New support ship launched by Alia Yachts

Alia Yachts has launched a 36m custom support vessel which it describes, rather entertainingly, as ‘muscular’.

PHI Phantom showcases the yard’s metalworking skills, and features many elements of the larger custom superyacht PHI by Royal Huisman, which it’s built to support (carrying the tenders and toys that the mothership has no garage to stow).

“The owner of PHI Phantom is really detail-oriented, and he has been very involved with every element of the build,” says Gökhan Çelik, president of Alia Yachts. “He trusted us to deliver on a demanding brief, but we have certainly matched and, I hope, surpassed his expectations for this unique support vessel. In particular, the aluminium bending and precision welding was a major challenge.”

The hull was to have no fairing to finish it, so the plates had to be bent in three dimensions, then welded without creating the slightest distortion. It is painted in the same matt blue-grey as the mothership. She also shares the horizontal grille work at the bow and echoes the swooping shearline of the larger vessel.

“As far as we’re aware, this is the first support ship that’s been built with shared aesthetic DNA from the mothership,” says owner’s rep and captain of the mothership PHI Guy Booth. “She looks like a mini PHI; a sibling. The team at Alia have had the opportunity to build something really cool, and the passion from them has been great. They really dig it.”

PHI Phantom is built to carry the play paraphernalia. The key, says Alia Yachts, is a 9m HS Marine crane capable of lifting 5.5 tonnes out of the water and onto the 150 square-metre aft deck. It has more than enough power to handle the 14m tender currently taking shape at Spirit Yachts, as well as the Axopar 37 Suntop. A hydraulically operated lazarette under the deck stores further toys in a protected environment.

PHI Phantom has a range of 4,200 nautical miles at 12 knots cruising speed. Flat out, she’ll do 21 knots to match the slim, easily-driven hull of the mothership, and the company says ‘everything is designed to be as bombproof as possible’.

PHI Phantom is undergoing final sea-trials now and will be delivered to the owner in June.

“When PHI Phantom does begin her adventures, she will represent one of the most robust and stylish support vessels ever built,” says Çelik. “Alia Yachts is incredibly proud to have brought this project to life, which showcases our incredibly high standards of craftsmanship and finish.”

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