Heesen Yachts has just unveiled Project Ananda, its largest steel superyacht to date at 72.3 metres, and the first major project to emerge under the yard's new ownership following last year's acquisition by Laurens Last. Developed in collaboration with Sinot Yacht Architecture and Design, and with construction set to begin in November 2026, Ananda is scheduled for delivery in 2030.
The name says something about the intention. Ananda means inner joy in Sanskrit, a deliberate choice that signals what the yard wants the onboard experience to feel like. The design brief followed accordingly.
A milestone for Heesen's Steel Series
Heesen built its reputation on fast aluminium yachts, but the Steel Series has been steadily growing in ambition. Project Ananda is the largest expression of that series to date, joining a programme that also includes the recently christened 55-metre Pa'lante and the forthcoming 57-metre Project Setteesettanta.
The choice of steel for the hull brings significant advantages for a yacht of this size and intent: greater structural strength, a more robust platform for long-range cruising, and the ability to accommodate the kind of volume and amenity package that Ananda delivers. The superstructure remains aluminium to keep weight in check.
What makes Ananda notable is that it is being offered on Heesen's Smart Custom platform, meaning the basic architecture is fixed, but the layout, interior specification, and key design choices remain open to the future owner. Construction begins this November, making this a rare opportunity to step into a proven programme with personalisation still on the table.
design & exterior
Sinot Yacht Architecture and Design, the studio behind some of the most thoughtfully resolved superyachts of the past decade, has brought a notably softer design language to Project Ananda compared to earlier Heesen profiles. The lines are more organic, the transitions more fluid. The result feels considered rather than assertive.
The exterior deck arrangement is structured around privacy and flow. Five decks are organised so that guests can move through the yacht without crossing paths with crew or other guests unless they choose to. A midships shell door opens directly onto a docking platform at water level, and a central glass lift connects the decks above, a detail that sounds small but makes a meaningful difference to daily life on board for guests of all ages.
One of the more striking exterior choices is the pool deck, which is entirely flush and free from visible mooring equipment. The travertine-clad pool connects directly to a Teppanyaki-style bar in the main lounge, with flooring that extends from inside to outside, blurring the line between the two in a way that works particularly well in warm-weather anchorages.
Interior and guest experience
All interior spaces, approximately 1,750 GT of them, will be created in-house at Heesen Interiors in Winterswijk. This matters: it means the quality control, the material selection, and the construction process sit within one organisation rather than being parcelled out to third parties.
The owner's arrangements deserve particular attention. Project Ananda offers two configurable options for the owner's deck: a forward-facing private deck with panoramic views ahead, or an aft-focused deck experience. The foredeck master suite functions as a standalone apartment, private office, panoramic outlook, hotel-style separation from the rest of the yacht. A second master suite on the bridge deck offers comparable scale and privacy, which makes the yacht well suited to charter or multi-generational family use.
The wellness offering is exceptional for a yacht of this size. The midship spa and beach club on the lower deck spans nearly 100 square metres and was developed in collaboration with Heesen's Human Health Engineering department. The list of facilities is comprehensive:
• Sauna and steam room
• Ice bath and snow shower
• Hyperbaric chamber
• Massage and medical treatment room
• Bar
This level of wellness infrastructure is more commonly found on yachts 20 to 30 metres longer. Its inclusion at 72 metres reflects a clear understanding of what owners in this segment are currently prioritising.
Propulsion and performance
Project Ananda is fitted with a hybrid propulsion system: twin MTU IMO Tier III engines paired with PTI/PTO gearboxes that enable silent electric cruising for up to four hours. This is increasingly standard on new builds of this calibre, and rightly so, the ability to arrive in a bay under silent propulsion, or to spend a night at anchor without engine noise, changes the quality of the experience meaningfully.
Performance figures are solid for a displacement yacht of this size: a maximum speed of 16 knots and a range of 5,000 nautical miles at 12 knots. That range opens up itineraries beyond the Mediterranean and Caribbean, the Atlantic crossing, the Norwegian fjords, the Indian Ocean, without requiring refuelling stops that interrupt the journey.
key specifications
Builder: Heesen Yachts, Netherlands
Naval architecture: Heesen Yachts
Exterior and interior design: Sinot Yacht Architecture and Design
Length: 72.3 metres
Beam: 13.1 metres
Maximum draught: 3.4 metres
Gross tonnage: 1,750 GT
Hull: Steel
Superstructure: Aluminium
Propulsion: Hybrid — twin MTU IMO Tier III + PTI/PTO gearboxes
Maximum speed: 16 knots
Range: 5,000 nm at 12 knots
Guests: 12 in 6 staterooms
Crew: 17
Construction start: November 2026
Delivery: 2030
our view
Project Ananda sits in a segment, the 70 to 75 metre steel displacement motor yacht, that has historically been underserved by the speculative new build market. Most yachts of this quality at this size are built fully custom for a named owner. Heesen's Smart Custom approach changes that equation: it brings the quality and engineering of a custom programme to a buyer who wants a defined delivery timeline and the ability to put their mark on the yacht without starting from a blank page.
The wellness package, the dual owner's suite options, and the silent cruising capability position Ananda well for the current buyer profile in this size range, owners who use their yacht intensively, entertain family and guests, and care about the quality of life on board as much as the name above the door.
Construction begins this November. If this project is of interest, the window to influence the specification is now.
asking price
€159,900,000 (€91k/GT).
