OCEANCO REVEALS BEYOND CUSTOM DESIGN: LILY 

“LILY is a testament to what’s possible when design meets advanced construction and engineering,” says Paris Baloumis, group marketing director at Oceanco. “It represents Oceanco’s drive to deliver a fully realizable yacht for an owner ready to embrace the future. LILY is not just a statement of intent; it’s a yacht ready to be brought to life.”

Designed by Vripack, LILY’s asymmetrically sculpted exterior is inspired by the Water Lily and goes far beyond anything seen on the water before. Its split-level layout and energy architecture enhance the onboard experience while minimizing environmental impact. 

“Oceanco’s Beyond Custom philosophy is about creating yachts that others might deem impossible,” comments Marnix J. Hoekstra, co-creative director of Vripack. “From the start, Oceanco encouraged us to stay true to ourselves and push boundaries. They embraced our bold ideas and found solutions to bring them to life without compromising our vision. The result is LILY – an expression of holistic design that redefines life at sea.”  

LILY pushes the boundaries of yacht architecture with its fully asymmetric design. Overlapping decks – made possible through advanced monocoque construction – create an open-plan, split-level layout that maximizes space and flow throughout the yacht. Coupled with large windows and interior glass, the design creates a dramatic visual impact with extended sight lines and unexpected vantage points. 

The general arrangement has been configured to provide intimate spaces to accommodate multiple groups of families and friends. The large leisure deck serves as the heart of onboard activity, featuring an outdoor pool on the aft deck, as well as a gym, wellness area, watersports gallery, bar and dining space.  

Above, the split-level guest deck offers six guest cabins and an aft lounge with a balcony. The three port and three starboard cabins sit on separate levels, providing accommodation options for different families or groups. The upper deck offers three additional guest cabins, an open-plan cinema and a suspended playroom accessible via a bridge. 

The top deck is dedicated entirely to the owner’s apartment and terrace. This private sanctuary can be accessed via an elevator from the leisure deck and stepping stones across a lily pond, or a staircase from the upper deck. Floor-to-ceiling curved windows – covered in one-way film for privacy – maximize the sweeping views and seamlessly blend indoor and outdoor living. The split-level layout separates the living area above from sleeping quarters below, creating an open yet secluded retreat. 

An oval-shaped opening above the entrance to the owner’s apartment channels fresh air into the yacht. The split-level design facilitates natural airflow, significantly reducing reliance on the HVAC system and improving energy efficiency. 

With accommodation for 33 crew, LILY is designed with operational efficiency in mind. A spacious galley, ample storage and discreet access routes between crew and guest areas ensure seamless operations and enhanced guest experience. 

While the owner’s apartment enjoys the views traditionally reserved for the bridge, a virtual bridge is located on the upper deck. Equipped with the latest navigational technology, it ensures safe and compliant navigation with cameras and screens replacing forward-facing windows. Port and starboard windows and balconies provide the bridge team with a physical connection to the outdoor environment. 

LILY represents an evolution of Oceanco’s and Lateral’s Energy Transition Platform (ETP), developed to ensure yachts can adapt to the evolving demands of the industry while enabling a phased transition to 100% methanol fuel. This approach provides a controlled pathway for adopting new technology, mitigating the risks of early adoption while ensuring the yacht remains future-proof. 

LILY offers fuel flexibility in a future-ready design, giving owners confidence in navigating the uncertainties of fuel availability. The yacht is powered by a combination of methanol-reforming fuel cells and dual-fuel methanol/diesel engines, with dedicated tanks for both fuel types. The fuel cells, chosen for their high efficiency, generate enough power to meet the yacht’s hotel load while operating entirely on green methanol. Meanwhile, the high-power-density dual-fuel engines provide propulsion and charge the onboard battery system, capable of running on diesel, HVO or methanol. 

“With the ability to switch between diesel and methanol, LILY can operate anywhere in the world without concerns over fuel logistics or supply uncertainties,” explains Simon Brealey, chief mechanical engineer at Lateral. “This flexibility also enables reduced emissions when green methanol is available. The yacht’s intelligent tank design and high efficiency allow for a transatlantic range on methanol, HVO or diesel.”

LILY also integrates the ABB Dynafin™, a new propulsion system developed to achieve high propulsive efficiency, directly translating to lower fuel consumption and reduced emissions. The system features a cycloidal propeller with individually controlled blades, whose thrusting trajectories mimic the movement of whale and dolphin tails.  

In addition to high propulsive efficiency, the propulsor can change thrust direction almost instantly, increasing maneuverability. Its low component count and modular structure improve reliability and simplify maintenance. Furthermore, its low rotational speed minimizes cavitation, pressure pulses, noise and vibration, significantly enhancing onboard comfort. Lateral continues to collaborate with ABB in order to optimize Dynafin integration solutions for future designs as ABB Dynafin represents a novel but exciting possibility for dramatically increasing propulsion efficiency and increased comfort. 

Length                                               101m/331ft 

Beam                                                  21m/69ft 

Gross tonnage                                  5600 

Exterior design                                 Vripack 

Naval architecture                           Oceanco & Lateral 

Sustainable technology                   ABB