Dutch yard Heesen Yachts has shared images of its 49.8-metre superyacht Project Sophia on sea trials in the North Sea. The update comes after the new build was spotted departing the shipyard's sheds in Oss, the Netherlands, earlier this week.
Project Sophia hit the water in March as the fourth unit from Heesen's 50-metre, hard-chine aluminium yacht class. She is currently for sale, with her delivery scheduled ahead of the upcoming summer season.
The line is characterised by a streamlined, sporty exterior from Frank Laupman of Omega Architects, with an optimised, low-drag hull design and reduced transom depth for improved speed, range and flexibility. The model is also the first of its kind below 500GT to comply with IMO Tier-III regulations.
“At Heesen, we believe that smart naval architecture underpins a yacht’s true value. With Project Sophia, our engineers have improved hull efficiency by 12 per cent," Peter van der Zanden, director of Design & Development and Engineering at Heesen, explained at her launch.
"This is more than a technical metric; it translates directly into lower fuel consumption and a quieter, more enjoyable experience at sea. The result is a highly optimised yacht that reflects our Dutch heritage of building for performance.”
Accommodation is across five cabins, comprising a master suite on the main deck forward and four guest cabins on the lower deck. Cristiano Gatto styled the interiors, with renderings revealing a pared-back, contemporary aesthetic that incorporates dark wood accents, curved furniture and a palette of sage greens, mustard accents and warm bronze.
Exterior highlights include al fresco dining on the bridge deck terrace and sundeck, and a custom elevated aft deck that allows for a lofty tender garage-cum-beach club. There is also a shallow pool housed on the main deck aft, with floating sun loungers looking out onto the horizon.
"The whole superstructure is slightly curved, giving her a more elegant aft end, while the use of wrap-around glass and loose exterior furniture means deck spaces have generous seating, but remain airy, light and well-detailed," Laupman stated previously.
Powered by twin MTU 16V 4000 M65L engines, Project Sophia will have a maximum speed of 23 knots and a transatlantic range of 3,100 nautical miles at 11 knots. Other key specifications include a nine-metre beam and a draught of 2.15 metres.
The news follows the recent christening of the 55-metre Steel superyacht Project Frida, now Pa’lante, which will make her official debut at the 2026 Monaco Yacht Show. Heesen also recently unveiled its largest Steel superyacht to date, the 72.3-metre Project Ananda, which will begin construction in November 2026.
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