Steel-cutting ceremony at Meyer Werft marks new chapter in sustainable cruising

The start of construction of the 728-passenger Silver Ray, a second Silversea Cruises Nova-class newbuilding, has been marked by a steel-cutting ceremony at Meyer Werft. The 54,700gt vessel is due for delivery in the summer of 2024 and sets a new standard for cruise ship sustainability, the shipbuilder has claimed.  

The vessel, a sister to the Silver Nova, which will be commissioned in August 2023, will be one of the most advanced and energy-efficient cruise ships in its class. Fuelled by LNG, the Silver Ray will have a 4-MW fuel cell system to meet its entire hotel load. This will enable emissions-free operation during port calls.

A battery system will meet peak loads at sea, thereby reducing fuel consumption and cutting emissions. And a new Micro Auto Gasification System will convert waste on board into thermal energy, further increasing the vessel’s efficiency.

These innovative features mean that the new ship will exceed the IMO’s Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) by 25%, Meyer Werft said in a statement. Design of the two sister ships is the result of years of research and development by the shipbuilder’s Global Design team of more than 1,300 personnel.

Jan Meyer, managing director of Meyer Werft, commented: “Like Silver Nova, Silver Ray, with her innovative propulsion concept and other significant technical innovations, represents a milestone on the road to carbon-neutral cruising. I am sure that both ships will delight their passengers from day one.”