They've really splashed out! Billionaire couple buy incredible £15million superyacht that can be controlled by an iPad

Here's the latest plaything for the super-rich - a giant three-hulled yacht that cost £15million to make and would fit as comfortably in outer space as it would on the open sea.

Described by Boat International magazine as 'one of the world's most amazing super yachts', the 42.5metre-long Adastra is a floating pleasure palace equipped to entertain a billionaire with even the highest of standards.

She is the the new pet of Hong Kong-based shipping magnate Anto Marden, 64, and his wife Elaine, whose uses for her may include - among other things - gliding between the two tropical islands they already own off the coast of Indonesia.

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The giant Adastra is a three-hulled made-to-order yacht that cost $15million to make

The yacht has been described by Boat International as 'one of the world's most amazing super yachts, that could spell the future for efficient long range cruising'

Futuristic: The main deck area looks more like that on a spaceship than a boat

The main helm station, which has seating for two, is positioned in a raised pilot house situated between the rear deck and the saloon area and forms part of the cross beam structure

THE MAN WHO BOUGHT A £1MILLION YACHT TO SAIL THE HIGH SEAS

Very little is known about billionaire shipping magnate Anto Marden, the boss of Fenwick Shipping Services, and his wife Elaine.

Mr Marden, 64, is known as a very experienced yachtsman who has spent his life on the high seas for his business and now flitting between islands in the far east and south-east Asia.

He was educated at the expensive Charterhouse School Godalming in Surrey before graduating from the University of Leeds.

Designed by Sussex-based yacht designer John Shuttleworth, the Adastra is so high-tech, it can even be controlled remotely at the touch of an iPad... as long as you don't get any further away than 50 metres.

The yacht's high-concept, space-age look is no gimmick. The shape has been specially developed to cut through waves as it glides across the high seas.

Adastra was unveiled in China and took three years to build, as well as two years of planning and design. It is 42.5 metres long, 16 metres wide and weighs 52 tons.

Her enormous petrol tank coupled with her dynamic sailing efficiency allows the Adastra to travel up to 4,000 miles without refuelling - the same distance from London to New York.

‘It takes the power trimaran concept further than has ever been attempted before,’ Mr Shuttleworth told Boat International. 

‘The challenge of turning this concept into a viable luxury yacht has taken us to further research and to develop new thinking on stability and comfort at sea for this type of craft.’

It is the result of five years of planning and construction, and rivals anything owned by yacht-lover Roman Abramovich.

The hull of the Adastra is built from glass and Kevlar and can house nine guests and six crewmen. The deck saloon has a panoramic view while the open cockpit has sofas on both sides. The open deck running aft also has a door that hinges out to create a bathing platform.

Boat International magazine said Adastra 'could spell the future for efficient long range cruising'. 

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The yacht has an integrated ship monitoring system, and can even be controlled with an Apple iPad within a 50-metre range.

Adastra is powered by one Caterpillar C18 engine of 1150hp at 2300 rpm and has 2 Yanmar 110hp @ 3200 rpm outrigger engines.

Adastra's 16-metre beam features a saloon area on the main deck with a lounge area, dining table, and navigation station.

The deck at the rear of the yacht has a sofa and bar area to port and a dining area to starboard.

Great unveiling: The Adastra during its grand launch in China yesterday

Lavish: The master bedroom has all the luxury you might expect in a 5-star hotel

Opulent: The bathroom is complete with power shower and a flushing toilet, left,  while the galley has fresh running water, a stove and all one could want in a kitchen, left

Shiny: As the designs show, the boat has a bathing platform at the back where passengers relax as the it glides effortlessly across the open sea