WATCH: Superyacht launched in Indonesian style using inflatable rollers

An expedition yacht measuring over 100m has been launched directly from a beach in Indonesia in dramatic style.

The 101m explorer J7Explorer was built by PT Bahtera Bahari at its Batam shipyard, and was launched into the water using large inflated rollers; a method comparable to the traditional method of launching ships by rolling them on timber logs.

Watch the imposing vessel make a splash in the videos below:

J7Explorer has a gross tonnage of 5,000 GT and is built with a steel hull and steel superstructure. She has a low draft, which makes her suitable for accessing shallow areas and cruising close to the shorelines.

While little is currently known about the yacht or her owner, her large, open aft area could be designed for holding large yacht toys such as all-terrain vehicles, tender vessels, or even a helicopter.

The PT Bahtera Bahari Shipyard was established in 2005 and is located on the island of Batam in Riau Islands province, which sits opposite Singapore along the Singapore Strait.

The yard provides repairs and shipbuilding solutions for barges, tugboats, diving vessels, dredgers and landing crafts, as well as luxury liveaboard vessels.

The shipyard operates on 52 hectares of land, and offers 320 metres of sea frontage with a 20-metre draft, meaning launches of all sizes are possible.

The shipyard says it has completed over 300 vessels of various types since 2005, and J7Explorer is understood to be its largest build to date.

Indonesia is known for the art of its traditional wooden boatbuilding. For centuries, Indonesia’s wooden Phinisi sailing vessels were used to carry spices, sandalwood and textiles through the ancient spice trading route.