New & Noteworthy

Navigator’s editors bring you a selection of our favorite yachting news to have on your radar. From an award-winning design to sustainable yachting, here’s what you need to know about superyacht developments.

The Award-Winning SANTOSHA from Heesen Yachts WILL FORWARD IMAGE

Navigator steps on board the award-winning 187’ (57m) SANTOSHA to look inside this remarkable Heesen yacht. Featuring Heesen’s trademark Fast Displacement Hull Form, SANTOSHA is a first of many – the first in the new 57m Aluminium Class from Heesen Yachts, and the first yacht for her new owners, who were introduced to the project in 2023 by Northrop & Johnson’s Wes Sanford. “It’s a strange world when your entry-level yacht is nearly 200-feet” says Wes. “But having spent two decades chartering, they knew what they wanted.” The owners were attracted to the design’s striking exterior lines, which were penned by Frank Laupman, while the shallow draft worked perfectly for their preferred cruising grounds of The Bahamas.

Coming into the project with only 18 months to go, however, allowed them to make their mark on the interior design and layout. “They both knew how they wanted things to look and feel,” says Wes. “They wanted the yacht to be an extension of their home with an interior design that is both bright and airy while at the same time, calm and soothing.” This involved more than a simple change to the color scheme. “We were able to change the design of the beach club area to incorporate a gym, while the owners’ cabin saw some significant alterations in terms of the layout,” says Wes. Taking delivery of SANTOSHA in October 2024, her maiden voyage was a Transatlantic crossing, after which the owners enjoyed her in their inaugural season in Florida and The Bahamas. SANTOSHA will cross the Atlantic again for a full season in the Mediterranean 2025.

GX Yachts Moves Stateside

Having officially launched at the 2024 Monaco Yacht Show, GX Superyachts has set its sights on the American market. Representing them in their venture stateside, Northrop & Johnson are delighted to be marketing the new superyacht lineup in the Americas. “We believe that the biggest challenges lie ahead of us, with an urgent need to foster environmental and social sustainability,” says Northrop & Johnson president and CCO, Cromwell Littlejohn. “We are therefore delighted to be working with GX Superyachts, whose stance on responsible yachting backed with green technology is a beacon for the industry.” GX Superyachts may be a new name in the industry, but the brand has decades of experience behind its name, benefitting from the expertise of its sister company, Greenline Yachts, a pioneer in hybrid yachts up to 58’ (18m).

The American market has long appreciated the user-friendly features of Greenline Yachts, and now they have the opportunity to take their yachting adventure one step further with GX Superyachts.

Hydrogen Power is Here

Feadship showed the world with its Project 821 that hydrogen power is a significant contender for the future of superyacht propulsion. Following in the Dutch shipyard’s wake, Hystream Yachts is leading the future of long-range cruising with their revolutionary Hystream HS 80 and Hystream HS 65 hydro-electric catamarans. The 82’4” (25.1m) HS 80 is a zero-emission powerhouse, integrating a hydrogen-electric propulsion system, AI-assisted autonomous navigation, and bifacial solar panels for true energy independence. On stored hydrogen alone, the HS 80 can travel 234 nautical miles emissions-free. The 64’ (19.3m) HS 65, meanwhile, is an intelligent, high-efficiency cruiser with a hybrid diesel-electric propulsion system, delivering a 3,500nm range with advanced autonomy. Northrop & Johnson are exclusively representing the revolutionary Hystream HS 80 and Hystream HS 65.