Designs for what has been labelled the world’s “greenest” cruise ship have been finalised – while an announcement regarding dates for its maiden voyage, pencilled in for 2020, is expected at the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris this month.
The 55,000-ton Ecoship was developed by a team of more than 30 engineers and experts and features a host of environmentally-friendly features, the most striking of which are 10 retractable sails covered in solar panels.
The aerodynamic hull allows for greater fuel efficiency
It all adds up to a promise of "zero emissions... as well as no sea dumping"
According to the organisation behind it – Japan-based NGO Peace Boat – the design “draws from nature in both form and function”.
The aerodynamic hull, which will allow for greater fuel efficiency, is inspired by the shape of a whale, while a “non-toxic, anti-fouling coating… mimics fish skin”.
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The climate on board – including heating and air conditioning – will be maintained naturally, a “closed-loop” water system will see all waste water purified and repurposed, along with rain and seawater, for irrigating the on-board garden.
“The Ecoship represents a radical shift in the way we address our energy needs,” say the designers. “Unlike even the current best in market, the Ecoship will meet its core hotel and propulsion energy needs with renewable energy, using Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) as a top-up energy source, thereby minimising our dependence on fossil fuels.”
It all adds up to a promise of "zero emissions... as well as no sea dumping".
Yoshioka Tatsuya, Founder and Director of Peace Boat, told Hellenic Shipping News: “Peace Boat’s 2020 launch of the Ecoship offers a vision for a climate-friendly future and can lead the way towards a green cruising model that can also impact the wider shipping industry. The industry must adapt to the planet’s needs.”
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It is unclear whether any cruise lines have ties with Peace Boat, or plans to adopt any of the Ecoship’s features (Telegraph Travel has approached Cruise Lines International Association for a comment), but some are already making strides to improve their eco-credentials.
Costa Cruises this year announced plans to build the “next generation” of cruise ships, which it claimed would be the most environmentally friendly ever built.
The two vessels, which will each be capable of carrying 6,600 passengers – more than the current record-holders, Allure of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas – will rely solely on LNG (a relatively clean-burning fuel), instead of the combination of gas turbines and diesel that most cruise ships use, thus cutting down dramatically on carbon emissions. The first is expected to be completed in 2019.
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