Hydrogen power could be coming to the superyacht scene in a pretty spectacular way, with Dutch company Sinot's latest concept just unveiled in Monaco. The Aqua is a 360-foot (112-m) monster that would run entirely on liquid hydrogen and offer a range of 3,750 nautical miles (4,315 mi, 6,945 km). And boy, is it nice to look at from just about any angle.
The Aqua's huge hydrogen tanks are one of its many design highlights; to visit them, you take the spiral staircase in the center of the boat down to the lowest of five decks, and there they are, glowing with blue light. Two 28-ton, vacuum-isolated tanks designed to keep the liquid hydrogen stable at -253° C (-423.4° F) sitting behind strengthened glass for safety.
These tanks can split off power at up to 4 MW, powering two 1-MW electric propulsion motors and two 300-kW bow thrusters for tighter maneuvering. A 1.5-MWh battery pack acts as a buffer, providing instant access to power and running the ship's electrics, and is charged as necessary by the fuel cell.
The Aqua can reach a lazy top speed of 17 knots (20 mph, 31 km/h), and it carries enough fuel to cruise at 10-12 knots for some 3,750 nautical miles, which would get you from New York to Barcelona without filling up. As for where you're going to find 56 tons of liquid hydrogen, well, that's your problem, and if you've got the money to buy 360-ft hydrogen superyachts, well, you're a resourceful sort, you'll figure it out.
On top of its alternative powertrain, the Aqua stands out for some seriously gorgeous design work. Sinot has put considerable effort into creating a number of jaw-dropping moments as you explore this colossal thing. There are those beautifully lit hydrogen tanks, a mini-waterfall cascading down from the deck pool over stone steps, and a "bow observatory" right at the front, where two people can enjoy a sun-lounge version of the Titanic moment through giant windows.
The chairs in the lounge rotate around a circular track on the floor, clustering together when it's time to watch a movie, or spreading around the floor for more conversational social events. There appears to be the option of a helipad, where a hydrogen-powered eVTOL like the Alakai Skai can transfer you to dry land. And the Japanese-influenced interior design work and furnishings that have been put into these renders are spectacular – par for the course for Sinot, it seems. Jump into the gallery or check out the video below to see what I mean.
Sinot is presenting the Aqua now at the Monaco Yacht Show, as an 80-inch (2-m) concept model. Can it be built? Sure, why not? Will it be built? I guess that depends on how many billionaires are in the market for superyachts that could get them stuck near some tropical archipelago in need of still rare, somewhat exotic fuels. But hey, you can always get more hydrogen shipped over on a diesel boat.
Source: Sinot
As to: “As for where you're going to find 56 tons of liquid hydrogen, well, that's your problem”... your challenges should be minimized if you stick to destinations nearby rocket launching facilities.
Fossil oil demand will continue to rise for probably another 10+ years. Renewables will finally overtake fossils somewhere around 2040, and by 2050 fossils will be just 1/3 of our energy pool. Wish things would go faster, but you can't simply stop a huge juggernaut and turn it around. It takes time.