If you saw it coming at you on the highway, you’d think it was the biggest slickest SUV you’ve ever seen. But this new sports car is at home in the deep sea and it arrived there by air.
Civilian submersible company Triton Submarines has just delivered its latest tech wonder, a nine-passenger Triton 660/9 AVA aboard a jumbo cargo jet to Chile to start offering undersea explorations on Scenic Eclipse II .
The world’s first free-form acrylic pressure hull submersible model pushes the boundaries of what is possible in submersible design, says Patrick Lahey, Triton’s president and co-founder. “At Triton Submarines, we’re focused on developing safe, certified and fully accredited submersibles for a wide range of scenarios, which wouldn’t be possible without the support and collaboration of visionary clients like Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours.”
Offering remarkable 360-degree panoramic views and capable of carrying a pilot plus eight Scenic passengers to depths of 200 meters (660 feet), the modular interior of the submersible can be re-configured in minutes, turning the space into a venue equipped with generous seating, integrated lighting, a high-fidelity surround audio system and air-conditioning.
The AVA’s patent-pending expanded-ellipse acrylic pressure hull designed to supercede the current generation of twin-hulled tourist submersibles. It delivers up to three times greater interior viewing volume, and improved comfort for all guests. The company claims one could even be configured as an undersea casino.
In a testament to the demand, Triton and Scenic have announced the signing of a letter of intent to purchase two more units of this model for the exploration fleet, Lahey said.
Scenic Eclipse II is currently on its inaugural season across the South Pacific, from Valparaiso to Australia.
