Anthénea Is a UFO-Shaped, Luxury Floating Pod That Can Sail the World

While the Anthénea is not a superyacht or even a lesser boat, it is a luxury product that comes with unprecedented advantages: it is cheaper than a yacht, it is sustainable, it is gorgeous and, why yes, it can totally sail the world. The first units are scheduled for delivery in the first quarter of 2022, which means we’re just months away from seeing these UFO-shaped pods floating around.

We’ve spoken about Anthénea before, in February 2020, when a pre-production version had just been officially unveiled. Some updates have been made to the basic model, including price point and list of extra amenities, so now’s a good time to revisit this unique floating pod that boasts incredible potential.

In the context of the world’s richest men and women buying multi-million yachts so they can find the privacy they so often lament of losing, Anthénea turns the tables. It offers that precious sense of privacy but without damage to the environment, by scaling down living space and increasing the level of sustainability.

The reward is the knowledge of doing something good for our planet – assuming those multi-millionaires would be willing to downsize. Not only is this floating pod entirely self-sufficient, but it’s made from fully recyclable materials, so that no waste is generated at the end of its lifecycle. It is also modular and highly versatile, which means it can be moored or sailed, or used as part of a larger structure – like, say, a floating luxury resort.

Designed by French naval architect Jean-Michel Duacancelle, Anthénea has been more than 15 years and five prototypes in the making, and draws for inspiration on the villain’s lair in The Spy Who Loved Me. The production models, going out to their new owners in early 2022 (hat tip to The Robb Report), will follow the basic layout of a two-level construction offering two living and one relaxation area. With a diameter of 31 feet (9.5 meters) and a total living space of 540 square feet (50.2 square meters), the interior is furnished in Pierre Cardin pieces.

The day space includes a kitchen and dinette / lounge, while the night space comes with a bedroom and dual bathroom. Up top is the relaxation area, offering seating for 12 guests, shelter from the elements and an open fireplace. Though the footprint is small, especially compared to sprawling superyachts, it’s elegant and, due to the curved design, very futuristic looking. More importantly, it offers the basic creature comforts and a little something extra, like a bathtub that can be filled with saltwater or regular water, a 10-foot (3-meter) wall of glass for underwater gazing, or the aforementioned lounge slash bar on the roof.

Each pod can be moored, either on its own or as part of a resort. The Anthénea comes with innovative anchoring system that boasts of doing minimal damage to the ocean floor. For more adventurous owners, the pods are fitted with six electric motors (and five solar panels and batteries) and can theoretically sail the word. The makers don’t mention more on this aspect, but we expect this would be a very long journey, since the pod wouldn’t be exactly fast.

In addition to being built with sustainable and recyclable materials, the Anthénea comes with its own saltwater filtration system, wastewater management, and uses only clean energy. The makers say the pod is also very tough, being able to withstand Force 6 winds of up to 27 knots, mostly due to its shape, as well as temperatures from -30 degrees to +40 degrees Celsius.

Back when we first covered Anthénea, the reported starting price was of $535,000. The updated price is $365,00 for the basic model, going up to $730,000 for a high-end model like the floating spa version. It’s still an expensive product, to be sure, but being 100 percent efficient, it comes with virtually no running costs, beside the benefit of a clean conscience.