Support yacht developer Shadowcat, and designer Triton Submarines, have announced a new commercial Launch and Recovery (LARC) concept, named Shadowlark Pro.
The Shadowlark Pro was developed alongside design company Tillberg Design of Sweden while Incat Crowther provided the platform’s naval architecture and marine engineering plans.
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Designed for the luxury tourism industry, the 50m Shadowlark Pro accommodates a larger submarine – the Triton DeepView with a capacity from 12 to 66 guests.
The submarine was built with acrylic pressure hulls, almost 360 degree views and ergonomic interiors. With a 14-metre beam, and a draft of 2 metres, SHADOWLARK Pro also offers greater capacity for up to 10 crew.
There is stowage over three decks for reception lounges, post-dive lounges, large transport tenders and a dive boat. There is also space for dive and jet-ski centers and water toy storage.
The platform is cost-effective and cruise operators and resorts could source it to generate additional revenue through activities such as sub dives, helicopter tours or boat rides.
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By GlobalDataShadowlark Pro intends to enhance the experiences of guests and increase throughput, safety and revenues.
In addition, the impact of construction and operational challenges will be reduced, as activity related assets will not need to be carried onto the cruise vessel itself – they will be relocated to a Shadowlark Pro.
Craig Barnett, Triton director of sales and marketing, says: “Two primary challenges are bringing a new concept to the market and initial capex for acquisition. The former is addressed by the success of the increasing number of support vessel programs run in the private yachting sector.
“The second challenge of initial capex is quickly mitigated when one takes into consideration the reduction in onboard assets like helis and subs on individual vessels, along with the associated salaries and operational costs over the lifespan of the unit.”
Due to this development, there is no need for a certified helipad on the ship and operations can take place independently. Costs of initial capex and integration for onboard assets, as well as maintenance, can be reduced by this.
Shadowcat previously released its Shadowlark LARC for personal submersibles. The company established a partnership with Incat Crowther in 2018 and two bespoke vessels were introduced as a result.
This includes the 66m Hodor and 68m Wayfinder. A third series is expected to launch by summer this year.
