Heesen launches Project Alba and christens it VanTom

The 49.8m Heesen motor yacht Project Alba has been officially unveiled in Oss and named VanTom.

The all-aluminium yacht features exterior styling by long-term Heesen collaborator Omega Architects and was sold in December 2015. Construction began at the Dutch yard based on speculation, as is often the case, but there was plenty of scope for customisation after the owner bought the vessel five months later.

In a statement, the yard commented, “The owner and his wife worked closely with Francesco Paszkowski, Margherita Casprini, and the shipyard’s engineers to create an interior design that reflects their taste and the lifestyle of their family: a contemporary and unique aesthetic of understated elegance where they can enjoy peace and relaxation and feel like home.”

VanTom can accommodate up to 12 guests across six staterooms, including a main deck master suite and five lower deck cabins, and nine staff in the crew quarters.

She has a nine-metre beam, 2.5-metre maximum draught and a total interior volume of 499GT. Power comes from a pair of 3,860hp MTU 16V4000 M73L diesel engines that allow for a top speed of 23 knots, and a range of 3,100nm at a cruising speed of 11 knots.

Heesen is set to test these calculations in the North Sea before VanTom’s scheduled delivery date in January 2018.

Other superyacht projects currently in works at the Dutch yard include the 51-metre Heesen 18151, which is due to launch next year.

For more information, visit Heesen.