VESSEL REVIEW | O3 – Ice-classed explorer yacht with diesel-electric propulsion
German shipbuilder Lürssen delivered the 109-metre (358-foot) expedition yacht O3 to her owner in May 2026, ending an eight-year build that began under the name Project Icecap.
The yacht, also known during construction as Project Shackleton, is registered in the Marshall Islands. She has a beam of 17.5 metres (57.4 feet), a draught of 4.6 metres (15 feet), a gross tonnage of 6,561, and a deadweight of 1,673.
The hull is built from steel and her five-deck superstructure is aluminium while teak is used for the decking. She is classed by DNV under ✠ 1A Yacht rules, and her hull is built to Ice Class 1B standards.
Norwegian engineering firm Salt Ship Design was responsible for the original exterior and naval architecture. The near-vertical bow has a wave-piercing form that is intended to reduce pitching and improve comfort and fuel efficiency in heavy seas during long passages.
Built for extended-duration expeditions
The superstructure sits well forward, leaving a large open deck aft. This area now accommodates an elevated helideck, tender and toy stowage, cargo-carrying capacity and a swimming pool, with a tender garage and a beach club also included.
Moran Yacht and Ship, which brokered the original sale and developed the technical specification, said that the yacht's "original specification includes significant cargo-carrying capability and deck areas suited to extended expeditions." That specification also called for a heli-hangar.
Energy saving features coupled with high transit speeds
The diesel-electric propulsion system draws on three nine-cylinder engines, each rated 2,692 hp (2,000 kW). The yacht can reach 24 knots and has stabilisers that function even while at anchor. When the sale was announced in March 2018, the project was described as incorporating energy-conservation measures, energy storage, and systems for heating and cooling.
The electric propulsion has been described as decoupling the production of power from the generation of thrust; generating sets can then operate at optimal load more of the time even when the propulsion demand varies. The arrangement also ensures lower noise and vibration, configurable redundancy, and responsive manoeuvring.
Design allowing for continuous modification prior to delivery
Keel laying took place at Lürssen's Peene-Werft facility in Wolgast in late 2018, and the hull was launched there in November 2022.
The yacht was sold again during construction in 2022, after which she was lengthened and her exterior modified, most visibly with the addition of the large helideck.
Espen Øino International carried out the restyling, and the yacht was moved to a floating drydock in Hamburg for the remaining modifications and outfitting.
She undertook an additional round of sea trials in late January 2026.
CG Design was responsible for the interior.
The yacht can accommodate up to 20 guests in ten cabins, including an owner's suite and four VIP cabins, along with up to 30 crewmembers. An elevator serves the decks.
After departing Hamburg, O3 called briefly at Kristiansand in Norway on June 6 before continuing to cruise off the coast of Denmark.