Meyer Werft started production of the Silver Ray cruise ship for Silversea Cruises on Wednesday, November 23, hosting a symbolic steel-cutting ceremony in Papenburg (Germany).
Like her sistership, Silver Nova, which is under construction, Silver Ray boasts a host of innovations. Both ships are set to become the most sustainable in their class. Silver Nova is scheduled to enter service in August 2023, with Ray following in the summer of 2024.
Due to an innovative fuel concept with low-emission LNG (liquefied natural gas), a fuel cell system for the entire hotel operation, and batteries, the newbuild has the best possible measures to reduce emissions and already exceeds IMO’s Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) by 25%.
The fuel cell system with an output of 4 megawatts is expected to complement the LNG engines as the first large-scale installation of its kind in the industry, supplying the vessel with enough electricity to power the hotel operation. This eliminates pollutant emissions while the cruise ship is in port. In addition, the battery system increases the efficiency of the ship via absorbing peak loads, thus reducing fuel consumption. A newly developed MAGS (Micro Auto Gasification System) converts waste onboard into thermal energy, further increasing the ship’s efficiency.
For the first time at Silversea, NOVA-class (fka EVOLUTION) ships feature a horizontal layout/innovative asymmetrical design, with public spaces/suites spanning the entire length of the vessel. As a result, passengers will experience an unprecedented open layout to the water and destinations.