Monaco boasts some impressive yachts, but it was a boat like no other that was recently blessed by the Vicar General of Monaco.
The blessing of the massive 77-metre eco-friendly M/V Yersin recently took place during a ceremony performed by His Grace René Giuliano, and attended by such dignitaries as HSH Prince Albert II and Bernard d’Alessandri, the Yacht Club de Monaco’s general secretary.
Both a private yacht as well as a multi-purpose ship for cruising and exploring all oceans and in all weathers, the M/V Yersin will also be used by scientists and students on ocean preservation missions, as part of a more global project called ASE (Adventure, Science, Education). The vessel is equiped with a reinforced hull and can withstand extreme conditions and temperatures ranging from -20°c to + 50°c. She will have a range of 12,000nm and can operate for up to 50 days without the need to visit port.
Built in Concarneau at the Piriou shipyard and named after Alexandre Yersin (the Swiss- French physician and bacteriologist who discovered the bacillus responsible for the bubonic plague), the yacht was a major attraction at last year’s Monaco Yacht Show and truly deserves the label of La Belle Classe Superyacht, in recognition of its contribution to protecting the environment and promoting innovative technology.
In his speech, the Prince saluted the christening of this “exceptional” vessel which “keeps alive the tradition of Prince Albert 1st’s and Captain Cousteau’s boats and other explorers who left from Monaco. It is quite moving and extraordinary to think that thanks to Mr Fiat and his family, and his attachment to the Yacht Club de Monaco, this great adventure, where science and education take centre stage, can be revived.”
M/V Yersin was greeted upon its arrival in Monaco with a water salute from the fireboat and a chorus of horns blown by the yachts anchored in the port. In keeping with tradition, a bottle of champagne was broken against the hull to the tune of When the Pipers Plays performed on the bagpipes.
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All images courtesy Yacht Club de Monaco
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