A newly unveiled concept for a sail-powered catamaran cruise ship aims to offer a luxury cruising experience on board a vessel that can travel emissions free.
The unique vessel design–codenamed “Seabreeze”–comes from Norway-based YSA Design, who engineered the 104.5-meter-long ship to feature four 50-meter-high foldable sails mounted on 6-meter-high bases on deck for emissions-free propulsion.
“Sustainability is critical but cruise shipping also needs to continuously reinvent itself,” said Trond Sigurdsen, Senior Architect and Partner, YSA Design. “A sustainable ship which brings environmentally conscious guests closer to the sea and reaches destinations others cannot is a clear opportunity at the premium end of the cruise market.”
The designer said the vessel would be equipped with engines that run on green bio-methanol for hotel operations and – if wind was insufficient – the main propulsion, although the ship would also be enabled with a hybrid drive to incorporate silent running on battery power.
The ship is designed with a 4-meter draft, allowing access to shallow waters. Dual hulls counteract listing under sail to maintain stability and comfort for 200 guests on board.
Two 18.2-meter-wide hulls would be connected by an inverted U-shaped structure spanning 18.5 meters, with the cat’s two-deck central superstructure incorporating the bridge and some public spaces. Each hull would include four decks plus a ‘yacht top’, with room for 100 dual occupancy guest cabins and 155 crew.
YSA designed the hulls with retractable aft and central platforms extending down to the water for when Seabreeze is at anchor or in dynamic positioning mode. Sea lounges could then open up for sunset dining, as spas or as beach and watersports clubs.
The design envisages a transparent bay structure between the hulls so that guests can hover over the sea. “Seeing a shipwreck or coral reef would be unforgettable,” Sigurdsen said.
In another scenario, guests relax on a mesh connecting the hulls in a floating experience.
“Seabreeze also aligns closely with contemporary thinking on destination-based cruising, where a ship gliding in under sail would not disturb wildlife and would be a welcome visitor anywhere. A 21st century wind-powered ship could even drive revival in communities which suffered with the demise of sail,” Sigurdsen said.