Superyacht designer Espen Øino is working on a project that is being marketed as the “world’s largest private superyacht”.

Named Njord after the god of the seas and winds of Norse mythology, this mammoth 281.8 metre vessel containing 118 private residences is currently under development with Ocean Residences

The project has a target delivery of 2024 and, while a shipyard is not yet attached, discussions are understood to be well underway.

Njord will feature a total of 12 decks, a beam of 33.5 metres and a massive 81,000GT interior.

Accommodation on board will be split across 118 residences, which are available to buy, as well as 16 guest and butler suites. Available in 20 different configurations, these residences will range from two to six-bedroom apartments spread across 116 to 800 square metres.

Designed to maximise privacy, comfort and security, each apartment will feature a living room with sea views and access to open terraces. Owners will be able to customise their apartments as they please, choosing furnishings and decoration to their own tastes.

Dubbed the “next generation of private superyacht”, Njord “will be the home to an exclusive community of like-minded individuals who relish travel and sharing extraordinary experiences”, Ocean Residences said.

To this end, the vessel will be equipped to undertake scientific and oceanographic research during its annual circumnavigation of the globe. Each year, it will journey to some of the most remote and “culturally unique” places on earth.

Supporting a range of philanthropic missions, charities and causes, Njord will collect environmental and marine data from around the world which will be made available to international research laboratories.

The vessel will be equipped for the job, with a fully fitted oceanographic research laboratory staffed by expert scientists. Elsewhere, the vessel will feature a gyroscopic telescope, which will scan the sky at night, while drones will monitor the atmosphere.

Underwater drones, meanwhile, together with Njord’s two submersibles, will map the ocean floor using multi-beam echo sounders to identify shipwrecks and sea bed features. Njord will also have two eight-seat, Airbus ACH 160 helicopters with a range of 400 nautical miles. These will be used exclusively by owners and guests.

Elsewhere, Njord will boast an impressive list of luxury amenities including multiple outdoor terraces, a sundeck, two outdoor pools, an indoor hydro pool, extensive wellness facilities and a nightclub and jazz lounge. A telescope observatory lounge will sit on the top deck.

Each member of the 311-strong crew will have their own private cabin, resulting in a 1:2 guest to crew ratio.