The cruise industry’s first hybrid ship will be unveiled in the summer of 2023 as part of Royal Caribbean Group’s Silversea Cruises luxury cruise brand. The new class of ships, known as Project Evolution, will operate using a trio of power sources including a fuel cell system, battery technology and dual-fuel engines using liquefied natural gas (LNG) as the primary fuel.
This hybrid solution, utilizing fuel cell technology, allows the ship to be free of local emissions while in port, another industry innovation. Silversea Cruises’ Project Evolution will be the first cruise ship to use fuel cells to provide 100& % power while in port.
Silversea’s newest ship class is a significant leap forward in our commitment to sustainable ship design and our journey to reduce our environmental footprint
Richard Fain, CEO of Royal Caribbean Group
The new hybrid technology not only helps in port, but also allows Project Evolution to achieve an overall 40 percent reduction in its greenhouse gas emissions per room twice as much compared to the brand’s previous class of ships.
This class of ships is also expected to achieve an Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) approximately 25% better than applicable International Maritime Organization (IMO) requirements.
Incorporating fuel cells into our ships now is one example of how Royal Caribbean Group is preparing to use new technologies as we move to a noncarbon-based future
Richard Fain, CEO of Royal Caribbean Group
The full suite of Project Evolution initiatives, developed in collaboration with Meyer Werft Shipyard, will bring energy efficiency to a new level and will include both first-in-class initiatives and previously successful features such as a fuel cell system, LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) and batteries.
