Heesen’s 72m Project Ananda Sets November Keel-Laying Plan with Hybrid Propulsion

Heesen’s 72.3-metre Project Ananda has a defined next construction milestone: keel laying scheduled for November 2026. The shipyard first detailed the Smart Custom design in June, and identifies delivery in the first quarter of 2030 on its official project page.

YN 21872 is a speculative platform that allows an owner considerable scope to tailor the yacht before completion. Designed inside and out by Sinot Yacht Architecture & Design, it combines a steel hull, hybrid propulsion and a guest-focused layout developed with Heesen’s engineering and interiors teams.

Seventy-two metres and 1,750 GT

Ananda measures 72.3 metres overall with a 13.1-metre beam and approximately 1,750 GT of interior volume. It provides accommodation for 12 guests in six suites, supported by a crew of 17, and has five decks arranged around owner privacy and guest circulation.

Heesen says hull tank testing at the Wolfson Unit of the University of Southampton validated resistance, trim and motion characteristics. The builder reports a maximum speed of 16 knots and a 5,000-nautical-mile range at 12 knots; these remain published design figures ahead of the yacht's commissioning and sea trials.

Hybrid operation for quieter passages

The proposed machinery includes two MTU 12V4000 M65L engines rated at 1,920 kW each, together with PTI/PTO gearboxes. Heesen states that the arrangement is intended to provide up to four hours of silent cruising in electric mode.

For an owner planning long-distance itineraries, the value of the system lies in operational flexibility rather than an assumption of zero emissions in every mode. Electrical storage, hotel loads and charging management determine how those capabilities can be used on a specific passage.

Arrival and wellness shaped into the layout

A midships shell door leads to a dedicated docking platform and central glass elevator, allowing guests to board without passing through the main social spaces. Two optional owner's-deck layouts allow different priorities for forward privacy or aft-facing living.

A midships beach club and spa of approximately 100 square metres is planned with sauna, steam room, ice bath, snow shower and treatment spaces. The main lounge and pool terrace use travertine flooring to create continuity between inside and outside, according to the builder's design description.

What is confirmed and what comes next

Heesen says design, naval architecture and tank testing have been completed, with keel laying scheduled for November. The interior will be built by its in-house Heesen Interiors operation in Winterswijk.

Project Ananda is therefore a current order-book project, not a vessel already launched or delivered at Monaco. Its next useful news milestone will be documented construction progress as the 2030 delivery window approaches.