Orient Express' sail-assisted cruise ships add propulsion system

The two new luxury cruise ships, which are set to be among the largest to use sail-assisted technology, will use a Brunvoll propulsion system. 

The Brunvoll package consists of a twin-screw configuration with a controllable pitch propeller with a diameter of 3.9 m. The propellers are designed to be fully feathering to limit drag while sailing. The propellers will have direct electrical drive, where Brunvoll will supply its Thrust-OD Box, which works as a thrust bearing with a hydraulic system for the controllable pitch propellers.

“This project confirms Brunvoll is one of the front runners concerning propulsion design and main propulsion efficiency where our skilled hydrodynamicists have been working closely together with Chantiers de l’Atlantique on the development and assessment of different propulsion solutions these spectacular vessels," Brunvoll sales manager Arnfinn Brautaset said.

The first of the 220-m vessels, to be named Orient Express Silenseas, is designed to accommodate approximately 116 passengers. The vessel design shows three sail masts with height above 100 m. Total surface area on board is 1,500 m² and the vessels’ 54 cabins will have an average size of 70 m².

The vessels are being built at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in France for Orient Express Silenseas, a division of French hospitality group Accor. 

In October 2023, Orient Express Silenseas awarded a contract to Wärtsilä to supply its recently introduced Wärtsilä 25DF dual-fuel LNG engine for both vessels.

The full Wärtsilä scope for each vessel includes four Wärtsilä 25DF engines, each developing 2,070 kW at 1,000 rpm, four gas valve units, and four Wärtsilä NOx reducer emissions after-treatment systems. The equipment is scheduled for delivery to the shipyard commencing Q4 2024.

“These will be very special cruise vessels and have been designed to operate with a high level of environmental sustainability. For this reason, the Wärtsilä 25DF engine was selected. It is silent, compact in size yet powerful in performance, so it was the perfect choice for these ships,” said Chantiers de l’Atlantique project manager Yann Penduff.