Photo: Stirling Design International
We are about to enter an era of green cruising that doesn't banish luxury but incorporates it into a more sustainable operational frame. Futuristic projects like the Orient Express sailing megayacht and Ponant's Swap2Zero ship aim to revolutionize the cruise industry while complying with the increasingly strict IMO regulations regarding emission levels. Ponant's efforts are supported by the French government and, most recently, by European funding.
The Swap2Zero is truly one of the most mind-blowing ship concepts in the cruise industry. It aims for 100% carbon-neutral transoceanic operations, and it plans to achieve this by combining no less than six different green technologies onboard. Of course, not all of them are linked to propulsion, but together they increase sustainability and lower the environmental footprint from all angles. It's no wonder Ponant considers this ship to be the first of its kind in the industry.
At the same time, it's important to note that Swap2Zero also claims to have "strong replicability potential," meaning that its entire green system could easily be applied to other ships with the goal of speeding up the transition toward maritime carbon neutrality.
The French government confirmed this project's potential, awarding it financial support along with BPI (the French Public Investment Bank). A new financial boost was recently announced in the form of a European grant that will also be awarded to the Swap2Zero project. French cruise operator Ponant was selected for the INNOVFUND support granted by the European Commission and financed through one of the biggest funding programs worldwide for innovative low-carbon technologies.
The futuristic Ponant ship will feature a sail power system, photovoltaic panels, low-temperature and high-temperature fuel cells, a carbon capture system, and a custom-designed energy management system.
The state-of-the-art sail system will function in conjunction with the ship's optimized hull design to ensure almost half of the entire propulsion energy needed for the ship. The photovoltaic panels with a total surface of more than 1,000 square meters (10,760 square feet) are eco-designed and made in France.
The low-temperature fuel cell will harness the benefits of liquid hydrogen for propulsion, while the high-temperature fuel cell will be used for the onboard hotel load. In each case, the resulting heat (plus water for the low-temperature fuel cell) will be recovered and further used onboard. The high-temperature fuel cell will also be connected to the onboard carbon capture system.
Lastly, the advanced energy management system will control and distribute power without the need for generators.
All of this will be implemented on a 600-foot (181-meter) vessel with a 100-stateroom configuration.
While fully equipped to operate just like any other of Ponant's luxury cruise ships, the futuristic Swap2Zero will also double as a floating science lab. Through the Ponant Science Program, the French operator will invite scientists specializing in decarbonizing technologies onboard the new ship, estimated to enter service by 2030.
At the same time, it's important to note that Swap2Zero also claims to have "strong replicability potential," meaning that its entire green system could easily be applied to other ships with the goal of speeding up the transition toward maritime carbon neutrality.
The French government confirmed this project's potential, awarding it financial support along with BPI (the French Public Investment Bank). A new financial boost was recently announced in the form of a European grant that will also be awarded to the Swap2Zero project. French cruise operator Ponant was selected for the INNOVFUND support granted by the European Commission and financed through one of the biggest funding programs worldwide for innovative low-carbon technologies.
The futuristic Ponant ship will feature a sail power system, photovoltaic panels, low-temperature and high-temperature fuel cells, a carbon capture system, and a custom-designed energy management system.
The state-of-the-art sail system will function in conjunction with the ship's optimized hull design to ensure almost half of the entire propulsion energy needed for the ship. The photovoltaic panels with a total surface of more than 1,000 square meters (10,760 square feet) are eco-designed and made in France.
The low-temperature fuel cell will harness the benefits of liquid hydrogen for propulsion, while the high-temperature fuel cell will be used for the onboard hotel load. In each case, the resulting heat (plus water for the low-temperature fuel cell) will be recovered and further used onboard. The high-temperature fuel cell will also be connected to the onboard carbon capture system.
Lastly, the advanced energy management system will control and distribute power without the need for generators.
All of this will be implemented on a 600-foot (181-meter) vessel with a 100-stateroom configuration.
While fully equipped to operate just like any other of Ponant's luxury cruise ships, the futuristic Swap2Zero will also double as a floating science lab. Through the Ponant Science Program, the French operator will invite scientists specializing in decarbonizing technologies onboard the new ship, estimated to enter service by 2030.
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