The owners of the first privately-owned vessel to be designed for navigation in any and all conditions, including ice and river exploration owners - the 76.6 metre Maltese-flagged Yersin - took possession of their vessel in Malta today.

The yacht is the brainchild of French philanthropist François Fiat who told journalists said his intention was for the Yersin to contribute to advancement in scientific and ecological research and education, with the ultimate aim of assisting with the preservation of the environment.

He said he would be establishing partnerships with educational and research institutions to allow scientists, as well as cadets and students of maritime schools, to study the environment in remote and ecologically sensitive areas of the world.

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