Palumbo & Hot Labs Scoop 3 Golden Neptunes

Palumbo and Hot Labs have had an amazing 2014 Showboats Design Awards ceremony, where they were awarded not one but three of the prestigious Golden Neptune awards in the following categories:

• Interior Design Award - Semi Displacement Motor Yacht 

The judges expressed a strong preference for clean, functional lines among the entries in this category. Although the Columbus Sport Hybrid 40m was one of the smaller entries, the repetition of strong horizontal lines on floors, walls and overheads created the illusion of greater interior length. The simplicity of the colour scheme and details such as window treatments and furniture shapes seemed perfectly in keeping with the brief for a sport yacht that must balance appeal and innovation with function and practicality at sea.

• Holistic Design Award - Motor Yachts

This award debuted last year to reward those designers who optimised a singular design theme. This year, there were awards for both the motor yacht and the sailing yacht considered to have the finest example of the perfect combination of interior and exterior design. For the motor yachts category, it was a quick decision as the judges felt the entire team involved with this project were firmly on the same page. Not only does the profile and naval architecture support the builder's request for a "greener" sport megayacht, but the design and the sourcing of lightweight, environmentally sustainable interior materials follows the plan. The contemporary nature of both the interior and exterior signals that this model and its approach are something new, even before delving into the mechanics of her hybrid propulsion.

• Environmental Protection Award

The Environmental Protection Award is sponsored by RINA, the first classification society to encourage designers and yacht owners to minimise emissions of all types from their yachts. The award is open to all yachts over 30m delivered in the qualifying year with the winner decided by RINA. From the finalists, the jury chose the Columbus Sport Hybrid 40m. They noted this semi-displacement all aluminium motor yacht really raises the bar of clean yacht design. The hybrid propulsion, coupled with the aerodynamic lightweight hull, enables the yacht to run on generators at low speeds ensuring low environmental impact.

40S Hybrid

40S made her debut earlier this year at the Monaco Yacht Show and now she is on the market for sale. The S "Sport" in her name indicates the high performance of this superyacht. She is equipped with two diesel engines which will give a top speed of 23kts, with the ability to easily cruise at 18-20kts.

For those of you who didn't know she is also a "Hybrid" because of her green attitude and ability. She is able to offer a completely new way of yachting, more conscious and respectful in caring of the environment.

She is able to accommodate ten guests in five staterooms with the owner's suite and study located forward on the main deck, and she also accommodates seven crew members.

With plenty of deck spaces, various sunning and dining arrangements and zero speed stabilizers, the unique 40m (131ft) is RINA classed, LY2, Green Plus, Hybrid Propulsion and AUT CCS compliant. She is currently at Monaco's Port Hercule for showings, so if you are in the area be sure to head down an have a look at this beauty.

Palumbo Launch: 40m Columbus Sport Hybrid

During the weekend on Saturday the 31st of August the Palumbo shipyard in Naples launched the highly anticipated 40m (131ft) Columbus Sport Hybrid. She was launched with the use of two cranes; one 700tn telescopic crane and another 550tn boom crane, you can only imagine the skill and accuracy need in controlling the two cranes simultaneously.

Columbus Yachts are well known for their respect for the marine environment and the 40m Columbus Sport Hybrid is no exception with its use of an environmentally friendly hybrid system.

She will comply with the latest IMO MARPOL regulations and will be equipped with a bilge water separator even if its not requested by the class. The most environmentally friendly system is the hybrid system itself. This will allow the yacht to have a slow navigation with the main engines turned off and just two generators running. The generators have a low impact on the environment due to the fact that their engines run at a fixed rpm thus reducing the carbon emissions. The hybrid system consists 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 the two generators. The hybrid system can be useful for quiet night navigation due to the electrical engines being very silent.

The owner of the yacht teamed up with Italian design studio Hot Labs Design for the yachts interior to match her smooth sexy exterior lines that come together to create a master piece of innovation and style. The yachts interior shows a combination of warm materials with soft colors to avoid any strong contrast.

She will make her debut at the up coming Monaco Yacht Show this month.

Columbus Yachts Start Construction on 65m

Columbus Yachts have just announced the construction of a new 65m (213ft) classic superyacht, their third in the custom classic series. The keel was laid yesterday the 20th of February at the Palumbo yard in Naples during a low key and simple ceremony.

She will be the largest yacht currently under construction at the yard and the design along with the naval architecture was was orchestrated by Sergio Cutolo from Hydro Tec. She will be built in steel and aluminium and will be powered by twin engines that will bring her to a maximum speed of 16.5kts.

The accommodation will include four guest suites, a VIP suite and a rear facing owners suite on the upper deck featuring private outdoor spaces. A team of 18 crew will help keep her in tip top condition for the owners and guests.

She will have elegant and streamlined exterior lines that will combine with her spacious interior to form the perfect superyacht for her owner. Her exceptional deck space will include an oversized jacuzzi and a bridge deck which can double up as a helipad. She will also feature a spa, a cinema, a beach club and a guest elevator that will service all decks.

