Royal Caribbean has released a construction update for the highly-anticipated cruise ship, Icon of the Seas. The ship will be Royal Caribbean’s first vessel powered by Liquified Natural Gas (LNG).
In the sneak peek video below, clips of the assembly of the massive LNG tanks can be seen. Construction on the LNG tanks, each of which weighing in at 307 tons, and the engine room blocks are proceeding at Meyer Neptune in eastern Germany.
Icon of the Seas Construction
Construction on the Icon of the Seas started in June 2021 and is scheduled for service in the fall of 2023. Once completed, the ship will have a weight of 200,000 gross tonnes and a passenger capacity of 5,600, which makes it one of the largest cruise ships in the world, though still behind the Oasis-Class vessels.
As part of Royal Caribbean’s efforts to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, the ship’s construction will include energy efficiency programs and the development of alternative fuels.
Icon of the Seas is the first Royal Caribbean cruise ship to be powered by LNG technology. LNG plays an essential role in the cruise lines’ path towards net-zero emissions by providing lower emissions, better operating efficiency, and quieter engines than traditional diesel technology. Engines running on LNG technology can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 21 percent compared to standard fuels.
With energy-efficient technology to reduce fuel consumption and emissions, from LNG to shore power connection that removes emissions while connected at port, Icon will be a significant milestone in the cruise line’s journey to becoming emission-free. The first of the revolutionary Icon Class is set to make its debut in fall 2023, and it will make waves with a mix of innovations and adventures cruising’s never seen before.
Royal Caribbean
Not much is known about the onboard features but Royal Caribbean has teased that more exciting updates will be on the way. It is expected that the Icon-class ships will feature industry-first technology paving the way for a new era in cruising.
