SHADOWCAT Reveals 69.6m Catalyst With H145 Hangar and Dual Helidecks

SHADOWCAT has revealed Catalyst, a 69.6-metre companion vessel that pushes aviation and operational support further than the company's recently announced Foundation Series. Built around the proven catamaran platform but widened to a 15.5-metre beam, Catalyst is intended to move helicopters, large tenders, specialist equipment and logistics away from the mothership so that the primary yacht can remain focused on owner and guest spaces.

A blade-on H145 hangar changes helicopter operations

Aviation sits at the centre of the new platform, with SHADOWCAT specifying a hangar capable of accommodating an Airbus H145 with its rotor blades left on. That matters operationally because reducing aircraft preparation between storage and flight can make the helicopter a more practical part of the yacht programme rather than equipment that is deployed only when the schedule allows lengthy handling procedures.

Catalyst also has a primary certified landing area intended for aircraft up to the H160 class and a second landing area on the upper deck. The combination creates separation between storage, primary flight operations and an additional landing position, giving the vessel more flexibility when supporting a busy owner programme in remote locations.

The tender deck carries the rest of the mission

Behind the aviation specification is an expansive tender deck designed for larger tenders, equipment and specialist operations. SHADOWCAT's argument is that the mothership should not have to sacrifice guest volume, exterior design or interior planning simply because the owner wants aircraft, expedition vehicles, submersibles or other equipment available throughout a cruise.

A dedicated companion vessel also allows those operational requirements to change over time without forcing the primary yacht into a major structural refit. Catalyst is therefore being positioned as a flexible platform around which an owner's programme can evolve, rather than a support vessel configured around one fixed collection of toys.

Catalyst sits above the new Foundation Series proposition

SYG covered SHADOWCAT's Basecamp, Waypoint and Altitude Foundation Series separately on 20 September, because those models offer a more defined route to a build-ready support vessel. Catalyst is a different proposition: it gathers the company's experience in aviation, tenders, logistics and crew operations into a larger bespoke platform with greater scope to change around the mission.

The concept is being presented during Monaco Yacht Show 2026, where SHADOWCAT is showing both approaches to prospective owners. No construction contract has been announced for Catalyst, so the vessel remains a concept platform and the specifications here are limited to figures currently published by SHADOWCAT itself.