Launching the world's first "eco-friendly" luxury yacht

Reports indicate that the world's first luxury yacht powered by hydrogen fuel cells has officially been put up for sale.

The yacht, called Project 821, is 119 meters long and is designed to run on “green” hydrogen.

Dutch shipbuilding company Feadship said that the launch of the yacht worth approximately $646 million at the Amsterdam shipyard marks an important change in the world of yachting “forever.”

The luxury yacht took more than 5 years to build, from design to completion, with no custom add-ons yet for the final buyer.

“The goal was to develop new, clean technology not just for this project, but for the world,” said Jan-Bart Verkuil, Director and CEO of Feadship.

The company added that the size of the yacht made it a good candidate to explore the feasibility of a pure green fuel cell system powered by hydrogen.

Feadship said the yacht's liquid hydrogen fuel requires about 8 to 10 times more storage space than conventional diesel fuel, to obtain an equivalent amount of energy.

The yacht consists of 5 decks above the waterline and two below sea level. It has 14 balconies, 7 folding decks, a swimming pool, a jacuzzi, 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a home gym, and 2 offices, each with a fireplace.

British studio RWD is said to have been responsible for crafting the exterior and interior decor of Project 821.

In 2020, rumors leaked that Bill Gates commissioned Feadship and design firm Sinot Yacht Architecture & Design to build this eco-friendly, hydrogen-powered yacht, but details confirming the Gates deal have remained elusive. Sinot also denied any official agreement with Gates for the luxury yacht project .

This month, news broke on financial news site Benzinga that Gates intends to sell his ownership of a little-known luxury yacht, in addition to his $25 million yacht, the Wayfinder.

A Feadship spokesperson confirmed that he would not reveal who originally operated the eco-friendly megayacht, nor the identity of the potential buyer.