Fabio Ermetto, COO of Italy yacht builder Baglietto, said of the first model of the shipyard's new XO series: "The 'X' in the X50 does not mean 'adventure', but 'experience'. The expedition yacht industry is growing rapidly, with a record number of projects listed in the global superyacht order list in 2024. Recognising the gap in this growing market, the Italy manufacturer has launched its first 49.9-metre expedition yacht, with designer Francesco Paszkowski crafting every detail with the guest experience in mind. The following is the sharing of the conversation between Chinese journalists and Ermetto......
Why did you decide to enter the adventure yacht market?
When it comes to the design concept of the X50, it is not an explorer in the traditional sense, but has been given the name of an 'observer'. While most expedition yachts are designed around the world experience, we have noticed that many yachts, especially those under 50 metres and under 500 GT, often do not have a limited view of their surroundings. Visitors to destinations such as Alaska and the Maldives often find themselves in the main saloon with only limited views from the stern of the boat. Is this the true meaning of travel? Thinking outside the box, we developed a concept that offers all the amenities you'd expect from an expedition yacht – annex boats, storage, fuel and ice-grade hull – while still allowing you to enjoy the views in any climate or condition.
What was the inspiration for this design?
We wanted to create a product that combined the adventures and experiences of world travel with the luxury and comfort of a high-spec yacht. I often compare it to the Orient Express, where you can take a train – a traditional mode of transportation – and experience the journey in style and luxury. Once upon a time, in Italy, there was a train called Settebello, which featured a first-class carriage on top, like a viewing platform, offering passengers a 360-degree view. This vision inspired the creation of our XO collection.
What are your favorite features on the yacht?
At the top of the yacht you will find what we call the "space capsule", which consists of two decks. The cab is located below, while the observation deck is located above. That's why we call them "observers." The observation deck is glazed all around, including the ceiling. Imagine you travel to Thailand or Australia, or enter a fjord with panoramic views from an enclosed deck while relaxing on the sofa and spending time with your family.
The observation lounge is also equipped with a large screen connected to the ship's drone. The idea is that you can have the drone fly a mile or two in front of the yacht to capture those hard-to-reach landscapes, adding a touch of interaction and surprise to your voyage like never before. The sun deck above is an external observation lounge designed to provide a comfortable space to enjoy the views when the weather is nice.
The stern of the main deck is a flexible area. This area is usually used to store annexes and water toys, allowing for quick deployment of annexes, with plenty of storage space underneath for individual furniture. This allows for a quick transition from the technical area to the lounge area with a Bimini roof, allowing guests to get close to the water and feel the gentle embrace of the sea.
Why did you decide to work with Francesco Paszkowski on this project?
Francesco Paszkowski has worked with Baglietto for 30 years to design eye-catching facades for many of our projects. Some of Baglietto's most iconic yachts are his creations. What is even more admirable, however, is his courage to break the ice, so he shares our vision to create something unique in the adventure market. Our goal was to design a yacht that is definitely Baglietto's own, very different from the yachts built by other shipyards. While it is true that many shipyards have crafted and crafted masterpieces of exceptional quality, they often lack distinctive character. At Baglietto, we always strive to give our yachts a strong and unique personality. The collaboration with Francesco Paszkowski is a vivid expression of this belief.
In what ways can owners customise their yachts to their liking?
The entire rear area of the main deck is designed for versatility and can be used as a gym, storage for strollers and toys, or to accommodate additional fridges and freezers. Our semi-custom yachts are more or less fully customized, as we meet our customers' requirements not only in design, but also in layout. The design of the yacht allows for simple modifications, such as setting up a ready-to-stop helicopter deck on the top deck, or incorporating a sauna into the layout.
Is there any particular reason why you chose the 50-meter length?
During our design process, we looked at the market and found that many expedition yachts of this size offer very limited guest space. The 499GT market is in high demand, and Baglietto is known for building some of the biggest yachts in the category. Our goal is to apply this expertise to the expedition yacht market and produce the largest expedition yachts under the 499GT.
Notably, the X50 accommodates three annex boats without sacrificing space on board, which is a rare feature for yachts under 500 gross tonnage. We are also thinking of building a larger version in the range of 55 to 60 meters, which will offer completely different space and features on board.
What are the environmental measures on board?
We included solar panels in the honeycomb design on top of the X50 as part of the shipyard's broader Bzero hydrogen project that we launched last year. With 80% of our customers interested in hybrid propulsion systems, we now offer hybrid options for all our vessels and we were the first shipyard to build a Lloyd's Register certified hybrid yacht. We also launched the first hydrogen plant at our shipyard to generate electricity from seawater. The X50 can be offered with a hybrid package, as the boat and engine room are designed to accommodate such a unit without any major modifications.