Silversea’s first hybrid luxury cruise ship will be called Silver Nova, it has been announced.
The 728-passenger vessel, the first in a series known as Project Evolution, will be powered by the cleanest fossil fuel – liquefied natural gas – combined with fuel cells and batteries.
It means the ship being introduced in summer 2023 will cut greenhouse gas output per double suite by 40 per cent, compared to the Silver Muse class, and be able to operate emission-free in port on either batteries or shoreside power.
After the first steel was cut for Silver Nova in Papenburg, Germany, Silversea’s president and CEO Roberto Martinoli said: ‘Our Nova-class ships represent a significant investment in unprecedented technological solutions. They support our mission to preserve the planet without compromising on comfort or luxury. Silver Nova is the manifestation of Silversea and Royal Caribbean Group’s long-term commitment to sustainability.’
As well as being greener, Silver Nova will also be more spacious with the highest tonnage-to-passenger ratio in the Silversea fleet. Personal service will be guaranteed with a crew-to-guest ratio of nearly one-to-one with butler service for all suites.