Trans RINA, Vol 157, Part C1, Intl J Marine Design, Jan - Dec 2015
SUSTAINABLE LUXURY CATAMARAN SUPERYACHT (SLCS) (DOI No. 103940/rina.ijmd.2015.c1.39)
S McCartan, A Barrett, L Swinfield and T Thompson, EBDIG-IRC, Coventry University, UK B Verheijden, Academy Minerva, Groningen, Netherlands R Schouten and J Schaffers, Feadship, Netherlands
SUMMARY
This paper reports on a collaborative professional practice project engaging in Design-Driven Innovation. The aim of which was to examine a new market sector of a sustainable luxury superyacht based on a catamaran platform for the Chinese market, informed by the innovative ‘Future Concept Feadships’ as well as the DDI insights of EBDIG-IRC. The catamaran platform has recently arrived in the superyacht sector at 40m LOA, by comparison the World's largest superyacht has an 180m LOA. In the commercial vessel sector Incat have recently completed a 99m LOA LNG fuelled gas turbine powered catamaran ferry capable of 58knots, which was designed to compete with short air travel routes. Informed by this innovative platform, the SLCS proposal was developed to address the significant market opportunity of the sector between superyachts and cruise ships. The technology innovations of the LNG fuelled gas turbine catamaran platform and the implementation of Passive Design act to reduce CO2 and other emissions, compared to other vessel platforms of comparable size and speed.
The design meaning of the SLCS is that of a floating private membership club for SHNWI in South East Asia, specifically China, with a strong focus on sustainable luxury. It is informed by the design meaning of Quintessentially One, a new luxury lifestyle membership club on a 220m superyacht platform, which operates as a floating destination. The accommodation in the boutique hotel of the lower deck facilitates up to 36 guests. The optimisation of the SLCS interior volume is achieve through the adaptability of the function of a number of key public space, to facilitate a range of both guest and visitor activities. Essentially the vessel operates as both a high speed superyacht and as an architecturally imposing illuminated floating venue for prestigious events. The interior areas were developed through engaging in an emotional design approach to the cultural specificity of luxury in China. The innovative submerged lounge space communicates the focus that the design has on the experiential value of luxury.
1. INTRODUCTION
China has the World's largest economy, with 11,000 ultra-wealthy citizens (assets over $30 million). But the superyacht industry has yet to become established part of Chinese luxury culture, as only 0.7% (34 of 4,836) of the world’s superyachts are based in China. The lack of popularity is an issue of the cultural specificity of luxury. The European style of yacht ownership as time away from it all leisure is the antithesis of the Chinese approach to use a yacht as a business tool. This is further exacerbated
by China's 43% luxury goods import tax
and the added expense of relocating European crew as the region lacks experienced crew. While China has a few key marinas it still lacks some of the infrastructure to support superyachts, such as repair yards. Given the Chinese governments ongoing crack down on corporate corruption and the associated current cultural perceptions, cruising around on a superyacht and using it to entertain clients might convey the wrong message about an executive and make them a media target. [1] As the nature of luxury and societal attitudes evolve this cultural perception is expected to change in the medium term.
At the other end of the luxury spectrum, the global cruise industry is learning specificity of
how to address the cultural luxury in the Chinese market. As the markets in the U.S. and Canada approach saturation, Carnival and Royal Caribbean Cruises, have been
developing in the Far East market. Costa Crociere, which is owned by Carnival, was the first company to enter China, in 2006, followed by Royal Caribbean in 2007 and Princess Cruises, another Carnival brand, in 2014. The cruise business in China is still small. In 2014 over 700,000 Chinese travellers cruised, compared with 10 million Americans and more than 6 million Europeans. But the market is experiencing exponential growth increasing 79% from 2012 to 2014. In the U.S. and Australia, 3.5% of the population cruises each year; the proportion in China is less than 1/60 of that. On this basis forecasters estimate that China will become the second largest market by 2017 and that
it could
eventually replace the U.S. as the largest in the world. Chinese regional governments have already built cruise terminals in Sanya, Shanghai, Tianjin, and Xiamen, with more on the way in at least four other coastal cities. Cruise companies must rethink the entire cruise experience, from food to décor to how a rapidly capitalizing society thinks about class and luxury. The fluid and evolving nature of luxury in China offers a significant opportunity for Design-Driven Innovation as the cruise sector will provide suitable infrastructure for mega-yachts in terms of ports and a cultural insight into megayachts through the cruise ship high end experience. [2] This paper reports on a collaborative professional practice project engaging in Design-Driven Innovation.
© 2015: The Royal Institution of Naval Architects
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