[Update] Bill Gates’ Latest Indulgence Is A ‘Green’ Superyacht With Zero Emissions

• UPDATE: This article is under review. Sinot Yacht Design & Architecture, the company behind the yacht, has released a statement which denies any involvement of Bill Gates. Please scroll down to see the update.

---

World’s second richest man and cofounder of Microsoft, Bill Gates has just ordered himself a fancy new ride — a “futuristic” yacht, Aqua ship — with a $644 Mn (INR 4,600 Cr) price tag. The superyacht has all possible luxuries features including infinity pool, helipad, spa and gym, among others. But all these features are not even the real reason behind the hefty price of the Aqua ship. The yacht is the first-ever yacht to be powered by liquid hydrogen and fuel cell technology power system.

This technology turns liquified hydrogen into electricity and distributes it all across the ship for propulsion systems and hotel services. Moreover, an inbuilt power management system also stores the power in large batteries, ensuring that there is always enough battery to meet the yacht’s hefty requirements.

The first of its kind yacht has only one emission — water. The Aqua ship was displayed by a Dutch design firm Sinot Yacht Design & Architecture at the Monaco yacht show in December 2019.

Marine designer Sander Sinot, at the showcasing, said, “For the development of Aqua we took inspiration from the lifestyle of a discerning, forward-looking owner, the fluid versatility of water and cutting-edge technology, to combine this in a superyacht with truly innovative features.”

“Our challenge was to implement fully operational liquid hydrogen and fuel cells in a true superyacht that is not only groundbreaking in technology but also in design and esthetics,” Sinot also added.

What Makes The Superyacht Special?

The 112-metre long liquid hydrogen-powered superyacht can accommodate up to 14 guests and 31 crew members. Aqua also has its own hydro-massage room, yoga space and an expansive workout area at the water level, allowing guests to have rejuvenating sessions.

Besides five decks, the yacht also has a grand staircase and a central waterfall. Moreover, there is no need to burn wood or coals to keep guests warm, Aqua yacht has an inbuilt gel-fuelled fire bowls that allows guests to stay warm even outside.

According to the Sunday Telegraph, the superyacht may not make it to the sea before 2024. But when it does it will have the potential to sail at 20 miles per hour. Moreover, the yacht will be able to sail for 3,750 miles without refuelling, this amounts to travelling from London to New York.

UPDATE: February 11, 2020 | 09:30 AM

Late on February 10, Sinot Yacht Architecture & Design released a statement saying that its yacht is not linked to Bill Gates in any form or matter. It also said it had not sold the concept to Gates and has no business relationship with him.