GX42 Yacht Promises Silence on the Sea

Seventeen years after Greenline Yachts opened its doors to build hybrid yachts that also harness solar energy, the first GX Superyachts project is in the water. Hull number one of the GX42 yacht series is weeks from showing yacht owners how luxury and cleaner cruising can go hand in hand.

Part of an intended range from 79 to 184 feet (24 to 56 meters), the GX42 yacht is 138 feet (42.1 meters) LOA. She has several notable propulsion and electricity-producing features. The diesel-electric propulsion system permits flexible operating modes, for instance, including all-electric. In fact, electric-only mode allows repositioning and leisurely cruising at 6 knots for up to 100 nautical miles. Solar panels integrated into the superstructure, meanwhile, feed a lithium battery bank. The battery bank can power all air conditioning and other hotel loads for nearly two straight days at anchor, according to GX Superyachts. Additionally, Maurizio Magri, GX Superyachts’ COO, notes that the battery bank and solar panels allow reducing typical electric draws by up to 45 percent. “She offers a quieter, cleaner, and more comfortable way to experience life onboard,” he adds.

The interior design unfolds similarly, for a party of 10 in five staterooms. From Marco Casali, the materials and ambience prove “sustainability and elegance naturally complement one another,” he says. Natural woods and stones ensure nothing seems out of place. “Our ambition was to create a yacht that feels timeless rather than fashionable,” Casali also says.

Since construction has been taking place at SES Yachts in Turkey, sea trials will follow soon in those waters. Greenline Yachts’ facilities in Slovenia cannot accommodate yachts larger than 78 feet (24 meters), so the management team evaluated about 20 shipyards before selecting SES Yachts. Among the reasons it won out, it has a 50-year history, plus is family-owned. Furthermore, the family members running the yard are all naval architects. “Our shipyard has always thrived on turning complex, forward-thinking concepts into reality,” says Elif Yıldırım, the yard’s managing partner.

Andrea Armas, a technical consultant to GX Superyachts, has spent the past three years at the Turkish yard overseeing developments. With a strong understanding of yacht operations thanks to nearly three decades as an owner’s representative, Armas says the experience overall has been “remarkable.” All partners remained dedicated to “collectively pushing the boundaries of hybrid superyacht design, engineering, and construction,” he notes.

“Only two years ago, we introduced a bold new vision for the future of superyachting,” reflects GX Superyachts’ owner Vladimir Zinchenko. “Seeing the first GX42 enter the water proves that this vision has become reality.”