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Australian custom superyacht builder Echo Yachts has unveiled its new adventure support yacht, named 'Project Echo', designed in collaboration with Bannenberg & Rowell Design, Triton Luxury Submersibles and Incat Crowther.

With a strong focus on both form and function, plus its 50-metre catamaran hull form, the 495-gross-tonne (gt) Project Echo is designed on a heavy seas offshore catamaran platform, and is said to provide "exceptional fuel efficiency", improved cargo space and stability, plus optimal long-range safety and redundancy for submarine launch and retrieval operations.

Features incorporated into Project Echo include a custom-designed Caley A-frame submarine Launch and Recovery System (LARS). Also, in order to offer the ultimate and safest solution in submarine launching functionality, the A-frame LARS has been developed by Caley with Echo Yachts to fold and stow flat into the cargo deck, enabling seamless helicopter landing operations or additional cargo deck space.

Primary water craft, landing craft and back-up submarine launch and retrieval capability is provided via the secondary 12-tonne knuckle boom crane.

Other features include a cargo deadweight capacity of 40 tonnes, long range and heavy seas cruising capabilities, integrated deck cargo transfer rail / tie down system and dedicated undercroft protection and technical lockers for the submarines.