It’s not unusual to hear of a builder landing a contract for a government vessel. Several yacht builders have military ties, either directly or as part of larger companies. However, when a government wants a yacht, it’s a whole other story. Benetti is building a 115-footer (35-meter) for Tokyo city officials to use for conferences and presentations.
While the shipyard is not revealing images of the design, the project does have some pretty strict parameters. For example, due to fixed bridges on Tokyo Bay, the megayacht cannot exceed a height of 36 feet (11 meters). Benetti is additionally building a folding mast for the height restrictions. Furthermore, due to low depths along the waterway, draft is an unusually shallow four feet (1.25 meters). As you might also expect, waterjet propulsion is therefore replacing traditional propellers.
A fellow Italian firm, Verme Yacht Design, is working with Benetti for naval architecture. It designed the 115-footer to reach a top speed of 25 knots. The parties are no strangers to one another. Verme Yacht Design collaborated with Azimut, Benetti’s sister company, for the Azimut Grande 140, now known as the Benetti F-140. Several Japanese engineers are on site at Benetti’s Livorno shipyard (above) for the construction as well.
In terms of interior features, for now, Benetti says the motoryacht needs a conference room with a table for 35 people. The same room requires a separate booth for an interpreter. Yet another requirement is a traditional Japanese reception room. Typically, these types of rooms include an alcove displaying flowers, pictoral scrolls, or other items for artistic appreciation.
Delivery is set for December of next year.
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