Cleaner cruising: The world's most eco-focused superyachts

Once cloaked in secrecy as Project 821, the 118.8-metre Feadship Breakthrough made headlines as the world’s first fuel-cell-powered superyacht. Delivered in 2025, the groundbreaking yacht represents a project five years in the making, focused on a 3.2mW fuel-cell system running on cryogenic liquid hydrogen stored at -253°C. It provides electricity for hotel loads and emissions-free coastal cruising, producing only water as a by-product.

In June 2025, Breakthrough became the first superyacht to receive a liquid hydrogen supply in the Netherlands. Her hybrid setup allows switching between fuel cells and conventional diesel-electric power. While the system isn’t yet designed for transoceanic passage, it reduces her hotel load emissions, which, according to the Yacht Environmental Transparency Index (YETI), accounts for 70-78 per cent of annual energy use.

A notable step in Lürssen's movement toward more eco-conscious solutions is the 114.2-metre Nausicaä, previously known as Project Cosmos. The unusual explorer-style superyacht, penned by Marc Newson, combines advanced technological features with bold aesthetics, including the signature use of glazing.

Powered primarily by conventional diesel engines, the yacht also features two 500kW methanol fuel cells from Freudenberg, offering emission-reduced operations over long-range cruising. At a steady seven knots, she is expected to cover up to 1,000 nautical miles using the fuel-cell system. After much anticipation, she is due to splash in 2026.

Energy is saved at every turn on board the 106.7-metre Oceanco sailing superyacht Black Pearl, from the HVAC system to her advanced DynaRig sails, which harness the eco-friendly natural resource of wind. The commitment to the mission started by her late owner, when delivered in 2018, was to cross oceans and leave the smallest possible footprint, which is still going strong thanks to her dedicated crew. The yacht features controllable-pitch propellers that feed power back into the ship via a pair of shaft generators, providing sufficient power to support the yacht's hotel load.

Having joined the charter market for the first time in late 2024, she offers guests a unique “Eco Mode” option in which the boat waives fuel costs for those who agree to sail mostly and, when engine power is necessary, uses only the electric motors at a maximum speed of 11 knots.

Rossinavi's 42.8-metre Seawolf X introduces a rethink of more eco-conscious performance, underpinned by its all-aluminium twin-hull platform, which delivers an estimated 75 per cent reduction in fuel consumption compared to a conventional monohull.

Theoretically, the yacht is capable of completing a 20-day transatlantic crossing while burning just 20,000 litres of fuel, which would put her among the top of her class in terms of efficiency. The yard also slashed a traditional stabilisation system, given that the hulls were already stable, resulting in an estimated 360kW per day in energy savings. Thanks to the expansive space, she also has around 150 square metres of solar panels to support onboard systems, and a dedicated space for large battery banks. The eco-credentials extend inside, with Meyer Davis responsible for delivering a brief that incorporated recycled and locally produced materials.

One of the first yachts to qualify for the International Maritime Organisation’s Tier III emissions regulations, Nobiskrug's 80-metre Artefact was delivered in 2020 and features solar panels and a wastewater recycling system, as well as a large battery storage system, which means the yacht can, at times, operate completely independently of internal combustion engines.

Although Artefact is a sizeable yacht with a volume of 2,999 GT, the yacht is incredibly silent, extensively soundproofed and equipped with custom six-bladed propellers that minimise noise pollution and vibrations at sea. Part of what contributes to the yacht's quiet cruising is its hybrid diesel-electric system that integrates lithium batteries, which the manufacturer, ABB, said saves 30 per cent of energy and emissions.

When harnessing nature’s power, sailing yachts are typically more eco-conscious than their motor yacht counterparts, but Southern Wind took it a step further with 29.3-metre Nyumba GT. The yacht represents the South African shipyard’s first 96 model to employ a hybrid propulsion system, and the first sub-30-metre sailing yacht to implement a high-voltage energy storage and hybrid system.

Designed by Nauta Design with naval architecture by Farr Yacht Design, the performance cruiser was delivered in 2023 and has since set the benchmark for greener credentials in this size category. Her setup reduces reliance on fossil fuels and overall enhances efficiency, covering the needs of hotel loads with power generated under sail.

The 76.6-metre Piriou explorer yacht Yersin, which has been classified as a Bureau Veritas Clean Ship and boasts a 15,000-nautical-mile cruising range, was designed by Pierre-Jacques Kubis for private discovery voyages and has also been chartered for scientific expeditions led by the Monaco Exploration Society. The yacht was constructed from 95 per cent recyclable materials, including recyclable resin decks that substituted wood for a more sustainable alternative.

To minimise its impact, Yersin’s ice-classed hull has been coated with a non-biocide silicon antifouling layer, while the yacht's dynamic positioning minimises the impact of the anchor when dropped. Additionally, Yersin is equipped with filters on all engines that reduce NOx and SOx emissions by 99.8 per cent and retain 99.8 per cent of soot particles.

Project Secret, currently under construction and slated for launch in 2026 with Tankoa Yachts, is shaping up to be a frontrunner in reducing fuel consumption. Equipped with a hybrid propulsion system, she is set to achieve a 12-knot cruising speed while reducing fuel consumption by up to 59 per cent. Designed by Philippe Briand and featuring naval architecture by Vitruvius Yachts, her streamlined hull also enhances efficiency.

The technology is said to enable the yacht to operate in a full-hotel model for 8.5 hours, reducing her environmental impact. The onboard environment is also a priority, with Dutch noise and vibration specialist Wilem Van Cappellen enlisted to deliver a silent experience. The yacht is currently for sale with Edmiston.

Launched in 2024 as Almax, now named Contigo, Sanlorenzo’s first 50Steel model marked a decisive step toward alternative fuels. Designed by Zuccon International Project, the yacht’s standout feature is its fuel-cell system, which can convert biomethanol into electrical power up to 100 kW, enabling her to remain at anchor emission-free.

The Italian yard estimates this system covers up to 90 per cent of typical superyacht usage. Innovation also goes a step further with the Hidden Engine Room (HER) design, which conceals the engine space on the lower deck, freeing the aft for an "Ocean Lounge" beach club. The success of Contigo has paved the way for the second model in the 50Steel range, which was launched in early 2026.

Following the success of sistership Home, which was said to be 48 per cent more efficient than comparable yachts at delivery in 2017, 49.8-metre Orion continues Heesen’s commitment to improved, greener credentials.

From the drawing boards of Omega Architects, Orion combines the yard’s Fast Displacement Hull Form (FDHF) – courtesy of Van Oossanen Naval Architects – with a hybrid propulsion system, enabling silent cruising at 10 knots while reducing fuel consumption and emissions. At 12 knots, she burns 98 litres per hour (excluding hotel loads), dropping to just 45 litres per hour in hybrid mode. For eco-conscious guests looking for more efficient and quieter options, the motor yacht joined the charter fleet in early 2026.