Motor yachtCayman Islands flagIMO 9899650

Breakthrough

Last known position: La Ciotat, on October 27, 2026 at 10:33 UTC.

43.17110°N, 5.61030°E Destination Fr Lct

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Length119 m

Beam19.0 m

Draught5.0 m

FlagCayman Islands

Scale: 20 mIndicative profile

This is Breakthrough

The world's first hydrogen-powered superyacht, Breakthrough marks a technological turning point for Feadship, pairing pioneering engineering with residential elegance.

History

Built by Dutch shipyard Feadship under hull number 821, Breakthrough was launched on 4 May 2024 in Amsterdam and delivered in May 2025. Her development, shrouded in secrecy for years, generated considerable anticipation across the yachting world. At her launch, she became the largest motor yacht ever built in the Netherlands, surpassing Feadship's previous flagship, Launchpad, by roughly thirty per cent in interior volume. This achievement drew on lessons learned during Launchpad's construction, applied to refine the new project's technological integration. Breakthrough also became the first superyacht in the world to receive liquid hydrogen bunkering, an operation carried out in the Port of Amsterdam.

Technique

Breakthrough is built around a pioneering zero-diesel philosophy, designed to cruise between harbours and anchorages on green hydrogen power. The yacht carries sixteen PowerCell hydrogen fuel-cell systems capable of producing three megawatts of clean power, with water vapour as the only emission. This system allows an entire week of silent operation at anchor, or propulsion at ten knots through protected marine zones without any fossil fuel use. When hydrogen is unavailable, the fuel cells can also run on methanol, offering added operational flexibility. Storing liquid hydrogen at minus 253 degrees Celsius required custom double-walled cryogenic tanks, an engineering feat that added several metres to the yacht's overall length. Propulsion is delivered by two 3,200-kilowatt ABB azimuthing pods, eliminating conventional shaft lines and rudders for remarkably quiet running. Feadship and studio RWD worked alongside classification society Lloyd's Register to establish new safety standards for this unprecedented technology.

Design

Naval architecture was developed by De Voogt Naval Architects, Feadship's long-standing design and engineering office, while exterior and interior design were entrusted to British studio RWD. Spread across five decks, the yacht's profile features more hull openings than any Feadship built before her: fourteen balconies slide silently from flush hull sides, complemented by seven fold-down platforms and nine large shell doors. Once deployed, the balcony floors align perfectly with interior deck levels, with no perceptible vibration. This pursuit of openness to the sea shaped the placement of floor-to-ceiling windows and side platforms, conceived as a natural extension of the interior rather than an afterthought.

Interiors

The interior spaces, envisioned as a discreet four-level townhouse by the sea, draw on a coastal-inspired palette of light tones. RWD favoured light oak, pale marble and eucalyptus-toned woods, layered with more than a hundred shades of white and off-white fabrics and leathers, accented with travertine. A central atrium, featuring a glass lift and a sweeping spiral staircase, forms the yacht's dramatic vertical centrepiece. Guests can enjoy a semi-submerged Neptune lounge, a cinema, a library, medical facilities and an 8.2-metre glass-bottomed infinity pool with contraflow current. The yacht accommodates up to thirty guests across fifteen staterooms, supported by a crew of up to forty-six.