NEW plans for the world’s tallest cruise ship have been released – and it looks like something from the future.
Norwegian boat builders Hurtigruten say the vessel, complete with electrical sails and a mega battery, should hit the seas by the end of the decade.
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Hurtigruten set out to make travel more sustainable – and hopes that this huge boat can tour the seas producing net-zero emissions.
The ultimate goal is for the boat to be powered solely by battery.
Trond Johnsen, the project manager, said: “With the reduction in energy use we’re aiming for, it’s realistic to fit a battery system with enough energy to allow the ship to sail between charging ports under normal weather conditions.”
Four battery-hybrid ships built by Hurtigruten’s already sail the seas, but they all need supplementing with fuel.
The new project, dubbed Sea Zero, kicked off in October 2022, and the first set of plans were seen in summer 2023.
One of the coolest features is the boat’s sails, which can be raised and lowered as required, and will be covered in solar panels.
The kind being developed are called OceanWings – already in use on the cargo ship called Canopée.
The Chief Operating Officer Gerry Larsson-Fedde said: “We have also changed the sail type to a more mature design already in use on cargo ships.
“As with all development projects, there will be adjustments to both the design and specifications along the way.”#
The most recent plans extend the length of the ship by eight metres, to a total 143.5m.
Another very intriguing feature is the “lubricated” hull.
Air bubbles will be pumped beneath the bottom of the boat to make it glide through the water more easily and reduce drag.
This means less fuel will be require to propel the ship along.
The hull will also be cleaned regularly and fitted with “advanced anti-fouling coatings” to make it slip through the waves even more smoothly.
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Guests onboard will have a highly customisable experience.
Living in “smart cabins”, passengers will be able to control their own heating and ventilation through an app and a screen in the cabin.
Larsson-Fedde said: “We are already testing advanced sensors in these cabins, and in the near future, we will conduct full-scale tests with guests onboard.”
Another ocean whopper has already been launched by China – which revealed its new monster-sized cargo ship.
The 1,310-ft-long vessel is said to be capable of holding a whopping 220,000 tonnes of goods and stacking 24,000 containers.
Footage shows the monstrous vessel – built in just 17 months – ripping through the ocean.
And another cruise option will soon hit the market, but designed specifically for OAPs.
Shipbuilder Meyer Werft has spotted a huge gap in the cruise market and filled it with ‘Serenity’ – a vessel made exclusively for the elderly, with assisted living suites.
This cruise ship concept looks ahead to an ageing population – and what cruising might look like in the year 2100.