Her delivery is scheduled for 2015.

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.

Palumbo Shipyard's Refit Division

The Palumbo Shipyard in Naples is developing a stronghold in the Superyacht refit business, and has also created a new Division.

The yard, that has established its brand Columbus Yachts on the international Superyacht Market, is now extending its capabilities also in the refit business in order to offer even wider services to the owners and also to supply a support to Palumbo Malta Superyacht.

In a just few months, several superyachts chose the Palumbo yard in Naples for their refit.
The yard has been operating since 1967 and has seen in the last few years a great expansion in Italy and in Malta refit market. The other yard owned by Palumbo, the yard in Malta, is one of the biggest Superyacht refit yard in the Mediterranean. Some of the Superyachts that have used the yard facilities for their refit can be seen in the slideshow below.

Palumbo Launch 30m Tug 'Vervece'

Last week in Naples, the Palumbo Shipyard launched 'Vervece' a beautifully designed 30m (98ft) tug boat. The owner contacted the Palumbo yard to perform the conversion of this 1960s tug into a luxury exploring yacht. The conversion consisted of replacing the old hull plates and installing a totally new superstructure that blends perfectly with the tugs hull lines, this makes Vervece an 80% new build. Also all of her systems were overhauled and renewed.

She has a beam of 7.70m (25ft) and 2 Cummins engines with a power of 746Kw at 1,800rpm that bring her to a cruising speed of 12kts with a range of 3,000nm. She is now charter classed and MCA compliant.

Palumbo's 54m 'Prima' Receives Judges Commendation

Mega Yacht Global would like to congratulate the 54m (177ft) Superyacht Prima, built by Palumbo Shipyard and launched last June in Naples, which received the Commendation of the Jury at World Superyacht Awards 2012, that was held Istanbul on Saturday the 5th of May.

Prima was recognized as one of the best eleven luxury Motor Yachts in the world. Prima is in the class of displacement motor yacht of 500gt to 1,299gt. She was the first megayacht built by the Neapolitan Shipyard headed by Antonio Palumbo. The award was presented to Giuseppe Palumbo, General Manager of the Naples Shipyard and head of yacht division of the Palumbo Group, together with his staff and with his brother Raffaele, responsible for Messina and Malta Shipyards.

'These prestigious awards make us particularly proud, Giuseppe Palumbo says, because our first megayacht has revealed since the beginning the quality of our project and of our work, made in the Port of Naples where we have set up our megayacht building division involving also our Shipyard in Messina with which we are sharing our know how, with the intention to create an excellence network of Shipyards in the heart of the Mediterranean. The creation of the Superyacht division – the Neapolitan General Manager says – is our reply to the deep crisis of the ship repair sector, sector in which we strongly believe and in which we are still investing'

Prima was built according the Rules of ABS Classification Society and in compliance with the strict rules of MCA and has also obtained the Rina Green Star Plus. The Rina Green Star Plus class is based on the environmental performance which covers all aspects of the yachts impact on the environment, most importantly carbon emissions.

The Shipyard currently have 3 orders for a 40m, a 55m and a 59m who are for Russian and Arab clients. The first yacht is in an advanced stage and will be ready for delivery in June 2013.

The Columbus Sport 130' Hybrid

Following the great success of Prima 177ft (53.9m) at the Monaco Yacht Show last year, Palumbo singed a contract from Columbus Yachts for the construction of a 40m yacht, the Columbus Sport 130' Hybrid. The shipyard is also building another 60m yacht, the Columbus Classic 200'.

The Palumbo Shipyard is well known for their respect for the marine environment and the Columbus Sport 130 Hybrid is no exception with its use of an environmentally friendly hybrid system. She sports smooth sexy lines that come together to create a master piece of innovation and style.

She will comply with the latest IMO MARPOL regulations and will be equipped with a bilge water separator even if its not requested by the class. The most environmentally friendly system is the hybrid system itself. This will allow the yacht to have a slow navigation with the main engines turned off and just two generators running. The generators have a low impact on the environment due to the fact that their engines run at a fixed rpm thus reducing the carbon emissions. The hybrid system consists 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 the two generators. The hybrid system can be useful for quiet night navigation due to the electrical engines being very silent.

The windows of the main saloon are particularly large allowing the owner and guests feel closer to the outside elements. Some of the yachts special design features are the large beach club at the stern and a spectacular flybridge with great independence and modern styling. The shipyard and the owner reached a solution to create a yacht that would remain a yacht allowing the owner and crew to feel the real sensation of the sea and it beauty.

The owner of the yacht teamed up with Italian design studio Hot Labs Design for the yachts interior. The yachts interior shows a combination of warm materials with soft colors to avoid any strong contrast. Marbles such as Breccia Sarda and Emperador Dark will be matched together with teak, Sicomoro wood and grey durmast. Leather, polished stainless and precious fabrics will complete the ambiance on board. She will be able to accommodate up to 8 guests in 3 guest cabins and an owners suite.