VESSEL REVIEW | Valor – Hybrid explorer yacht built for accessing remote polar and tropical areas

Dutch builder Feadship has completed construction of a 79.5-metre (261-foot) explorer yacht.

The Cayman Islands-flagged, six-deck Valor features a steel hull, an aluminium superstructure, and a two-metre (seven-foot) ice belt that encircles the hull above and below the waterline. The latter feature has earned the yacht Bureau Veritas’ “young ice 2” notation, which indicates suitability for operation in first-year ice conditions.

Low-emission propulsion ideal for use in sensitive remote regions

Feadship said the long-range yacht was designed to fulfil its owner’s ambition of transiting the Northwest Passage and venturing to more remote locations such as Borneo and Tasmania.

The newbuild features a hybrid diesel-electric, solar and battery-powered propulsion system developed through Feadship’s advanced electrical drive programme. Instead of traditional main engines and auxiliary generators, the yacht draws energy from four variable speed generators connected to a DC grid and a 5.34MWh lithium-ion battery bank.

A solar panel array on the mast meanwhile provides additional power without generating emissions.

Valor can operate in zero-local emission mode for up to 48 hours. It can also run on HVO to further reduce emissions.

Twin Schottel EcoPeller thrusters and a symmetrical-thrust Rim Drive Technology bow thruster will enable the yacht to perform precise manoeuvres as well as achieve a maximum speed of 15 knots and a cruising speed of 11 knots. Quantum Marine stabilisers will meanwhile ensure comfort in all conditions.

Navy-inspired hull design elements

Feadship said the vessel’s exterior reflects the owner’s request for something “recognisable from outer space,” blending the silhouette of a modern guided-missile frigate with what the company calls a “dreadnought” bow and avoiding the curvaceous “wedding cake” aesthetics typical of contemporary yacht designs.

Chris Bottoms at De Voogt Naval Architects was responsible for incorporating these requested exterior elements while Bannenberg and Rowell worked on the interior spaces.

Full range of amenities ideal for small groups

The interiors boast a combination of natural materials including stone, wood, metal and glass, while a sculptural main staircase made from 48,001 solid bronze and stone pieces stands as a centrepiece. The forward owner’s suite on the private deck includes a large dressing area, an office, and a whirlpool overlooking the helideck.

There are also six suites that can house a total of 14 guests on the main deck, a sky lounge, formal and informal dining areas, a gym, a main salon with McIntosh stereo equipment including a turntable, and a fully equipped beach club with fold-down terraces and space for diving gear and watersports equipment.

The exterior dining areas boast Linley titanium director’s chairs.

Among the other notable features are a heated contra-flow infinity pool, a large tender door, walk-around decks, widened bulwarks, sliding glass walls, a wellness area, a lift that provides access across all six decks, and dedicated areas for the owner’s dogs including a grass-filled relief station and a shower.

Heat exchangers that recycle and capture energy ensure that the interior spaces are kept comfortable even as the yacht operates in extreme Arctic conditions.

Although designed for operation in cold climates, Valor offers extensive outdoor spaces ideal for use in warmer regions.