OCEA Yachts, a division of the French OCEA Shipbuilding, has released images of its new concept the OCEA Commuter 50. The design is inspired by the “commuter yachts” of the early 20th century; owned by Ney York’s billionaires, the commuter yachts were designed to ferry the ultra-wealthy across the East River to Manhattan.

“The Commuter 50 is true to that heritage, and fits right into OCEA’s family of ocean-going yachts,” starts Fabrice Weinbach, commercial director at OCEA. “It offers a large reception capacity, and can also be fitted out with a whole range of extras.”

The shipyard believes that the project also encapsulates OCEA’s know-how in ship design and construction. “We create boats suitable for long journeys in any and all of the world’s seas,” continues Weinbach. “They all their owners to explore the planet’s most sun-kissed shores as well as its coldest reaches.”

According to the yard, the OCEA’s Commuter 50’s aluminium hull design makes to a low draft and, as a result, it a flexible platform in terms of berthing and anchorages. Furthermore, the design benefit’s from the group’s wider expertise in hybrid propulsion and diesel-electric systems.

“We started installing hybrid technologies in 2014 on vessels designed for scientific research or maritime security purposes. The feedback we’ve received has been very positive,” explains Weinbach. By way of examples, an 84m patrol vessels delivered by OCEA features electric motors powered by on-board generators, working in parallel with the main diesel engines. When used for speeds up to 12 knots, this system allowed for a 30-35 per cent reduction in overall fuel consumption

“Running generators at a constant rate ensures that they remain within their optimal operational range,” continues Weinbach. “This solution is highly competitive in purely operational terms, and also allows owners to reduce their environmental impact by cutting down on CO2 emissions.

The Commuter 50 berths twelve guests, has a spacious upper lounge with full-length windows, an easy boarding lateral boarding system for dinghies with the option of a sun lounge on the forward deck or a totally private sun deck with Jacuzzi. In order to preserve the aesthetic of the design, large dinghies up to 10m and jet skis are stored internally. The option of a helipad on the rear deck is also available.

According to The Superyacht Agency, OCEA Yachts has delivered a total of seven superyacht projects since its first in 2002. However, the French outfit has not delivered a single superyacht since 2016. The new Commuter 50 perhaps signals the yards determination to increase its activity in the superyacht sector.

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