Italian shipbuilding company Fincantieri held a steel cutting ceremony on 22nd June to initiate the construction of its first LNG-powered cruise ship, which is being built for a joint venture between TUI Cruises and the Royal Caribbean group.
This is the first of two LNG-powered cruise ships ordered by the joint venture in 2018. Each of these two vessels will be about 160,000 gross tons, making them the largest in the fleet of TUI cruises. The first vessel is to be delivered in 2024, and the second one is expected to be delivered in 2026. Both vessels will be built in the Monfalcone shipyard in Italy.
The vessels will be equipped with catalytic converters which will be compliant with the Euro 6 standards and feature a shore power connection. The shore power connection will go a long way in ensuring emission-free operations as the vessel is expected to spend almost 40 % of its service time in ports. The ships will also be equipped with an efficient waste treatment system that shreds organic waste via thermal treatment.
A Fincantieri spokesperson has stated that the vessel is based on a prototype project that enhances the already established features of modernity and sustainability that TUI Cruises is known for. TUI is working to achieve climate-neutral cruises by 2030 and has concurrently started work on MEIN SCHIFF 7 with Meyer Turku. MEIN SCHIFF is supposed to be the first cruise vessel capable of operating on Methanol.
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