Bureau Veritas Grants AiP for PONANT’s Low-Carbon, Wind-Assisted Passenger Vessel Design
Advancing Eco-Friendly Travel with Zero Emissions and Smart Energy Solutions
Bureau Veritas has given Approval in Principle (AiP) to PONANT, a world leader in cruising, for its new eco-friendly ship concept, Swap2Zero. This ship design is a big step forward in sustainable ocean travel, focusing on cutting carbon emissions and using wind power for propulsion.
A Ship Built for Clean Energy
The Swap2Zero ship is 186.2 meters long and designed for long ocean voyages. It uses a mix of renewable energy sources like wind, solar, and low-carbon fuels. The main idea is to reduce emissions to nearly zero. The ship’s design focuses on three key ideas:
- Energy efficiency – making sure every bit of energy is used wisely.
- Energy sobriety – only using energy when it’s needed.
- Renewable resources – getting as much power as possible from nature, like wind and solar.
Wind power is the ship’s main driving force, but it also uses solar panels, hydrogen fuel cells, and renewable fuels like bio and e-methane. The goal is to make this ship highly efficient and eco-friendly.
How the Ship Works
One of the most exciting parts of Swap2Zero is that it can get up to 50% of its power from wind. It can sail for up to 30 days with wind assistance or 15 days without wind at a steady speed of 10 knots. The ship has about 1,000 square meters of solar panels, batteries, and a mix of Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) and Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC). It even runs on renewable liquid hydrogen. The engines can also use biodiesel and biogas, making sure the ship stays eco-friendly.
Carbon Capture and Other Cool Features
Swap2Zero also has an advanced system to capture carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The CO2 is then stored for future use or kept safe. Other features of the ship include systems to recover heat and cold, making it even more energy-efficient.
The Approval in Principle given to the Swap2Zero ship follows important international laws like SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea), MARPOL (Marine Pollution), and the IGF Code (International Gas Fuel Code). The ship also meets Bureau Veritas standards, including special rules for wind-powered ships and ships that use hydrogen as fuel.
What This Means for the Future
Mathieu Petiteau, who leads new ship development at PONANT, said this new design shows their vision for the future of cruise ships. He explained how different energy technologies can work together to give the ship both flexibility and independence while keeping emissions low. He also mentioned how this project allows PONANT to learn more about new technologies while working with experts from many fields.
Swap2Zero is not just a dream – it’s a real solution that could help cut down emissions from ocean travel and make cruises much more eco-friendly.
