Besides being among the wealthiest in the world, Bill Gates has always been careful to respect the environment and the planet.
In addition to his many initiatives promoting responsible behaviors to protect nature, Gates has now taken action and bought a yacht that combines luxury and sustainability, offering passengers a new cruising experience.
The founder of Microsoft opted for Aqua, launched last year at the Monaco Yacht Show and created by Dutch marine architects Sinot, specialized in boat design.
Aqua is 112 meters long, and every centimeter is built to blend comfort and sustainability: the boat is fully powered by hydrogen, its built and shape are designed to generate the least resistance possible while in water, and the only waste produced by the engine fuel cells will be water itself.
To avoid any risk of being stuck at sea due to few hydrogen supply facilities available, Sinot has equipped Aqua with several additional back-up diesel engines.
With a capacity of 14 passengers, Aqua will have a range of over 6,000 km. Flaunting extraordinary luxury finishings and interiors, it will also feature spas, pools, luxury cabins with furnishings made from sustainable materials, and a helipad, but the real asset will be gel-fueled fire bowls for passengers to warm up on the outdoor decks.
As is easy to guess, this gem of the seas will not be exactly affordable: its list price stands around 590 million euros. Not a problem to Bill Gates, who has been among the wealthiest men in the world for decades, and has ordered one to be delivered in 2024.
