Heesen Yachts has laid the keel of its 49.8-metre Project 20750, now known as Project Orion. The event took place last week, with ABS surveyors paying witness. 
"Laying the keel of a new yacht is always an exciting moment, and even more so when it is built as a speculative venture,” Friso Visser, CCO of Heesen commented. “At Heesen, we are pioneers in the construction of superyachts in small series, on proven hull designs, propulsion systems and engineering, with individual interiors. The idea of advancing the build by a year or two before the customer signs up reduces delivery time, along with the costs saved in design and development. It has proved to be a winning formula.”
Project Orion features an exterior design by Omega Architects and naval architecture by Heesen and Van Oossanen. She’s a sub 500 GT superyacht that will be powered by Heesen’s hybrid propulsion system, making her extremely quiet and fuel efficient. Heesen expects that when cruising at 12 knots, Project Orion will consume less than 100 litres of fuel per hour, excluding hotel load. This drastically reduces when in hybrid mode and cruising at 10 knots – as she’s expected to consume a remarkable 45 litres per hour. 
Cristiano Gatto Design was the studio enlisted for her interior design, and created a unique contemporary feel that makes great use of her open bulwarks to flood the interior with natural light. Project Orion will be able to accommodate as many as 12 guests across six well-appointed staterooms. Her master suite will be situated forward on the main deck, while her full-beam VIP, two doubles, and two twin suites will be found on the lower deck. 
Project Orion will be equipped with twin MTU 12V 2,000 M61 (IMO III) engines of 600 kilowatts each. Two surprisingly small engines of a yacht this size, testament to the engineering of Heesen and Van Oossanen, who have kept her lightweight and well balanced. 
The superyacht is on the market and scheduled for delivery in February 2025.