Heesen has laid the keel for a new 55-metre Fast Displacement Hull Form steel motor yacht. Yard number 20655 has been code-named Project Venus and is available for delivery in Spring 2025.
Project Venus is the eighth in the 55-metre Steel Series, one of the most successful designs in the Heesen fleet.
The keel-laying took place at Talsma Shipyards, the facility in Friesland to which Heesen Yachts has long contracted its steel fabrication. This allows Heesen’s Oss yard, in line with industry best practice, to focus on its aluminium work without the risk of welding cross-contamination.
Also read: Heesen sells 55-metre steel superyacht Project Serena
Exterior and interior
With bold exterior lines by Frank Laupman of Omega Architects, this yacht stands out on the water for its sturdy yet elegant profile, with a distinctive “shark tooth” motif behind the wheelhouse windows. Venus is the third 55 to benefit from this model’s major restyling.
With an enclosed volume of 760 GT, it is packed with all the latest features and design innovations. It is large enough to offer plenty of outdoor and indoor areas and yet not too big to access small harbours in the Mediterranean.
Luca Dini Design and Architecture worked closely with the shipyard’s engineers to optimise Venus’s layout. Twelve guests can be accommodated in six staterooms. The 82 m2 owner’s apartment is located forward on the main deck. A secluded outdoor seating area offers a private haven for the owners in the open air.
Tier III
Thanks to the steel Fast Displacement Hull Form, Project Venus is not only extremely efficient throughout its speed range, but offers security and comfort in all sea conditions. Two MTU4000 M63 (IMO Tier III) propel it to a maximum speed of 15.5 knots, and provide a transatlantic range of 4500 nautical miles at a cruising speed of 13 knots.
‘We are excited to celebrate this milestone in the construction of YN 20655, Project Venus,’ comments Friso Visser, Heesen’s CCO. ‘Our 55-metre Steel Series is one of the most successful in Heesen’s history. We pioneered the construction of superyachts on speculation in the 2000s with the launch of the 37-metre series. Today, we have mastered the art of building superyachts in series on proven engineering platforms, and offer no fewer than five different designs ranging from 50 to 57 metres. At 55 metres, Venus is among our Crown Jewels.’
Also read: In pictures: Heesen joins hull and superstructure of 50-metre superyacht Oslo24
