The Columbus Hybrid Sport Series

Giuseppe Palumbo , General Manager of Palumbo Shipyard in Naples and head of the new Palumbo Superyacht division, and the designer and naval architect Sergio Cutolo agreed to cooperate for the design and construction of the Alubrid (Hybrid Sport) series. Palumbo will build this innovative and technologically advanced new series in Naples, Italy.

The Columbus Sport Hybrid custom series will be the latest to be added to the Columbus fleet. The series will include fast displacement yachts of 25m (82ft) up to 65m (213ft) in aluminum. The aim of the custom series is to provide owners with a fast, sporting yacht which provides comfort and elegance. The sleek aggressive lines are designed to merge with the surrounding environment and the sea. The custom series is environmentally friendly and provides a unique setting for owners who wish to enjoy and preserve the environment.

All the Superyachts in this series were designed with limited weight in order to optimize consumption and performance, with both the hull (semi-displacement) and the superstructure are in aluminum. The hybrid propulsion system consists of an optional diesel electric engine, in order to minimize their impact on the environment with a comfortable cruising range of about 5,000nm depending on the size of the yacht.

The hybrid system that will be used on Columbus 40m (131ft) Sport Hybrid, now under construction and with delivery in September 2013, is made of of two electric engines connected to the gear box. This allows to have electrical navigation for a maximum speed of 7.5kts getting power from generators, and to generate electrical energy while in navigation on the main engines.

The hybrid system can be useful for quiet night navigation, with electrical engines running a lot quieter than diesel. Due to the quick mechanical answer of electric engines they can be very useful during maneuvering in port thus having the main diesel engines turned off. A great feature is the power generation during navigation, this allows to low maintenance costs on diesel generators and fuel consumption, again appealing to the environmentally conscious owner.