2024's top stories in Passenger Ship Technology

Ship design, and in particular low- or no-emissions technology on ferries and cruise ships was a dominant theme among the readers of Passenger Ship Technology in 2024.

To read each story in full, click on the headline, the image or the link at the end of the text.

1. Isle of Islay: boost in reliability, manoeuvrability and capacity

CMAL’s hybrid ferry Isle of Islay marks several firsts for its Scottish shipowner, with new features and greater capacity for freight and vehicles. The ferry – the first in a series of four newbuilds – was due to be delivered at the end of the 2024 and will provide a lifeline service between Islay and Jura. 

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2. Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas first vessel to deploy Wärtsilä 46TS-DF engine

Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas is the first ship in the Oasis class to be LNG fuelled and the first of the company’s newbuilds to specifically target the short cruise market. Construction of Utopia of the Seas commenced at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint Nazaire, France, in March 2022. Upon completion, Royal Caribbean’s newest addition will become the third-largest cruise ship globally, measuring 362-m long, 64-m wide, and featuring 18 decks to accommodate 5,668 guests.

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3. Norway’s zero-emissions law: delay impacts cruise industry

Norway’s plan for zero-emissions requirements in the World Heritage Fjords has been delayed, raising concerns this is creating a barrier to green technology investments within shipping. In 2018, the Norwegian parliament voted for zero-emissions requirements from 2026. But this date has now been delayed and potentially pushed back to 2035. Recommendations include that biofuel be used instead in the World Heritage Fjords, to plug the gap.

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4. Revealing the brilliant technology and features of Virgin Voyages’ latest Lady

Set to launch in September 2025, Brilliant Lady is the fourth and final vessel in the Virgin Voyages’ Lady fleet. Designed and constructed with a focus on energy efficiency and sustainabilty, the cruise ship has some key differences when compared with its sister cruise vessels, as it has evolved based on the learnings provided by the three previous ships. 

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5. Introducing an Icon: designing the world’s largest cruise ship

The first ship to be planned from start to finish in Royal Caribbean’s high-tech inhouse design facility continues to push boundaries for both the line and cruise industry. Launched in January 2024, Royal Caribbean’s first new class of ship in a decade and the world’s largest cruise vessel by gross tonnage – surpassing the line’s Oasis-class Wonder of the Seas – represents a list of superlatives; both in the design process and onboard amenities.

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