Dutch yard ICON Yachts has unveiled the Carla Guilheim interior design of its 50.5-metre Mission M explorer yacht concept for the first time, offering new insight into the project following its debut at the Monaco Yacht Show in 2025.
Measuring 50.5 metres and 499GT, Mission M has been engineered on the yard's ICON 50 technical platform, with exterior design by Weel Sluijter. The result is an Ice Class 1D-certified build that can accommodate commercial-grade, heavy-duty equipment for operations in both tropical and Arctic remote regions.
With safety as a key priority, Mission M has also been designed in accordance with the regulations for yachts over 500GT. She also boasts an uncharacteristically long, 7,000-nautical-mile range.
Typical of explorers, Mission M has an open, 10-metre aft deck equipped with a commercial-grade crane capable of lifting up to 9.6 tons with a 15-metre reach. The design also offers an optional "science configuration", in which the aft deck can hold two six-metre containers, one laboratory module and a separate staff module for up to four scientists, allowing her to become a platform for scientific research and ocean conservation.
Tender and toy capacity
- 1 x 8.5-metre Arksen 85 expedition tender or 1 x 10m ROAM landing craft
- 1 x 5-metre Ribeye Solas RHIB crew tender
- 1 x two-person U-Boat Worx Nemo Submersible or 1 x ICON A5 sea plane
- Optional custom expedition container modules
- Watersports equipment, including Jet Skis, e-foils, SeaBobs and snorkelling gear
The model's unconventional, split-level design is carried over all six decks for an "exceptional sense of space and volume". Inspired by commercial offshore design, she features a 270-degree bridge and a spacious adjacent skylounge, allowing guests to be part of the journey and mission planning.
Accommodation spans four guest cabins on the lower deck and a private owner's deck with its own balcony, with interiors now revealed by Carla Guilhem and shaped by the Japanese philosophy of “seijaku”, centred on inner stillness and balance.
According to the latest release, the interior has been conceived as a calm counterpoint to the yacht’s rugged exterior, with restrained materials, tones and proportions designed to create a sense of sanctuary during extended expeditions.
The design focuses on slowing the onboard rhythm and fostering a connection between guests and their surroundings, with spaces intended to enhance – rather than compete with – the experience of exploration.
A strong dialogue between interior and exterior is central to the concept, balancing the yacht’s purposeful, expedition-led design with a more introspective and serene onboard environment.
As a semi-custom project, Mission M offers owners the choice of personalising the layout and interior. The concept is available for sale with Royal Yacht International.
According to BOATPro, ICON Yachts has four yachts currently on the water, the largest of which is the 67.5-metre Loon.
The Dutch yard celebrated the technical launch of its 70-metre conversion project, Project Master, last year. Originally built by Kleven as the offshore rescue and support ship Ocean Ness, Project Master is undergoing an extensive rebuild to transform her into one of the “world’s most capable explorer yachts."
Read More/Icon Yachts’ 70m Project Master takes shape as explorer conversion hits construction milestone