When Celebrity Cruises introduces the fifth ship in its Edge Series, it will make use of the collaborative efforts of its parent company Royal Caribbean Group, technology group Wärtsilä and shipyard Chantiers de L’Atlantique (CdA) to advance the use of alternative fuels for the cruise industry. The ship will also be equipped with a new engine model, along with storage and delivery systems, that will give fuel flexibility—meaning it will have the ability to use three types of fuel, including methanol.
“As we innovate our ship design and offerings, we’re also focused on equally evolving the fuel and technology landscape that powers them,” said Jason Liberty, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean Group. “By incorporating tri-fueled engines, we are ensuring that as alternative, low-carbon-based solutions become more viable, our ships will be ready to adapt and drive the industry forward to a more sustainable and net zero emissions future.”
Wärtsilä will deliver two converted eight-cylinder Wärtsilä 46F engines to enable them to utilize three fuel sources, including methanol. These changes not only advance carbon-free cruising, but by adding methanol as a fuel option, local emission such as sulphur oxides (SOx), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and particulate matter are significantly reduced.
“Wärtsilä has invested heavily into researching viable future carbon-neutral fuels for the marine industry, and methanol has emerged as one of the most promising candidates. This will be the second methanol-fueled engine conversion that we have undertaken, and the first with the Wärtsilä 46F engine. We share the commitment to decarbonize shipping, and the transparent partnership between our three companies for this newbuild project is a tremendous boost for achieving this aim,” said Håkan Agnevall, president and CEO of Wärtsilä.
“Development and integration of methanol systems on a cruise ship is a new challenge for Chantiers de l’Atlantique and, for the first time, is part of our decarbonization program,” said Laurent Castaing, general manager, CdA shipyard.
The order for the engines was included in Wärtsilä order book in January 2023 and the full scope includes two eight-cylinder Wärtsilä 46F engines capable of operating with methanol as fuel, two 12-cylinder Wärtsilä 46F engines, and one Wärtsilä 32 engine. Wärtsilä will convert the 46F engines to run on methanol at the yard, prior to commissioning.
With a sustainability journey that began over 30 years ago, Celebrity Cruises, along with its parent company, Royal Caribbean Group, remains committed towards achieving “Destinations Net Zero,” it’s vision for net zero emissions by 2050.
For more information, visit sustainability.rclcorporate.com.
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