Miami-based cruise line operator Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and Meyer Turku shipyard have signed a memorandum of agreement for two next generation cruise ship orders to be delivered in 2022 and 2024.
The around 200,000 gross ton large cruise ships under the project name “Icon” will mark the beginning of a new generation of LNG powered cruise ships with a number of innovations such as an application of fuel cells for power generation. Fuel cells are a very energy efficient and clean way to generate electrical energy.
“With Icon class, we begin the journey to take the smoke out of our smokestacks”, said Richard Fain, chairman and chief executive officer of Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd.
“Our partnership with RCL has created a number of groundbreaking ships such as Oasis, Celebrity Solstice, Quantum and Mein Schiff. We are grateful that Royal Caribbean engages with us in a new challenging journey to advance the state of maritime technology with a new class of cruise ships. Our common aim is to develop fuel cells to a level that allows their usage in a significant application to power the ship’s hotel functions.”, outlines Jan Meyer, CEO of Meyer Turku Oy.
Today’s technology and the regulations are not yet ready for maritime fuel cell use. Therefore various pilot installations on other Meyer-built RCL ships will be the stepping stones on the way to a fuel cell installation on Icon.
Source: Meyer Turku
