The world’s largest cruise company Carnival Corporation & plc has commissioned the UK’s cleantech company Silverstream Technologies to install its air lubrication system (ALS) on another duo of Excel-class cruise ships powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG).
As disclosed, the two vessels are the third and fourth Excel-class newbuildings to be outfitted with air lubrication. The 180,000 dwt units, boasting a capacity of more than 5,000 passengers, are set to be constructed at Germany’s shipbuilder Meyer Werft. They are scheduled for a handover in 2027 and 2028 , respectively.
The two LNG-powered units mark a total of 16 vessels in Carnival Corporation’s fleet with the Silverstream System, which reduces frictional resistance between the water and the hull surface, thus minimizing net fuel consumption and the associated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 5-10% .
As explained, Silverstream Technologies’ proprietary air lubrication system was verified by the UK’s classification society Lloyd’s Register, the University of Southampton, energy titan Shell, Germany’s HSVA, the US-headquartered Carnival Corporation, as well as the China Classification Society (CCS) .
In addition to the ALS, much like their predecessors, the latest additions to Carnival’s fleet are also set to feature a broad range of other energy efficiency improvements, such as waste heat recovery, ‘enhanced’ heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems and hull form optimization, according to Silverstream Technologies. This is projected to allow the corporation to further decrease its environmental footprint as well as operating costs.
It is understood that, as verified by LR, the Silverstream System previously delivered approximately 5% net fuel and emissions savings onboard Princess Cruises’ Diamond Princess cruise ship, which was equipped with the air lubrication system all the way back in 2017.
This is believed to be in line with Carnival Corporation’s focus on minimizing its carbon intensity by 40%, a target the company aims to achieve by 2026—four years before the initial projections.
Reflecting on the latest development, Noah Silberschmidt , Founder and CEO of Silverstream Technologies, remarked that cruise operators have “consistently been frontrunners in embracing modern technology”.
“Since 2016, we have proudly partnered with Carnival Corporation to support their decarbonization journey with our air lubrication technology. The need of the hour is to raise decarbonization ambitions, and we are committed to building large-scale partnerships that advance sustainability across the entire sector,” he said.
To remind, in 2022, Carnival signed a ‘major’ deal with Silverstream to install the Silverstream System across its cruise brands.
In June 2024, the UK player was contracted to install its ALS on an Excel-class cruise ship of Carnival’s, in cooperation with Meyer Werft. This unit —a sister vessel to Carnival Jubilee that has already been fitted with air lubrication—is slated for delivery in 2027.