You’ve heard of adventure travel, and how support yachts accompany traditional cruising yachts on these voyages. But, how about humanitarian travel, specifically with vessels designed and engineered for this purpose in remote and hard-to-reach regions? Echo Yachts proposes Project Echo HSV, with the latter designation standing for Humanitarian Support Vessel.
Humanitarian efforts in yachting, of course, are nothing new. YachtAid Global coordinates superyacht disaster relief on an ongoing basis, for instance. Project Echo HSV, a 164-footer (50-meter), combines abundant deck space for specialized landing craft, a helicopter (for either guest transfers or medevac needs), tenders, and even cargo of much-needed supplies like water and medical kits. The same heavy-duty knuckle-boom crane that can launch and retrieve the tenders can offload the cargo containers, too. Plus, in terms of the tenders, one could be a custom landing craft meant for evacuating people on stretchers.
Project Echo HSV employs the same hull form as the Adventure Support Yacht version of Project Echo from 2017. From Incat Crowther Naval Architects, its efficiency in tough oceanic conditions is proven, in the offshore gas and oil industry. Depending on your preference, you can request a moderate- or high-speed propulsion option.
Of course, the layout is also open to input. You can work with Bannenberg & Rowell, which penned the styling, or your own designer. In a support-yacht role, Project Echo HSV could have overflow staterooms and lounges. Regardless, for the humanitarian efforts, Echo Yachts recommends including medical rooms, lab areas, and climate-controlled medical-supply stowage areas. Furthermore, the Project Echo HSV can feature externally accessible isolated treatment rooms. In fact, the build and engineering team says specialized HVAC systems can provide fresh air for isolation rooms without recirculating any air. This, in turn, minimizes contamination risks.
Echo Yachts echomarinegroup.com
Bannenberg & Rowell bannenbergandrowell.com
Incat Crowther Naval Architects incatcrowther.com
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