Built around a highly involved owner brief, the project saw CRN handle engineering, naval architecture development and construction. Dutch studio Vripack Yacht Design was responsible for the exterior styling, preliminary naval architecture and general arrangement, while Nauta developed the interiors and exterior guest areas. Y.CO represented the owner and managed the project throughout construction.
Cerulean Emerges From Project Thunderball
Cerulean began construction under the name Project Thunderball, with her keel laid in March 2023. Her steel hull was transported by barge to CRN's Ancona facility in May 2024 before work continued on machinery, systems, interiors and exterior finishing. She entered the water on June 4, 2026, ahead of a summer program of completion work and sea trials.
The finished yacht retains one of the project's defining ideas: the long, low proportions of a sailing yacht translated into a 70m motor yacht. Vripack gave Cerulean an elongated bow, sweeping sheer and gently curved hull surfaces, backed by a navy-blue steel hull and white aluminum superstructure.
Her owner's background and interest in sailing also influenced how the yacht was expected to be used. Earlier project information described the brief as suited to extended cruising while also allowing Cerulean to operate in support of sailing regattas.
Why Cerulean Was Built Without a Bulbous Bow
Cerulean's naval architecture contains one of the more unusual aspects of the project. Extensive tank testing during development led Vripack and CRN to omit the bulbous bow normally associated with large displacement yachts. Testing indicated that the underlying hull form already produced sufficiently low resistance and that adding a bulb could instead increase drag. The resulting underwater profile uses a sharp bow entry and curved bilges, developed with efficiency and seaworthiness in mind.
That engineering sits beneath an exterior deliberately shaped around traditional maritime proportions rather than an overtly contemporary superyacht silhouette. Window positions and exterior geometry were also developed in relation to the interior arrangement, maintaining clear visual links between the yacht's enclosed and open-air spaces.
A substantial stern swim platform provides direct access to the water and was enlarged during development at the owner's request. The uppermost level also incorporates a glass-enclosed winter garden, creating a protected observation and living area with wide views outside.
Nauta Shapes Interiors Around Long-Range Cruising
Nauta's interior concept takes its cues from traditional maritime design, treated in a more contemporary manner for long periods on board.
Materials, proportions and technical details were selected around the owner's requirements, with the wider arrangement focused on comfortable circulation between interior rooms and exterior guest spaces. Public information remains relatively limited on the individual saloons and suites, but the accommodation layout provides six guest cabins in total, including the owner's suite and five VIP cabins.
Cerulean can carry 12 guests, while nine crew cabins provide accommodation for up to 15 crew members. Her gross tonnage of 1,100GT gives the yacht considerable space within her 70m length.
Cerulean Uses Energy Storage to Reduce Generator Demand
Efficiency was also addressed through Cerulean's onboard electrical architecture. An Energy Storage System manages energy flows according to operating requirements and provides peak-shaving capability, reducing periods of high generator demand.
Cerulean is a fully custom construction, a unique and distinctive superyacht infused with the unmistakable essence of her owner."
The battery-based system can also support silent operation while the yacht is at anchor, limiting the need to keep conventional generators running continuously. CRN says the arrangement is intended to reduce fuel consumption, although capacity and fuel-saving figures have not been disclosed.
According to YachtBuyer MarketWatch, the largest yacht database in the world, CRN currently has 5 yachts either in build or on order, including the 68m Project Poe due for delivery in 2027.
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