Diesel-electric powered yacht Al Mirqab was at one time better known as Project May, a name that cloaked her identity during a build that was carried out in strict secrecy under the supervision of Kusch Yachts in the Peterswerft Shipyard in Wewelsfleth, Germany. She is propelled by five 2,800kW generators that power two electric motors driving conventional shafts and a centrally positioned azimuthing electric pod drive located beneath the hull.
She is reported to have a top speed of 20 knots and a cruising speed of 18 knots. The yacht accommodates 36 guests and is run by 45 crew. The central feature of the accommodation is a grand staircase that floats through four floors, with three of its sides made from hand-cut crystal panels. The centre of the well is occupied by a suspended glass artwork commissioned from the Seattle-based artist Dale Chihuly.
Al Mirqab won the coveted Motor Yacht of the Year award at the World Superyacht Awards in 2009 and Best Interior Design in the motor yacht category for her Andrew Winch-designed interior. She belongs to Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani.
- Builder: Kusch Yachts
- Naval architecture: SDC / Kusch Yachts
- Exterior styling: Tim Heywood
- Interior design: Andrew Winch
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