Cruise ships have a huge environmental problem. This ship wants to solve it with wind and solar sails

Yeah your forecasts they hit the nail on the head, by the end of this year the cruise industry will reach figures higher than those it managed before the pandemic and in a matter of a few years, 2026, it will even have achieved growth of 12%. Good news for the industry. Not so much for the environment. At least if we stick to studies like the one published in 2021 by researchers from Exeter and Girona, who put their finger on one of the great sores of transatlantic traffic: their environmental footprint. The Norwegian firm Hurtigruten Norway she is determined to shake off that shadow. And she has decided to do it by “reinventing” the very concept of a boat.

At the moment it handles only diagrams and infographics, but those responsible they are advancing already that will offer the “world’s most energy efficient cruise ship”.

The “B side” (and less friendly) of cruises. A few years ago, a group of researchers from the universities of Girona and Exeter, together with the Croatian Institute of Tourism, became an awkward questionAt least for the ocean liner industry: How much do cruise ships pollute?

In the midst of a recovery in demand, after the heavy blow dealt by COVID-19, and with a growth forecast that the international association CLIA estimates at 12% by 2026, the question is quite pertinent. Especially if we take into account the efforts of other sectors to decarbonise or even the upcoming ban on the registration of combustion vehicles in the EU.

And what do your studies say? His conclusion was emphatic. In a single day, according to calculations from the experts—a single cruise can generate a carbon footprint greater than that of 12,000 vehicles. What’s more, during a seven-day voyage through the Antarctic waters, the passengers of an ocean liner produce the same CO2 emissions as the average of a European citizen throughout an entire year.

His is not the only voice that warns of the environmental cost of tourism aboard huge ships. in 2016 Guardian pointed that the world’s largest ocean liner had a “huge pollution problem” and there are studies that they leave throwing away even stronger numbers than that of the 2021 report.

Dream cruises… and green. That has been the goal of the industry for some time now. Over the last few years ship manufacturers, both tourist cruises and vessels for other purposes, have experimented with rigid sails, solar panels, hydrogen and even huge kites. In this wake is the Norwegian firm Hurtigruten Norway, embarking on a project that it has baptized “Sea Zero” with An objective as complex as it is ambitious: achieving “the most energy-efficient cruise ship in the world”. To achieve this, it combines solar panels, wind technology, batteries and even AI.

The Sea Zero with its platforms folded.

The company hopes to have its first zero emission ship in 2030.

What is Sea Zero like? The Norwegian firm advanced its plans already in 2022, but it is now when has made them concrete, going a step further and providing infographics and some important technical brushstrokes. At the moment, yes, it is only a concept. The “zero emissions” ship will be 135 meters long and will have 270 cabins with capacity for 500 passengers and 99 crew members.

Its design also incorporates an “important cargo hold” and space for the transport of vehicles. Its most distinguishable element, however, will be its peculiar ‘sails’, three “retractable platforms with autonomous wings” that will include 1,500 m2 of solar panels and a total wind surface area of ​​750 m2. When fully extended they will reach a maximum height of 50m.

“The Most Efficient Cruise”. So they already advertise it its promoters, who emphasize that the Sea Zero will have no equal in terms of energy efficiency. “We are committed to delivering a ship that outperforms all others in terms of energy efficiency and sustainability in just a few years,” claims. To achieve this, it will include three autonomous and retractable wing platforms that will serve to take advantage of air currents up to a height of 50 meters and improve the aerodynamics of the ship. The sails will be covered in addition to some 1,500 m2 of solar panels.

“When summer comes our ship will receive the superpower of the midnight sun of northern Norway, which shines 24 hours a day,” highlights the company. The ship will also have a 60 MWh battery system that will allow it to store the energy from the sails or that it obtains from shitting in ports.

Graphic showing the internal structure of the ship, including batteries and propellants.

A “recipe” with AI and a bit of surfing. They are not the only assets of the Sea Zero, which has two other key tools. The first, an artificial intelligence (AI)-guided bridge that relies on dozens of exterior cameras and sensors and enables more efficient use of deck space. The company claims in fact, its bridge is similar to the cockpit of an airplane. Another interesting resource of the ship is the treatment that incorporates its hull, which will allow it to reduce the resistance of the water.

“We are developing solutions that allow the ship to ‘surf’ on a carpet of air bubbles. These air currents would be projected from the keel at the front of the ship, helping to reduce water resistance,” highlights the company. In addition, the ship will have “smart cabins” and a system of thrusters located in the stern and that will allow them to be retracted and hidden when necessary to improve aerodynamics.

And when can we see it? For now we will have to settle for renders, but the company is confident that it will be able to show its first model in less than a decade. “In line with its approach of sustainable operations tailored to the Norwegian coast, Hurtigruten plans smaller, more customized ships […]. With the first ship ready by 2030, the company plans to transform its entire fleet into zero-emission vessels.” explain from the firm.

Hurtigruten Norway will not walk the path alone. Its managers claim to have a consortium of 12 partners and that the Sea Zero project includes, among others, the port of bergenthe Norwegian Maritime Authority or the SINTEF research institute. “All united in the search for emissions-free maritime travel”, claim those responsible, who assurethat today only 0.1% of the ships on the planet incorporate a technology that can be properly considered “zero emissions”.

Images: Hurtigruten Group

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