The construction of the first large cruise ship designed to be ready for methanol for future conversion into what is considered one of the next generation's fuels for the industry began in Turku, Finland.
Built for the German cruise line TUI Cruises, this ship Mein Schiff 7 marks a turning point for the cruise industry and for its builder Meier Turku, who was also a pioneer in large LNG-powered cruise ships. To date, only a few ships in the world can run on methanol, while Maersk and a few others in container shipping lead the methanol ship orders industry.
“The decision to prepare Mein Schiff 7 for a methanol drive is an important investment in the future for us,” said Wybcke Meier, CEO of TUI Cruises, a joint venture between Germany’s TUI Group and the Royal Caribbean Group. “Mein Schiff 7 will take us forward in our work for more environmentally friendly cruise tourism. The ship will be built so that it can be used with methanol. In addition, the ship's operations in the port are almost emission-free. Mein Schiff 7 is an important milestone in our efforts to provide the first climate-neutral cruises by 2030.”
TUI and Meier Turku announced during the first steel cutting ceremony today at a Finnish shipyard that the new construction, the Mein Schiff 7, has adapted its design to become the first cruise ship ready for methanol. The 111,500-tonne cruiser, due to enter service in 2024, will be the sister of two earlier constructions in Meier Turku delivered in 2018 and 2019. No details have been given on changes to be made to the propulsion systems to accommodate future fuel, but noted that they will be able to run on methanol or biomethanol when fuel becomes available.
“We have again been focusing on optimizing the design in regards to energy efficiency and technologies to increase sustainability to make this ship the finest in the entire series," comments Tim Meyer, CEO of Meyer Turku.
The cruise ship will initially use marine diesel with lower emissions and will be equipped with catalysts and an electrical connection from the shore. According to TUI, this ensures the operation of the ship with almost zero emissions while the ship is in port, which will be about 40 percent of its working time. To achieve even more efficient waste processing, Mein Schiff 7 will also be equipped with a system that can shred organic waste through heat treatment and prepare it for further use on land.
