Helsinki (Finland), 13 March 2026 – Foreship, RINA’s marine consulting company, has been a key force behind the creation of the very first Four Seasons Yacht, bringing its world-renowned expertise in cruise ship design to one of the most anticipated ultraluxury vessels of the decade. Beginning its work in 2019, Foreship helped shape the project from initial vision to technical reality, ensuring that the yacht’s bold design ambitions were matched by uncompromising engineering standards.
The company worked alongside shipowner and operator Marc Henry Cruise Holdings Ltd. and architectural partner Tillberg Design of Sweden to develop a vessel that blends distinctive luxury design with the highest technical standards.
Foreship was responsible for delivering the outline concept design of the vessel and contributing expertise in several areas, including structural and naval architectural items, as well as providing energy‑efficiency studies. Throughout the project, Foreship reviewed the shipyard’s design documentation to ensure alignment with the owner’s vision, regulatory requirements, and long‑term operational expectations.
“Our deep know‑how in cruise‑ship newbuilding allowed us to seamlessly translate industry best practices into this ultra‑luxury yacht project. Our role extended far beyond reviewing drawings, we worked proactively to make sure the vessel is safe, technically robust, and built to perform optimally throughout its lifetime.” says Santeri Ihalainen, Head of the Project Department at Foreship.
Passenger comfort was also a priority. To support an optimal onboard experience, Foreship ensured that the safety solutions were integrated smoothly into the vessel’s architecture, without affecting guest comfort, and carried out additional wind‑comfort studies to optimise the design of the windbreakers.
Among the vessel’s unique design features, two elements stand out: the four‑deck‑high Funnel Suite and the innovative covered lifeboat arrangements. Both required risk assessments and developing alternative design solutions to meet safety and regulatory standards while preserving the owner’s and architects’ design intent, with Foreship providing support throughout the process
“This project has been a collaborative journey between the owner, Foreship, the shipyard, and the designer,” Ihalainen concludes. “We are proud to have supported the owner through every phase, from concept to delivery, to bring this remarkable vessel to life.”
Foreship is the RINA Group company specialised in ship design and marine engineering. Since 2002, Foreship delivers a wide range of services to the global shipping industry and its expertise covers the full project lifecycle, from preliminary newbuild and conversion studies to complete design packages, on-site support, supervision, and project management during construction. Working primarily with shipowners and operators, Foreship shapes vessel designs from the earliest stages, collaborating closely with key decision-makers across the industry.
In 2025, the company became part of RINA, strengthening its ability to deliver naval architecture and marine engineering consultancy backed by the global scale, multidisciplinary expertise, and technology capabilities of the Group.
RINA, a leading certification and engineering company, provides a wide range of services across the Energy, Marine, Infrastructure & Mobility, Certification, Industry and Real Estate sectors. In December 2023, alongside the majority shareholder Registro Italiano Navale, Fondo Italiano d’Investimento SGR entered the shareholding structure guiding a pool of co-investors. With revenues in 2024 of 915 million euros, over 6,600 employees and 200 offices in 70 countries worldwide, RINA is a member of key international organizations and an important contributor to the development of new legislative standards. www.rina.org
