AMELS Sells First 69m Support Yacht With Heli-Hangar

The new SEA AXE 6911 is the first in the Yacht Support range to feature a highly technical area for unparalleled superyacht helicopter operations – a fully enclosed hangar beneath the vessel's LY3 / MCA fully certified helideck.

The new build vessel is under construction at Damen Shipyards Gorinchem in the Netherlands and scheduled for delivery in June 2016 – the fifth purpose-built Yacht Support vessel to be delivered since DAMEN and AMELS introduced the revolutionary new concept to the superyacht market in 2009.

Heading the dedicated Yacht Support team at DAMEN, Product Director Mark Vermeulen says the new project builds on experience gained from previous deliveries ‘6711’ and GARÇON, as well as input from the client.

“In fact, the owner’s team came to us with a lot of client-specific customisations for what was then our 67-metre platform,” he explains. “They put a lot of thought into how the owner would like to operate the Yacht Support vessel in combination with the mother yacht. This has created new possibilities within the design, resulting in an extremely high-end yachting experience. Now we’ve put a lot of that client feedback into the updated design – the SEA AXE 6911.”

As well as the helicopter hangar, the extended 69-metre platform also includes a dedicated helicopter workshop below deck, a well-equipped dive centre, plus 250 square metres of deck space for tenders and toys, and 110 square metres of below deck storage. At approximately 1,200 gross tonnes, the vessel is also large enough to accommodate 22 crew and staff while sailing at 20 knots.