
A central lift and grand staircase connect her four decks. Meanwhile, a touch-and-go helipad is served by an enclosed air-conditioned reception area for guests to come and go in complete privacy.
Speaking at Lusine's technical launch, Heesen chief executive Arthur Brouwer said: "This very large and complex project was both a challenge and an inspiration. The market is pushing towards increasingly large and voluminous yachts, and we are ready to meet that demand."
During sea trials in the North Sea, Lusine reached her contracted top speed of 17.7 knots delivered by a pair of MTU 12V 4000 M65L diesel engines. Cruising at 13 knots she has a range of 4,200 nautical miles and is equipped with full tropical air-conditioning. Captain Varun, who previously skippered Heesen Asya, said: "Lusine is sturdy and gives me great confidence. We tested her in sea state five with winds up to 30 knots, and she behaved very well. It is a great privilege to be captain of a custom yacht with such a pedigree. I look forward to sailing her on the high seas."
Also underway at the shipyard is a 67 metre steel-hulled superyacht named Project Sparta, which will become the new steel flagship once delivered in 2023.