Friso Visser, CCO at Heesen, states, “Yacht connoisseurs understand how extraordinary it is to build a high-speed aluminum motor yacht.” It requires precision engineering, accurate welding, precise naval design, and strict weight management. Few shipyards possess the necessary expertise. Fewer still can afford to take a chance on a speculative project,” he continues. However, Heesen consistently produces high-speed superyachts that are successful, and the 57-meter Project Akira is the next in line.

One of the Dutch yard’s most recent speculative projects, Project Akira (YN 20457), is scheduled to launch in the spring of 2024. Akira is unique in that she can achieve a top speed of 22 knots while using about half the fuel of a typical steel displacement yacht of the same size. Apart from the exceptional craftsmanship of the yard, Akira’s efficiency and speed can be attributed to her fast displacement hull form (FDHF) hull, which is lightweight and efficient, and her twin IMO III-compliant MTU 16V 4000 M65L engines.

After being unveiled at the 2019 Monaco Yacht Show, Akira’s construction got underway in just eighteen months. Arthur Brouwer, CEO of Heesen, noted that Akira is one of just a few 57-meter fast motor yachts made entirely of aluminum that will be delivered in 2024. “For those clients who seek speed, efficiency, and volume, the 57-meter aluminum design represents the perfect counterpoint to our successful 55-meter Steel Class,” he continues.