Peace Boat and DNV GL have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to form a partnership to develop the Ecoship cruise ship.

The deal means the partners will work together on the design, construction and operation phases of Peace Boat’s Ecoship and its sustainable development goals. The cruise ship aims to be a flagship for climate action in the industry.

Yoshioka Tatsuya, founder and director of Peace Boat, said: “The cruise industry is growing so fast, particularly in East Asia, and the need to mitigate the environmental impact of such expansion is very important.”

“Through its technical characteristics and by the programme that it carries out we hope it will encourage a model for 'green' cruising and further innovations in the cruise industry."

Peace Boat aims for the vessel to incorporate the latest environmentally friendly technologies and make a transition towards a low-carbon economy.

Architectural naval design company Oliver Design has based the Ecoship design on biophilic principles.

“It’s very special to work with a customer, who is so in tune with the values of DNV GL. Their emphasis on sustainability, achieved through innovative approaches and the smarter use of technology, matches our own – and this project could be a great showcase for the industry. It is a privilege to be part of this,” said Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen, CEO of DNV GL – Maritime.

The Ecoship design incorporates masts to harness wind energy for propulsion, solar panel-covered sails and a 6,000m2 top-deck solar farm.

It also has a closed-loop water system to reuse, purify and re-purpose water and waste heat recovery systems which aim to recover 80% of the energy normally lost to the air and water, so it can be reused.

Be the first to find out about Ecoship’s plans – book your place at the GreenPort Cruise Conference to hear a full presentation from Ecoship on their plans to build a futuristic cruise ship.

The full programme is available online.

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