8 of the coolest design features of Damen's SeaXplorer

Damen's SeaXplorer - its new range of explorer yachts that was revealed at the  Monaco Yacht Show last year - strives to combine luxury with commercial ship capabilities. EYOS Expeditions collaborated with the yard on this explorer range and have given Boat International a break-down of the coolest design features of this superyacht.

1. Global autonomy

The Damen SeaXplorer can provide full luxury service for 40 days of autonomy without port call. To offer such a long endurance, a yacht needs massive stores for provisions, large fuel tanks and an advanced zero discharge waste management system. Spare parts and workshops are also essential.

The range of Damen's SeaXplorer is yet to be disclosed, but we expect it to far exceed the standard transatlantic fuel range.

Depending what you want to do with your explorer yacht, classification is important. The Damen SeaXplorer has an IMO Polar Code category B certificate, which means it has strengthened propulsion installation, Polar Class heavy ice hull strengthening, and ice-breaking capability. This is particularly useful for owners who want to explore parts of the world that are in the zone between sea and ice.

It's worth noting that the IMO Polar Code is expected to come into force on 1 January 2017, affecting ships operating in the Antarctic and Arctic.

One of the key benefits of an explorer superyacht is the ability to navigate icy waters in luxurious comfort. Sometimes a compromise has to be made between designing a hull that works well in icy conditions and one that offers unrivalled comfort.

Damen claims it has designed a double acting hull for the SeaXplorer, with a bow designed for stable and comfortable seafaring and a stern optimised for icebreaking. Her use of retractable stabilisers allows the yacht to be operated in and around the ice, whilst being comfortable at sea.

Helicopters are important for explorer yachts because they allow exploration when it's not safe to go out on foot. Furthermore, heli-skiing has exploded in popularity, so having a helicopter onboard is fun as well as functional.

It's never wise to expose helicopters to the freezing environment, so fully enclosed helicopter hangars like those on the Damen SeaXplorer are essential. This new superyacht can accommodate two 6-tonne class helicopters, with space for the necessary workshop, fuel tanks and spare parts, and accommodation for pilots has been incorporated into the superyacht's design.

A common theme for all explorer yachts is their capacity to carry expedition gear. The SeaXplorer has plenty of space for private submersibles (garage and launch system), dive centre with recompression chamber, divemaster workshop, 12 metre dive support tender and a whole selection of tenders and toys.

There is no shortage of space for canoes, kayaks, amphibious craft, heli-ski gear and more. And the large crew areas accommodate more crew and expedition staff, allowing for wider ranging adventures.

The wildlife draws many to the polar regions, but wild animals move fast and if you're not quick, you could miss that memorable close encounter. Damen has designed a fast launching system for a 7.5 metre expedition tender, aimed to remove any issues around slow tender deployment. They claim you could be on the water watching a pod of humpback whales, for example, just minutes after spotting them.

One cool feature about the tender launching system is the way the tender boards the yacht: boarding gates above the waterline lead to the mudroom, where polar gear can be ditched before returning to the superyacht.

The scenery of the polar regions can be breathtaking, so it's important that an explorer yacht offers plenty of opportunities to watch the outdoors from the comfort of being inside.

The sky lounge on the bridge deck of the SeaXplorer gives a stunning al fresco experience, but it's the crow's nest that gives the best view. The height of a seven storey building, the crow's nest is a luxurious nook that gives guests a 360 degree panorama more than 20 metres above the water.

One of the points the IMO Polar Class touches on is the protection of the Antarctic from visitors. To comply with this, the SeaXplorer has a particularly low environmental impact. It has advanced fuel efficiency with DC switchboard and peak shaving (battery bank), residual heat recovery, a zero discharge waste management system and a hull cofferdam between the fuel bunker tanks and the shell as an extra precaution to avoid oil spills.

The SeaXplorer uses Dynamic Positioning to avoid damaging fragile reefs with anchors. This system also allows her to navigate narrow and deep fjords, and to approach glaciers with precision and safety in poorly charted waters and among unpredictable ice floes.