HEESEN MARKS KEEL LAYING OF PROJECT KANSEI, ANNIVERSARY EDITION

• Steel Hull, LOA 56m, beam 9.6m, draft 2.7m
• Main engines 2 x MTU 8V 4000 M63 delivering a top speed of 15.5 knots
• Transatlantic Range of 4,500 nm at 12 knots
• Internal volume: approx. 760 GT, 12 guests in 6 staterooms
• Exterior design Omega Architects, Interior Design Luca Dini Design & Architecture

Earlier in July, Heesen celebrated the keel laying of Project Kansei at Talsma, the shipyard’s preferred partner for steel hull fabrication in the northern Netherlands. In the presence of a Lloyd’s Register surveyor, Heesen CEO Jeroen van der Meer performed the celebratory welding, placing a 1978 coin in the keel to honour the shipyard’s founding year. The milestone formally initiates the construction of the anniversary edition, with the yacht scheduled for launch in October 2028 to coincide with Heesen’s 50th jubilee, followed by delivery in the first quarter of 2029.

“Project Kansei serves as a bridge between the solid past of our shipyard and the new philosophical direction we embrace,” notes Jeroen van der Meer.

The name Kansei is derived from the Japanese concept of anticipating emotional needs and designing for human sensibility, reflecting Heesen’s guiding pillars: Human, Health, and Happiness. A Heesen yacht operates as a private world shaped around the owner’s rhythm, with every aspect engineered to deliver a safe, reliable platform for experiencing life at sea. The objective is to provide an environment built around wellbeing, ensuring time on board leaves owners feeling renewed.

To realise the vision, Luca Dini Design and Architecture collaborated with Heesen’s leadership team. The interior reflects the Kansei philosophy through progressive spatial planning and tactile materials. A serene atmosphere permeates the yacht, defined by backlit rice paper, raffia ceilings, and calming spaces that are both open and protected. The layout challenges traditional superyacht conventions. The main deck aft houses a dedicated gym and an uncluttered yoga floor flowing seamlessly into a terrace with a juice bar. Below, the lower deck wellness area functions as a unified experience room. The zone features flush floors, generous skylights, a sauna, a hammam, and an emotional shower parcours integrating snow, mist, and water. Social areas are equally considered, from the bridge deck formal dining space with an indoor bar to the sundeck, which features a live cooking station and an advanced AV/IT system offering customisable entertainment options. Heesen Interiors, the shipyard’s luxury carpentry factory in Winterswijk, will execute the design to exact Northern European standards.

Project Kansei represents the culmination of learning from the previous 55-metre series, building upon a proven steel platform enhanced by continuous operational feedback. Drawing on insights from owners, captains and chief engineers across the fleet, the design incorporates practical enhancements, including a one-metre extension of the swim platform to maximise space at the water’s edge, and includes a transformer for easy access to the water. By combining real-world data with the expertise of those who operate our yachts, Heesen continues to enhance performance, usability and reliability.

Clients joining the project at the current early stage have a unique opportunity to customise the interior and leave a personal mark on the yacht. The proposition combines a shortened delivery timeframe with robust, proven engineering, resulting in a highly capable custom superyacht that allows owners to focus entirely on life on board.